How to Make Vanilice (Serbian Sandwich Cookies) - A Step-by-Step Guide

Vanilice, also known as Serbian sandwich cookies, are traditional cookies that are popular in the Balkan region. These delicate, buttery cookies are loved for their melt-in-your-mouth texture and sweet, vanilla flavor. They are often enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea, and are a staple at festive occasions such as holidays and celebrations.

What makes vanilice unique is their sandwich-like appearance. Two small, round cookies are sandwiched together with a layer of fruit jam, creating...

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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups vegetable shortening (such as Butter Flavor Crisco®)
  • 1 cup white sugar, divided, or as needed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
  • ¼ cup apricot jam, or as needed

Information

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Additional Time: 1 hr
  • Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
  • Servings: 20
  • Yield: 20 sandwich cookies

  • Combine shortening and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl; cut with a pastry knife until crumbly. Add egg and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Work in 2 cups flour with your hands; knead until stiff and similar in consistency to pie dough.
  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat® mats.
  • Dust a work surface generously with flour and set dough on top. Roll dough with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into rounds with a 1 3/4-inch cookie cutter or the rim of a glass. For every 2 cookies you cut, use a smaller cookie cutter to cut a hole or shape out of the second cookie; the cut-out cookies will be placed on top of the whole cookies when filled.
  • Re-roll the dough and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used up. You should have an equal number of whole and cut-out cookies. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; do not let the cookies brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully transferring onto wire racks. The cookies will be crumbly and fragile while still hot so handle carefully. Let cool completely.
  • Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar into a bowl. Spread 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon apricot jam onto each whole cookie, then place a cut-out cookie on top. Dip the filled cookies in sugar until well coated on both sides.
  • Nutrition

    234 cal.

    • Total Fat: 16g
    • Saturated Fat: 4g
    • Cholesterol: 9mg
    • Sodium: 5mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 22g
    • Dietary Fiber: 0g
    • Total Sugars: 12g
    • Protein: 2g
    • Vitamin C: 0mg
    • Calcium: 4mg
    • Iron: 1mg
    • Potassium: 20mg