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These vanilla-flavored melting moments cookies melt in your mouth as you eat them. They are easy to make and only require 4 ingredients. They don’t require any eggs. The cookies are light and buttery. They can be made ahead of time and store well.
My family loves melting moments and always request that I make them. They are an easy cookie to make so I do try to always make a batch for every family gathering.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- Cake flour
Butter: This recipe uses unsalted butter. The butter is what makes these cookies so buttery and tender.
Powdered sugar: It is important to use powdered sugar rather than regular sugar. Powdered sugar will give the cookies their light and melty texture. I recommend using a good quality brand of powdered sugar. Some cheaper and generic brands add too much starch in the sugar which will alter the texture and taste of the cookies.
Vanilla: Vanilla extract is added to give these cookies their vanilla flavor.
Cake flour: Cake flour is a low protein flour that helps give the cookies a light, delicate and melty texture. If you don’t have cake flour on hand you can also make your own with all purpose flour and cornstarch.
How to Make Vanilla Melting Moments
- The butter, sugar and vanilla are first creamed together until light and fluffy. The cake flour is then mixed in at low speed until a dough forms.
- Scoop the cookie dough with a 2 teaspoon cookie scoop. Roll dough between your hands to form a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Place dough balls into the fridge for about 20 minutes to chill.
- Bake cookies for about 12 minutes or until edges turn lightly brown.
- Once cookies are cooled, dust with more powdered sugar before serving.
Expert Tips
- I found that 2 teaspoons is the ideal size for these cookies. Any bigger and the cookies spread out too much. If you don’t own a 2 teaspoon cookie scoop you can also measure out 2 teaspoons of dough with measuring spoons.
- Make sure you use a cake flour brand that contains 2 grams of protein per 1/4 cup (28 grams). Using low protein flour helps the cookies stay light and melty.
- Use a good quality brand of powdered sugar. Some generic brands add too much starch to the sugar which will change the texture of the cookies and could leave a soapy or unpleasant taste.
- When making the dough, all the butter must get scraped down into the middle of the mixing bowl before adding the flour. If you have butter stuck on the sides of the bowl or the paddle attachment it will cause the butter not to be evenly distributed in the dough and some of your cookies will spread too much.
More Melting Moments
- 4 Ingredient Chocolate Melting Moments
- 4 Ingredient Lemon Melting Moments
- 3 Ingredient Melting Moments
4 Ingredient Vanilla Melting Moments
Vanilla flavored melting moments that melt in your mouth as you eat them. These cookies are light, tender, buttery and crisp. They only need 4 ingredients and don't contain any eggs.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp (38 g) powdered sugar plus additional for dusting (see note before starting)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (127 g) cake flour
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar and vanilla. Using the flat paddle attachment on the mixer, cream at highest speed until light and fluffy (this should take about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Make sure to stop and scrape the sides of your bowl a few times with a spatula in between mixing to make sure all the sugar and butter gets mixed.
- Once your butter mixture is ready, thoroughly scrape all the butter from the sides of the bowl and from the paddle attachment and get it into the middle of the mixing bowl. This is an important step because it will help ensure the butter is evenly distributed. If you leave butter on the sides of the bowl or the paddle attachment, you'll end up with extra butter in parts of the dough which will cause some of your cookies to spread too much.
- Add in cake flour. Mix on low speed until the flour is fully incorporated and a dough forms.
- Use a 2 tsp cookie scoop to scoop out dough. If you don't own a 2 tsp cookie scoop you can just measure out 2 tsp of dough with a measuring spoon. Roll each dough ball in between your palms until it becomes a smooth round ball. Place onto prepared cookie sheet, spacing cookies at least one inch apart.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). While your oven is preheating, place the cookie dough balls into the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Bake cookies for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly brown around the edges. The cookies will still look pale and only the edges should be slightly brown. Remove cookies and let them cool on the cookie sheet. Once cooled, remove cookies and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- I found that 2 tsp was the ideal size for the cookie dough. Any bigger and the cookies spread too much.
- Powdered sugar: Use a good quality brand of powdered sugar. I used C&H (Amazon | Target | Walmart).* Some generic or cheaper brands add too much starch to the sugar which will alter the texture and taste of the cookies.
- Cake flour: I used Swans Down cake flour.* You want to use a brand that contains 2 grams of protein per 1/4 cup (28 grams). Most brands contain this amount of protein but there are a few brands like King Arthur, which contain a higher amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup) which you don't want for this recipe. Using low protein flour is what makes these cookies very light and melty. If you don't have cake flour or only have high protein cake flour, then I recommend making your own cake flour.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Homemade cake flour: Combine 1 cup + 1.5 tbsp all purpose flour and 2.5 tbsp cornstarch to a bowl. Thoroughly sift the flour and cornstarch together. Measure out 1 cup and 2 tbsp for the recipe. Do not use the full amount. Make sure your all purpose flour contains 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup. You don't want to use a high protein all purpose flour for this recipe (like King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill).
- It's important to get all of the butter into the middle of the bowl before adding in the flour. Otherwise, your butter will not be evenly distributed and when you go to scoop the dough, you'll end up having unmixed butter in the dough and that will cause the cookies to flatten during baking.
- Nutrition estimate does not include powdered sugar dusted on top.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 74kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 0.5g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 0.02mg, Sugar: 2g, NET CARBS: 7
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Mention @KirbieCravings and tag #kirbiecravings!
