Description
Pariserwafiers are delicate vanilla cream cookies featuring thin, crisp wafers dipped in granulated sugar and sandwiched with a smooth vanilla buttercream frosting. These French-inspired treats bake quickly to a flaky perfection without browning, making them a delightful light cookie that pairs wonderfully with tea or coffee. With simple buttery dough, a hint of cream, and a luscious homemade vanilla frosting, they are perfect for gatherings or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Granulated sugar, for dipping the rolled cookies
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 large egg yolk (optional; substitute with 2 tablespoons cream if omitted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Additional 1 tablespoon cream (optional, for thinning frosting)
- Pink, red, or green food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 1 cup softened butter until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl sides and bottom.
- Add cream: Beat in 1/3 cup heavy cream until mixture appears slightly curdled but not fully combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent lumping.
- Prepare flour and salt: Spoon and level 2 cups all-purpose flour. Stir 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt gently into the flour.
- Combine flour and butter mixture: Use beaters to mix flour with butter-cream mixture just until incorporated. Scrape bowl sides, do not overmix.
- Form dough discs: Divide dough in half, place each on plastic wrap, fold over, and press into flat discs for faster chilling.
- Refrigerate dough: Chill dough discs in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 375°F and prepare two half baking sheets.
- Prepare work surface: Lightly flour a surface or use a pastry cloth for rolling dough.
- Roll out dough: Roll first disc unwrapped on floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness, similar to pie crust thickness.
- Cut shapes: Use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut rounds or similar sized shapes.
- Coat in sugar: Toss cut dough pieces in granulated sugar to fully coat top and bottom.
- Arrange on baking sheets: Place sugar-coated dough rounds on ungreased cookie sheets spaced close but not touching.
- Prick cookies: Use fork tines to prick each cookie three times to prevent puffing during baking.
- Chill before baking: Optionally freeze for 5 minutes or refrigerate for 20 minutes until very cold to ensure flakiness.
- Bake cookies: Bake at 375°F for 7-8 minutes until cookies are set but not browned; edges should be firm, not mushy.
- Cool cookies: Let cookies rest on pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Make frosting: Beat 1/2 cup softened butter until creamy in a clean bowl or mixer.
- Add egg yolk and flavor: Beat in 1 egg yolk (or 2 tablespoons cream), 2 teaspoons vanilla, and pinch of salt until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar: Incorporate 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar fully, adding extra tablespoon cream if frosting is too stiff.
- Prepare piping bag: Fit a piping tip inside a pastry bag, fill with frosting using a spatula, and twist the top closed. Alternatively, use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped.
- Pipe frosting: Once cookies are fully cooled, pipe a teaspoon or two of frosting onto half the cookies.
- Assemble cookies: Sandwich frosted cookies with remaining plain cookies.
- Enjoy: Try to eat just one, but they’re hard to resist!
- Storage: Store assembled cookies in airtight container at room temperature; best eaten day one for maximum flakiness. Frost separately if storing longer.
- Freezing: Flash freeze baked cookies on a tray for 30 minutes, then transfer to freezer bags. Frosting and cookies can be frozen separately. Thaw before use.
- Make ahead: Cut and flash freeze unbaked cookies on tray; bake as needed adding an extra minute if frozen. Frosting can also be made ahead and frozen.
Notes
- For best texture, do not overmix the dough once flour is added to prevent toughness.
- Pricking cookies with a fork prevents puffing and helps keep them thin and crisp.
- Using very cold dough before baking enhances flakiness by allowing butter to remain solid longer.
- Use heavy cream for richer dough and frosting but can substitute cream for egg yolk in frosting for dairy-sensitive diets.
- Cookies do not brown; watch carefully to avoid overbaking.
- Store frosted cookies at room temperature for up to one day; frosting softens cookies over time.
- Freezing unfrosted or frosted cookies extends shelf life to 2-3 months.
- If no piping bag is available, a ziplock bag with a cut corner works well for frosting.
- Optional food coloring adds festive color to frosting for holiday or themed occasions.
