Madagascan Vanilla Sugar Biscuit Recipe

Combine dry

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. Stir in the Madagascan vanilla sugar so the vanilla-scented sugar is evenly mixed through the flour mixture.

Cut butter into flour

Cut the cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter bits remaining. This yields a tender, slightly flaky biscuit texture.

Mix wet ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the whole milk until blended. If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and scrape the seeds; add the seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract if using extract) into the egg-milk mixture and whisk to combine.

Bring dough together

Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until the dough just comes together; it should be slightly shaggy but hold when pressed. Avoid overmixing to keep biscuits tender. If too dry, add up to 1 teaspoon more milk; if too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour.

Form disk

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 3/4-inch thick disk. For uniform biscuits, roll lightly to 3/4 inch. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours). Chilling firms the butter and helps the biscuits keep their shape.

Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Cut biscuits

Remove chilled dough and unwrap. Lightly flour a biscuit cutter (about 2.5 inches / 6 cm) and press straight down without twisting to cut rounds. Re-roll scraps once to cut remaining biscuits. Place rounds on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

Top & bake

Brush the tops very lightly with a tiny amount of milk (or an egg wash of 1 tsp beaten yolk with 1 tsp milk for deeper color). Sprinkle each biscuit with a thin dusting of extra Madagascan vanilla sugar and, if desired, a pinch of coarse sugar for crunch. Bake in the preheated oven for 12–16 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until edges are lightly golden and tops set.

Cool

Remove from oven and transfer biscuits to a wire rack to cool for 10–15 minutes before serving. They will crisp slightly as they cool while remaining tender inside.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. To refresh, warm briefly in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 5–7 minutes.