DOUBLE VANILLA RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Slice 1 vanilla bean lengthwise with sharp knife on flat surface. Scrape seeds into bowl; reserve bean pod shell.
• Add 1 cup butter to seeds in bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and egg; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed. Stir in walnuts.
• Place additional sugar into bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll balls in sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool completely.
• Slice 1 vanilla bean for frosting lengthwise with sharp knife on flat surface. Open vanilla bean to expose seeds; place vanilla bean with seeds and reserved vanilla bean pod shell into 2-quart saucepan. Add half & half; cook over medium heat until mixture just starts to boil. Remove from heat; let mixture stand at room temperature 30 minutes or until cool. Discard vanilla bean pods.
• Combine half & half mixture, 2 tablespoons butter and 2 cups powdered sugar in bowl. Beat at low speed, adding additional half & half if necessary for desired frosting consistency. Frost cooled cookies.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350° F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate, large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and the seeds from ½ vanilla bean. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
• Roll the cookie dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets with 2 inches of space between them. Bake until pale golden at the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and the seeds from 1 vanilla bean. The consistency should be thick but pourable (add a splash more milk, if necessary). Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and let set, rounded side up, on a rack set over a piece of parchment paper.