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Close-up of sugar cookies layered with green filling and red‑green sugar topping.

Cream Wafers

Delicate cream wafers made with a buttery cream dough, coated in decorating sugar, baked until tender, and filled with smooth flavored cream.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cream Wafers

Ingredients

For the Wafers

  • 2 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 c unsalted butter softened
  • ⅓ c heavy whipping cream
  • Decorating sugar as needed

For the Creamy Filling

  • ¾ c powdered sugar
  • ¼ c unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract, lemon extract, or peppermint extract
  • Food color optional

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Wafer Dough

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, softened butter, and heavy whipping cream.
  • Mix until a soft dough forms.

Step 2: Chill the Dough

  • Divide the dough into three equal portions.
  • Wrap each portion in plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour, or until firm.

Step 3: Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheets

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 4: Roll the Dough

  • Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator.
  • Keep the remaining portions refrigerated until ready to use.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ⅛-inch thickness.

Step 5: Cut the Wafers

  • Cut the rolled dough into desired shapes using 1½-inch cookie cutters.
  • Repeat with the remaining chilled dough portions.

Step 6: Coat with Decorating Sugar

  • Generously cover a large piece of waxed paper with decorating sugar.
  • Place each cutout onto the sugar and turn to coat both sides evenly.

Step 7: Prepare for Baking

  • Transfer the sugared cutouts to the prepared baking sheets.
  • Prick each cutout with a fork approximately 4 times.

Step 8: Bake

  • Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the wafers are set but not browned.

Step 9: Cool

  • Remove the wafers from the baking sheets.
  • Transfer them to a wire rack.
  • Allow them to cool completely, approximately 1 hour.

Step 10: Prepare the Creamy Filling

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, softened butter, and chosen extract.
  • Mix until smooth and creamy.
  • Add food color, if desired, and mix until evenly tinted.

Step 11: Fill the Wafers

  • Transfer the filling to a disposable decorating bag fitted with a decorating tip.
  • Pipe a small amount of filling onto the bottom side of half of the cooled wafers.

Step 12: Assemble

  • Top each filled wafer with a second wafer, placing the bottom side against the filling.
  • Press gently to form sandwich cookies.

Step 13: Serve

  • Serve immediately, or refrigerate briefly before serving if a firmer filling is preferred.

Notes

To make these Cream Wafers gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with a certified gluten-free 1:1 baking flour blend suitable for cookies. Confirm that the powdered sugar, decorating sugar, vanilla extract, lemon extract, peppermint extract, food color, butter, and heavy whipping cream are labeled gluten-free. Some extracts, food colors, and decorative sugars may contain gluten-based additives or cross-contact warnings, so check labels carefully. Use clean mixing bowls, rolling pins, cookie cutters, parchment paper, baking sheets, decorating bags, and cooling racks to prevent gluten contamination.