These Bauducco vanilla wafers are as light as air and only minimally sweet, creating a delicious accompaniment to a cuppa or an espresso. I also had ordered the hazelnut wafers, which were good, but the vanilla wafers are outstandingly delicious. I can't say why eating these vanilla wafers reminds me of Renaissance art, but once I taste a vanilla wafer, I am transported...if in mind only...to Rafael's or Botticelli's or Leonardo's workshop...that is, Leonardo da Vinci and NOT Leonardo DiCaprio! It must be some type of culinary and artistic synesthesia lurking in the neural network of my mind, beckoning me to have yet another delicate Bauducco vanilla wafer.

Over 10,000 reviews, yet no one else has figured out this awesome baking hack that you can do with these tasty wafers. Everyone knows how tasty these are. But don't realize there's a secret use for them in your kitchen when baking. So I won't keep it a secret, I'll let you in on the baking hack:

WAFER COOKIE PIE CRUST.

Put a new spin on a custom crust for your next cheesecake, key lime pie, lemon meringue, or countless other treats that call for a traditional or graham-cracker style pie crust.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 9 ounces of vanilla or chocolate wafer cookies*
2. 4-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened or melted.

*Bauducco sells a "family size" 9 ounce package, though you can also get two packs of the smaller sizes and just leave a few of the cookie wafers out.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add the cookie wafers and butter in a food processor or suitable blender until fully blended. If needed, use a silicone spatula or similar utensil to scrape the sides of the processor/blender once or twice during this step.

2. Take this blended mixture and place it on an eight to nine-inch pie plate.

3. Use your fingers to press the crumbs down into the pie plate so that you have a nice even layer all around.

OPTIONAL STEP:

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the pie plate with your-pressed in crust inside, and bake for ten minutes. Remove from oven, and let it cool completely before adding your filling (whether it's something you need to continue baking, or adding a filling is the final step).

You don't have to do step #4. But doing that step will make for firmer, slightly harder crust that won't break apart too easily (a plus if you plan on adding a no-bake cheesecake filling).

This works well with both the vanilla wafer cookies, and obviously works great with the chocolate ones. But for myself, I simply enjoy experimenting with different types of pies I can use this crust with. And then enjoy getting compliments when guests try a slice of pie or cheesecake, and are pleasantly surprised by the crust. They NEVER guess how you made it, and it's up to you if you want to share the little secret.

I bought these on a whim to try because the price was right. I ended up enjoying them, but they didn't knock my socks off. They're a nice, light wafer cookie that doesn't have a strong chocolate flavor. In fact, I wish there were more chocolate in them (or a better wafer to chocolate ratio, anyway). But I really can't complain considering how cheap they are! Just be aware that shipping is dicey...mine were shipped in two separate boxes with very little packaging and one of my (unopened) cookie packages was obliterated upon arrival. I ate them anyway!

At first I'm frustrated because a lot of the wafer is crumbling from shipping. Then I eat one. Forget that. Peanut butter Wafers taste great. I'm going to order more!

Got your attention.. They truly are rather addicting.. Once open I have to make sure they stay in the other room and are not convenient! They are vanilla cream filled wafers, very light and there is a lot in the package.
If there is any negative - there are lots of 'fine' crumbs when you open and remove the cookies.. They are simply covered with a plastic wrap which provides no protection, so if they get jostled around in shipping they tend to get crumbs..
Great value for the price!