Nilla Wafers have got to be my favourite ‘wafer’ or cookie to serve with ice cream or even just a cup of coffee.

They are not my favourite wafer to bake though as they are a bit more fiddly than most but I don’t mind that, as the rewards are just so delicious and recently I have found an easier way to keep them in shape whilst chilling – the inner tube of a kitchen roll!

INGREDIENTS:

2 egg yolks
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups almond flour (170g)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
½ cup raw organic honey or maple syrup (85g)

METHOD:

In a bowl or food processor, combine all ingredients and mix until a dough comes together. It will be moist and slightly very sticky.

Place the dough on a large piece of baking parchment and form into a cylinder which should be about 9” long.

Wrap tightly with the parchment and slide into the inner tube of a kitchen roll so that it is a firm fit (this holds the dough in place whilst chilling).  It’s a bit fiddly to do this and I suggest you seal one end of the parchment to stop the dough squeezing out.

Nilla dough inside a kitchen roll tube

Place in the freezer for at least an hour or until very firm. I have left mine in overnight and allowed to ‘come to’ before slicing with a very sharp knife into ¼” or thinner  rounds.  If they go out of shape when cutting, gently ease them into a round on the baking tray.

Slice when chilled

Place the rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes at 350°F, until the tops are slightly golden.

Leave the wafers to cool on the baking sheet (without touching) for at least 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a rack to cool completely. These wafers crisp up as they cool.

Nilla Wafers

If you are not using the wafers straight away, interleave with parchment in an airtight tin.

If necessary, refresh for a few minutes in a hot oven and leave to cool again – this makes them really lovely and crisp.

The thinner the cookie, the more like a wafer which is crispy,  slightly chewy but also melts in the mouth.  I have made thicker ones which taste just as good but are more like a biscuit.

Recipe adapted from The Iron You.