Soft Amish Sugar Cookies - Simple Sugar Cookies Recipe (2024)

Shelly 153 Comments

★★★★★5 from 14 reviews

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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!

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies - Simple Sugar Cookies Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

  • Easy Amish Sugar Cookies
  • What Makes these Cookies Unique?
  • Recipe Ingredients
  • How to Make Amish Sugar Cookies
  • Tips for the Best Cookies
  • How to Store Extras
  • Can I Freeze These?
  • More Sugar Cookie Recipe to Try
  • Get the Recipe

Easy Amish Sugar Cookies

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!

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies - Simple Sugar Cookies Recipe (2)

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!

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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
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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.

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Scoop the Dough: Use a cookie scoop to scoop dough balls out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

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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.

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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!
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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.

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More Sugar Cookie Recipe to Try

  • Amish Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cookies
  • Pressed Frosted Sugar Cookies Recipe
  • Easy Soft Sugar Cookies
  • The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
  • Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Print

    Soft Amish Sugar Cookies - Simple Sugar Cookies Recipe (10)

    Soft Amish Sugar Cookies

    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

    1. Preheat oven to 350°
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
    3. In your mixing bowl cream together butter, oil and both sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
    4. Add in baking soda, cream of tartar and salt and mix in.
    5. Turn mixer to low and add in flour, mixing until combined.
    6. 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.
    7. 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!!**

    Soft Amish Sugar Cookies - Simple Sugar Cookies Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

    Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.

    Why aren t my sugar cookies soft? ›

    If you add too much flour, your cookies won't spread at all and won't be soft or chewy. Baking powder – This gives the sugar cookies lift, without adding too much spread or browning.

    What makes cookies soft and chewy? ›

    Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

    How do you make cookies soft instead of hard? ›

    Microwave Method:Place the cookies on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave them on high for about 10-15 seconds. Check after 10 seconds to avoid overheating. The heat from the microwave will soften the cookies, making them more tender and easier to chew.

    Why are they called cowboy cookies? ›

    The origins of "cowboy cookies" are unknown although they have been variously attributed to Texas or the Old West. The story that describes them in originating in the Old West claims that they were eaten by cowboys as a high energy snack that could be easily carried.

    What is Snoop Dogg cookies? ›

    Snoop Dogg's peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe - His original cookie features creamy peanut butter and semisweet chocolate morsels, making it the perfect indulgence this holiday season. #

    Why are they called Jesus cookies? ›

    She found a delicious recipe for gluten-free “Jesus cookies.” My daughters call those really puffy, soft sugar cookies with lots of icing and sprinkles you find in the grocery store “Jesus cookies” because they seemed to get them during Sunday School A LOT.

    How to soften sugar cookies? ›

    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.

    Should you refrigerate sugar cookie dough before baking? ›

    The #1 Reason Why You Should Chill Your Cookie Dough is simple: it vastly improves your cookies in both taste and texture. If you're like most, you don't want to take the time to chill your cookie dough.

    Are sugar cookies better with butter or shortening? ›

    Which One Should I Use in Cookies? Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper if baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening bake up taller and are more tender, but aren't as flavorful.

    Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

    Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

    What makes cookies chewy and not hard? ›

    Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

    What does brown sugar do in cookies? ›

    Brown sugar

    Brown sugar is also hygroscopic (more so than granulated sugar) and will therefore also attract and absorb the liquid in the dough. The difference is in the molasses that makes brown sugar brown: It adds moisture and slight acidity, resulting in a moist and chewy texture.

    What ingredient keeps cookies from getting hard? ›

    If you enjoy your cookies soft and chewy, chances are likely the recipe contains a common ingredient that serves a very specific purpose. No, it's not granulated sugar, nor the butter. It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch.

    Why do my cookies get hard after they cool? ›

    Cookies become hard when the moisture in them evaporates. This can be caused by leaving them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly. The lack of moisture makes the cookies hard and dry, which makes them difficult to enjoy.

    What makes cookies turn out hard? ›

    Hard cookies: you are over mixing, baking too long, baking at too high a temperature, or some combination of these. Cakey cookies: not enough brown sugar, too much or too little egg, too much flour, maybe you used baking powder instead of baking soda?

    How to make cookies more moist? ›

    Double Your Yolks Most cookie recipes call for at least one egg. You can try omitting the white of each egg, which tends to dry out when baked, and replacing it with an additional yolk. Plus, egg yolks have more fat than egg whites, which helps to keep your cookies moist and chewy.

    References

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