Amish Sugar Cookies

Amish Sugar Cookies are uncomplicated, simple and elegant. This quick cookie is deliciously soft and thick!

No-roll, no-cut, and no-chill makes for a quick and tasty treat. For more delicious sugar cookie magic, try Sugar Cookie Bars, Lemon Sugar Cookies, and delish Chewy Sugar Cookies.

Simply delicious

Amish sugar cookies are simple to make and require few ingredients. Per the Amish tradition, they are made by hand without an electric mixer.

Versions of the sugar cookie have been around since the 1700’s and are said to have originated in Pennsylvania. Amish sugar cookies are made with powdered sugar and vegetable oil. Not in place of granulated sugar and butter — in addition to them.

This gives them a wonderfully thick texture. These Amish Sugar Cookies are soft and puffy, but still dense and substantial. They’re really buttery, rich, and flaky.

How to make amish cookies

PREP. Grease a cookie sheet and preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C

WET INGREDIENTS. Use a large bowl and add the butter, oil, white sugar, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix them together until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and beat in between each egg. Mix in the vanilla.

DRY INGREDIENTS. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Add the flour to the sugar mixture and mix until just combined.

BAKE. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto the greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.

Cut out

While these cookies can be dropped on a cookie sheet without any fuss of rolling and cutting like other sugar cookies, they can be made as cut outs as well.

1. Chill the dough -ALL the way
2. Divide the dough into smaller sections about the size of a softball.
3. Work with one section at a time and keep the rest chilled. 
4. Roll the section about ¼ inch thick and use a basic shaped cookie cutter to stamp out the shapes. 
5. Place shapes 2 inches apart on a baking pan and bake for 6-8 minutes. Cool on the cookies on the baking sheet.

Variations + Storage

Frosting: These are so yummy and can be eaten without frosting, but you can absolutely add frosting if you want. Another topping ideas

• roll the dough balls into cinnamon sugar mixture
• Roll balls with jimmies or colored sugar sprinkles.
• Drizzle with chocolate or caramel
• Dust with powdered sugar
• Drizzle the cookies with glaze.

Save a batch for later by FREEZING the dough for up to 3 months. Store the dough in one large log shape, in cookie dough balls, or in cut out shapes. 

• Log shape: wrap the log with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw before shaping and baking.
• Dough balls/cut outs: place on a tray and then into the freezer. Once they are frozen (about an hour) transfer them to a freezer safe container. To bake from frozen add 2-3 more minutes to the bake time. 

STORE cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. FREEZE for up to 3 months. If they are frosted, be sure that the frosting has set before stacking. As a precaution, place a piece of wax paper between layers.

More Cookies to try:

• Gooey Butter Cookies
• Iced Oatmeal Cookies
• Brownie Cookies
• Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Almond Crunch Cookies
• Cream Cheese Cookies
• Ginger Snap Cookies