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1
Preheat the oven to 325F with a rack set in the lower center position.
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2
Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or buttered parchment paper.
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3
Whip the egg whites in a large, clean, dry bowl until they are foamy, then gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until they just begin to hold a stiff peak but are not at all dry.
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4
Beat the yolks in a separate bowl with the vanilla until they are light and pale.
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5
Gently fold the yolks into the whites until they are almost combined but still streaky.
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6
Sift in the flour, gently folding it in until it is just combined.
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7
Transfer about half of the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a standard round tip, or to a resealable plastic bag.
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8
If using the plastic bag, force the mixture into one corner, twist the bag at the corner to close it off, then snip off the corner to form about a 3/4-inch round opening.
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9
Pipe the batter onto the prepared baking sheets in 3-inch-long fingers, continuing with the remaining batter, to form 36 cookies.
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10
Bake until the cookies just barely begin to color, about 15 minutes.
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11
Transfer the pan to a rack to cool until the cookies can easily be peeled from the mat or paper.
