Amish Sugar Cookies
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup margarine or butter, softened
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for flattening cookies
Supplies
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- spatula
- cookie scoop or spoon
- small bowl for separate sugar
- glass cup
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixer, mix both sugars with butter and oil. Throughout the mixing process, scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary with a spatula.
Add eggs and beat well. Then add the rest of the ingredients, except the second 1/2 cup of sugar listed, and beat well.
Using a cookie scoop (or a spoon), drop by tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Pour 1/2 cup of sugar into a small bowl. Dip the bottom of a glass into some of the remaining cookie dough in the mixing bowl to get the bottom of the glass a little bit sticky and oily – this helps the sugar stick to the glass. Dip the glass into the bowl of sugar and press each cookie flat. You can dip the glass back into the dough mixture to add a bit more oil if and when you need to. Our recipe makes a lot of cookies, so you’ll do this step multiple times!
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown. Best when completely cooled.
Recipe Notes
Optional: Mix some colored sprinkles with the sugar in step 4 for a festive look! Our cookies truly are best when completely cooled, so resist the temptation until that point!
Don’t let the simplicity of this recipe fool you — Amish sugar cookies can certainly hold their own on the cookie plate! Our very own Oola teammate, Sydney, has been making these with her family for 8 years! These delicate, soft, and buttery treats taste somewhat similar to shortbread. They are also known as Nazareth sugar cookies because they originated in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in the 1700s. There are many variations on the Amish sugar cookie, but our recipe is close to the original. Like you can with most sugar cookies, you can add your own spin to the flavor of these cookies, but they’re actually not the kind of cookies that you decorate with icing. But worry not, we also have the decorating sugar cookie recipe and icing to decorate them with!
How To Make Your Amish Sugar Cookies Your Own
Our Amish sugar cookies are delightfully delicious on their own; however, it’s also possible to jazz them up a bit by playing with different flavors. You may find that you prefer some of these add-ins:
- lemon zest
- orange zest
- almond extract
- peppermint extract
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- chocolate chips
- sprinkles
Diet-Friendly Variations
Amish sugar cookies include ingredients like flour, butter, sugar, powdered sugar, and eggs, so they are not suitable for all diets. Fortunately, there are substitutes readily available for those with dietary restrictions.
Vegan
Replace the dairy butter with vegan butter. To avoid any bone char, replace both granulated sugar and powdered sugar with vegan-friendly sugars. Look for brands like Wholesome Sweeteners that provide a wide variety of vegan baking products. Replace the eggs with a vegan egg substitute, such as the Ener-G egg replacer, or use silken tofu or flaxseed.
Gluten-Free
Replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour. Confectioners’ sugar is commonly gluten-free. Powdered sugar usually contains cornstarch or tapioca starch with sugar. However, it’s best to check the label to be safe.
Amish sugar cookies would make the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platter. The overall simplicity of this tasty treat makes it easy to customize and enhance. Try to create some of these classic cookies the next time you do some baking. Your family and friends will love them!
