From Fluffy Cupcakes to Decadent Pies, These 25 Vanilla Desserts Are Anything but Boring
Are you the type of person who looks at the entire ice cream menu and chooses vanilla over rocky road, cookies and cream or strawberry every single time? Us too. In fact, we think vanilla is underrated. It’s subtle, sweet and makes absolutely everything taste better, from fluffy cupcakes to tender cookies and silky panna cotta. To prove are point, we’ve gathered up the best vanilla desserts that are anything but boring. (Wait until you try the birthday-cake pie.)
1. Vanilla Bean Icebox Cookies
The beauty of these simple cookies (other than that they taste amazing) is that the dough can be made ahead of time, stashed in the freezer and baked whenever a craving strikes.
2. Vanilla Bean Thumbprint Cookies with Dulce de Leche
Cool party trick: Gently simmer a can of sweetened condensed milk and it’ll turn into dulce de leche. That’s the filling for these delicate thumbprint cookies—yum.
3. The Ultimate White Cake
This simple two-layer cake is pretty enough for a special occasion, but not so fancy or huge that it couldn’t be made just because (which is what we’re doing tonight).
4. Homemade Vanilla Pudding
It’s like the pudding cups of your childhood lunches, only a thousand times better.
5. Vanilla Pound Cake
Think of this simple, buttery cake as a blank slate for toppings. You could add berries, whipped cream, ice cream…or all three.
6. Vanilla Cupcakes
There’s something about a cupcake that makes us want to squeal with delight. These are no exception.
7. Sweet Vanilla Bean Biscotti
The melted white chocolate is creamy and sweet but won’t overwhelm the delicate vanilla flavor.
8. Soft and Fluffy Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Frosting
You know those fluffy, frosted cookies they sell in packs at the store? These are the homemade version.
9. Vanilla Bean Cinnamon Buns
We’re powerless against a vanilla-bean-flecked frosting. (The secret trick is to use vanilla paste instead of extract.)
10. Vanilla Milkshake
A cold, creamy vanilla milkshake is a very beautiful thing. The key to the best texture is to use more ice cream than milk (but you knew that).
12. Simple Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta
Panna cotta gives off fancy restaurant vibes, but it’s so simple to make at home and pairs with any flavor of topping.
13. Smoky Vanilla Bourbon Pretzels
They look like plain old pretzels, but one bite and you’ll know they’re way more special than that. (Good luck stopping at just one.)
14. Philadelphia-Style Ice Cream
Philly ice cream is eggless, so the vanilla flavor can really shine through.
15. The Best Vanilla Cake
It’s tender, fluffy, buttery, moist and extra flavorful. So yeah, it really is the best.
16. Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Now is your chance to break out your blow torch (and if you don’t have one, to splurge).
17. Vanilla Mug Cake
When you need a treat and you need it now, this mug cake will do the trick. It’s ready to eat in, like, five minutes.
18. Very Vanilla Cupcakes
They’re sooo much better than the kind from a box, thanks to that real vanilla bean in the frosting.
19. Watercolor Doughnuts
The frosting is a feast for your eyes and the sweet vanilla flavor is a feast for your tastebuds.
20. Homemade Marshmallows
If you’ve never had a homemade marshmallow, you’re in a for a treat. They’re fluffier, softer and more vanilla-y than any store-bought puff could ever be.
21. Vanilla Buttermilk Pie
This silky, tangy Southern pie is a classic for a reason: It doesn’t rely on seasonal ingredients, so you can make it all year.
22. No-Bake Vanilla Cake Bites
Bonus, they’re made with only six ingredients and are (shhh) actually good for you.
23. Vanilla New York Cheesecake
You can make a cheesecake better than any restaurant, promise.
25. 3-Ingredient Ice Cream
At its core, this no-churn wonder requires just heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. The sprinkles are optional, but the vanilla is not.
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