These Soft Amish Sugar Cookies are hands-down my new favorite sugar cookies recipe. They’re so simple and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, you have to stop what you’re doing right now and make these!
I’ve developed quite the sugar cookie collection over the years. Looking for a foolproof Cut Out Sugar Cookie recipe? Covered! Or Easy Soft Sugar Cookies WIth Frosting? I gotcha. And if you’re looking for the BEST soft, no fuss sugar cookie recipe, allow me to introduce you to my new favorite: Amish Sugar Cookies!
This easy sugar cookie recipe is all kinds of old-fashioned and nostalgic, and I love it. The texture of these cookies quite literally melts in your mouth. It’s unreal! They’re thick and soft without being cakey, perfectly buttery and sweet – everything you want a sugar cookie recipe to be!
What Makes these Cookies Unique?
Rumor has it that versions of these sugar cookies have been circulating since the 1700s, when they originated with the Pennsylvania Dutch. This old-timey cookie recipe includes vegetable oil and powdered sugar in addition to butter and granulated sugar.
Healthy? Maybe not. However, this unusual combination is what makes Amish sugar cookies uniquely melt-in-your-mouth and oh-so-amazing!
Recipe Ingredients
Butter: Salted or unsalted, at room temperature.
Vegetable Oil: Or another neutral oil, such as canola.
Sugar: Both granulated sugar as well as powdered sugar is what gives these cookies a particularly tender texture.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract, and not the imitation kind.
Cream of Tartar: Almost every Amish cookie recipe features cream of tartar, which reacts with baking soda to provide the leavening. This gives these cookies a light and fluffy rise.
Baking Soda
Eggs
Flour
Salt
How to Make Amish Sugar Cookies
Make the Dough: Cream together the butter, oil, and sugars. Next beat in the eggs and vanilla, followed by the baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Slowly add in the flour, continuing to mix the dough until just combined.
Scoop the Dough: Use a cookie scoop to scoop dough balls out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake: Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F oven, until the edges are just golden. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips for the Best Cookies
Use a Cookie Scoop: I used my large cookie scoop to make these the perfect size and height. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, here’s the link to my favorite!
Don’t Over-Bake the Cookies: These cookies will only be slightly golden when they leave the oven. They may even appear under-baked – and that’s fine! Whatever you do, make sure to not over-bake these sugar cookies. You can bake out the magic. It’s a fact. Besides, they’ll continue to bake as they rest on the sheet!
How to Store Extras
Store these Amish sugar cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can I Freeze These?
You can freeze both the unbaked cookie dough as well as the baked cookies for up to 3 months.
To Freeze Cookie Dough: Scoop the dough balls out onto a baking sheet, and then place the whole sheet into the freezer to flash-freeze. Once solid, transfer the dough to an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container to store them. Bake the cookie dough directly from frozen, adding an extra couple of minutes to the baking time.
To Freeze Baked Cookies: Store the baked cookies airtight once they’re completely cooled. Use pieces of parchment paper to separate the layers as needed. Freeze the cookies, and let them thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to serve them.
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 14 reviews
Author:Shelly
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Total Time:20 minutes
Yield:24 large cookies 1x
Category:Dessert
Method:Oven
Cuisine:Amish
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Description
These Soft Amish Sugar Cookies are hands-down my new favorite sugar cookies recipe. They’re so simple and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, you have to stop what you’re doing right now and make these!
Ingredients
Scale
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups flour
*optional sprinkles to garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In your mixing bowl cream together butter, oil and both sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Add in baking soda, cream of tartar and salt and mix in.
Turn mixer to low and add in flour, mixing until combined.
Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) dough onto lined baking sheet. Add sprinkles now if desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges just start to golden.
Allow to cool for 3 minutes on baking sheet and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
recipe adapted from Taste of Home Magazine
store airtight for up to 3 days
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 cookie
Calories:249
Sugar:12.5 g
Sodium:158.7 mg
Fat:12.9 g
Carbohydrates:30.5 g
Protein:3 g
Cholesterol:40.5 mg
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**NOTE** When I first posted this recipe I left out the eggs on the printable recipe as an oversight. The recipe is corrected now. Thank you so much for the emails letting me know!!**
Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.
It's all about incorporating air into the mixture. The micro pockets of air you create by creaming cause the dough to rise as it bakes so your cookies will be light in texture instead of flat and dense. Cool (not cold) butter works best; butter that's too warm won't let you create the structure you need.
Almond Extract: For a twist on the traditional sugar cookie flavor, try adding a small amount of almond extract. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust according to your preference. Citrus Zest: Incorporate the zest of citrus fruits like lemon, orange, or lime into the dough. The zest adds a bright and refreshing flavor.
This will very likely make the butter too soft. Cookies won't hold their shape as well and are likely to turn out greasy when made with butter that's too soft. → Follow this tip: Let the butter stand at room temperature for about an hour, until it's soft and gives to gentle pressure.
Eggs, particularly egg yolks. Eggs work to make your cookies soft in two ways: They add a ton of moisture, and the proteins add structure that prevents spreading. Cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. Low in protein and high in moisture, cake flour is used to leaven all sorts of baked goods.
When added to dough, baking soda releases a carbon dioxide gas which helps leaven the dough, creating a soft, fluffy cookie. Baking soda is generally used in recipes that contain an acidic ingredient such as vinegar, sour cream or citrus.
Place a slice of bread on top of the cookies and cover the plate with plastic wrap. The moisture from the bread will be absorbed by the cookies and soften them. Reheat the cookies in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Be careful not to overheat them, as this can cause them to become even more dry and hard.
It's not required for this sugar cookie recipe. Immediately baking after mixing will result in absolutely delicious cookies; however, if time permits, chilling the dough for 24-72 hours does result in cookies that are thicker, chewier, and more flavorful. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap before refrigerating.
The ideal thickness to roll out your sugar cookie dough is about 1/4"--that way, they'll be tough enough to be handled and decorated, but thin enough to stay a little crunchy.
Sugar sweetens the cookies and makes them an enticing golden brown. Adding too little sugar can affect the taste and texture of cookies. Adding too much can cause them to be brittle. Take your time creaming the sugar and butter together at the beginning.
Overmixed doughs and batters may have an unappealing look or feel, which remain just as unappealing when they're baked. Generally speaking, the critical moment is when you combine dry ingredients with wet ones, especially if you're bringing together components of differing temperatures and textures.
If your cookie contains excess sugar or fat, it will spread while baking. If your first batch of cookies spreads, try adding a few tablespoons of flour to help thicken the remaining dough.
Refrigerating the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps to make the cookie dough firmer. Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies.
The science is simple: According to the flour authorities over at Bob's Red Mill, cornstarch can help “soften the rigid proteins of the flour, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.” “The cornstarch complements the flour in absorbing the liquids, but won't develop gluten structure like the flour will,” stresses ...
Water in the butter will aid in leavening the cookie during baking and any remaining water after baking will contribute to moistness in the cookie's texture. The higher butter cookie has slightly more spread than the low butter and control. The biggest difference is in the flavor and mouthfeel of the cookie.
The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.
Baking soda is generally about three times stronger than baking powder, so adjust your recipe accordingly. Baking soda and baking powder can produce cookies with different textures. Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies.
Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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