Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (2024)

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These Amish Sugar Cookies are by far the BEST sugar cookies I’ve ever eaten! Soft and pillowy perfect cookies.

Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (1)

Welcome to day 1 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies here on Something Swanky! ????

Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (2)

No, you’re not crazy. Yes, you did the math right. No, I’m not going to have time this year to fit in all 12 days of cookies. I’m pretty bummed about it actually. But this year is all about surviving the craziness of moving + the holidays at the same time, and you know what? If we manage to squeeze in 3 or 4 days of Christmas cookies, I think I’m going to be okay. I just loved doing this last year so much, I had to at least get in a little mini version this year!

But you just wait for Christmas 2017, I’ll be pulling out all the stops. Guaranteed.

Ok, let’s get to the star of the show today: these Amish Sugar Cookies. Since we’re not getting in the full 12 days of cookies this year, I’m only sharing the best of the best. And, trust me, these cookies are the cream of the crop.

In fact, I can get a little overexcited about these cookies. I feel like I should warn you up front in all fairness. But just stick with me to the end, and you’ll see why I can’t stop gushing about this seriously amazing recipe!

Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (3)

A little backstory before the gushing starts:

I’ve spent this year trying to come up with fun “family history” activities for my family. I know that might sound a little strange, butwe have had a really great experience with our kids learning about our family’s ancestors and the countries they originated from. My favorite activities, of course, have been the ones that involved food. One time we did a dinner with lots of different foods from many of the countries where our ancestors lived (brats from Germany, macarons from France, empanadas from Mexico, etc).

In preparation for one of these activities, I discovered that my husband has an ancestral connection to the Pennsylvania Dutch/Amish! Of course, I immediately dove into the world of Amish recipes. Expect many more to come, but for today I am sharing my absolute favorite so far: Amish Sugar Cookies.

Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (4)

These cookies are UNREAL. They are so, unbelievably good that I just don’t even have the words to do them justice. Considering there’s not a morsel of chocolate in sight, that is high praise indeed coming from me!

I’m a texture gal, and I typically like a lot ofstuff in my cookies. You know. M&MS and chocolate chips and butterscotch and oatmeal and nuts. That’s normally my cookie happy place. But not this time!

These cookies are remarkably plain. But they’re also remarkably soft. Pillow-likesoft. And deliciously buttery. With delicately crispy edges and a crackly sugar coating, you will absolutely not be able to stop at just one.

Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (5)

I’m also obsessed with how versatile these cookies are! For a festive holiday cookie plate, you could roll them in colored sugar sprinkles instead of plain granulated sugar. You could stick a Hershey Kiss on top (yum, the Candy Candy Hershey Kisses would be amazing) for a holiday blossom cookie.

You could even mix in some M&MS or chocolate chips if you wanted.

But these cookies don’t need it. You’ll fall in love with them just the way they are, I promise. If you only make one of my cookie recipes this year, make sure it’s this one. You won’t regret it!

Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (6)
Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (7)

Amish Sugar Cookies

Yield: 2-3 dozen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

These Amish Sugar Cookies are by far the BEST sugar cookies I've ever eaten! Soft and pillowy perfect cookies.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beattogether the butter, oil, and sugars until light and fluffy.

Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

Mix inthe flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

Scoop dough by 2 tbsp and roll into a ball in the granulated sugar until coated. Place cookie dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes (err on the side of underdone to keep these soft, they should not be brown on top at all). Remove to a wire rack immediately to cool.

Notes

Tip: the vanilla really stands out in this recipe, so use a high quality one! I love this vanilla crush.

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Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe AKA The Best Drop Sugar Cookies EVER (2024)

FAQs

What is a Nazareth sugar cookie? ›

The sugar cookie is believed to have originated in the mid-1700s in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. German Protestant settlers created a round, crumbly and buttery cookie that came to be known as the Nazareth cookie. Jumbles are the earliest form of sugar cookies.

What ingredient keeps sugar cookies from spreading? ›

Cookies spread because the fat in the cookie dough melts in the oven. If there isn't enough flour to hold that melted fat, the cookies will over-spread. Spoon and level that flour or, better yet, weigh your flour. If your cookies are still spreading, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour to the cookie dough.

Is cream of tartar necessary for sugar cookies? ›

Adding it to cake or cookie batters prevents sugar from banding together and crystallizing, meaning that it results in more of a tender chew—snickerdoodles and sugar cookies wouldn't be the same without cream of tartar. The same effect is why it's added to some frostings and syrups, where it helps keep things smooth.

What is a drop cookie? ›

“Drop cookie” is a term applied to cookie recipes where bakers “drop” cookie dough from a spoon or cookie scoop onto a baking sheet, rather than roll it out or cut it into specific shapes.

What is a Navy Seal sugar cookie? ›

McRaven describes the experience of Navy SEAL trainees who are subject — often randomly — to a punishment where they are directed to get wet and sandy on the beaches. By the time they are finished the trainees, covered in sand, look like “sugar cookies.”

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.

What makes drop cookies spread? ›

6 Reasons Why Your Cookies are Spreading
  1. Room Temperature Butter. If it's too soft, it will melt faster in the oven and ultimately spread out. ...
  2. Excess Sugar and Fat. Measuring is key in baking. ...
  3. Mixing Butter & Sugar. ...
  4. Dough is Too Warm. ...
  5. Greased Cookie Sheets. ...
  6. Warm Cookie Sheets. ...
  7. Oven Temperature. ...
  8. The Test Cookie.

Why poke holes in sugar cookies? ›

So by poking the holes in, the cookie. will ensure that the cookie shape does not spread, which sugar cookies love to do.

What happens if you don't add baking soda to sugar cookies? ›

Well, it's because soda is the most important ingredient for giving your cookies their texture. If you fail to add a teaspoon of baking soda or however much your recipe needs, the cookies won't have those bubbles inside them to rise up.

What happens if you only use granulated sugar in cookies? ›

Using granulated white sugar will result in a flatter, crispier and lighter-colored cookie. Granulated sugar is hygroscopic, so it attracts and absorbs the liquid in the dough. This slows down the development of the gluten (flour), which makes the cookies crispier.

How do you spruce up sugar cookies? ›

Take plain sugar cookies up a notch with exciting mix-ins like chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, toasted chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit or M&M's. Add these after blending your butter and egg into the sugar cookie mix.

What is the mixing method for drop cookies? ›

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream 2 cups of butter and 1 cup of confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and combine. Gradually add in 3 1/2 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt until wet and dry ingredients are well combined. Add nuts or other additional ingredients of your choosing.

What is the oldest cookie? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

What is Snoop Dogg cookies? ›

Rapper turned chef Snoop Dogg shared with us one of his unique cookie recipes from his cookbook, "From Crook to Cook." His original cookie features creamy peanut butter and semisweet chocolate morsels, making it the perfect indulgence this holiday season. Check out the recipe below and step-by-step guide!

What's the difference between a sugar cookie and a regular cookie? ›

What makes a sugar cookie a sugar cookie? A sugar cookie is a cookie that only uses granulated sugar to sweeten the cookie. Frequently, sugar cookies are also rolled out with a rolling pin and cut into shapes using cookie cutters prior to baking.

What is the difference between shortbread and sugar cookies? ›

The main difference between these two cookies is the ingredients and the ratios of the ingredients. Sugar cookies typically contain eggs, while shortbread cookies do not. Shortbread also has a higher ratio of butter to flour and are usually more crumbly and tender as a result.

What is the communion cookie made of? ›

Catholic Church

In the Roman Rite, unleavened bread is used as in the Jewish Passover or Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Code of Canon Law requires that the hosts be made from wheat flour and water only, and recently made so that there is no danger of spoiling.

What are the oldest cookies in the world? ›

Pizzelles, the oldest known waffle cookies, originated in Italy. The name pizzelle is based on the Italian word 'pizze' meaning round and flat, with the ending 'elle' referring to its small size.

References

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