Amish Sugar Cookies

February 3, 2021
Amish Sugar Cookies bake up pillowy soft, loaded with fabulous vanilla flavor, and with a tender texture that just melts in your mouth. And since they rely on the basic mix-and-drop cookie method, they're super easy to make, too. Amish Sugar Cookies are the absolute favorite sugar cookie in our house.  And who knows? -- They may just become your new sugar cookie favorite, too!

Stack of Amish Sugar Cookies Image

When it comes to cookies, I've never been a huge lover of sugar cookies.  To me, they're okay, and something I certainly won't turn down when my sweet tooth needs satisfying.  But when given a choice amongst other cookies? -- Sugar cookies just aren't my top choice.

But that has changed since I've met Amish Sugar Cookies!

Now, Amish Sugar Cookies are a sugar cookie I can get behind.  And they for sure win out over other cookies when I'm given a choice.

Amish Sugar Cookies bake up pillowy soft, loaded with fabulous vanilla flavor, and with a tender texture that just melts in your mouth.

Why?  How exactly have Amish Sugar Cookies opened up my mind to the world of sugar cookie possibilities?

Quite simply, because of their pillowy-soft and tender texture.

Oh, Amish Sugar Cookies' flavor is great, too.  And I do adore how they seem to just melt in your mouth.  But it's the fact they bake up into soft little sugar cookie pillows that have 100% won me over into the sugar cookie realm.

Give them a try if you haven't before, and I bet you'll love them, too!

Inside Texture of Amish Sugar Cookies Image

What Makes Amish Sugar Cookies Different Than Regular Sugar Cookies?

Three things set Amish Sugar Cookies apart from traditional sugar cookies:
  • Pillowy shape - Amish Sugar Cookies bake up into a thick, pillow-like shape, whereas traditional sugar cookies bake into more of a flattened disc.  This comes primarily from the mix of ingredients that makes up the cookies' dough, and from the drop-method of making them.

  • Soft, tender texture - Along with their pillowly shape, Amish Sugar Cookies also have a very soft and tender texture that seems to simply melt in your mouth.  This comes from a mixture of both granulated and powdered sugar in the dough, as well as a notable amount of fat from a combination of butter and oil.  A small touch of cream of tartar helps produce a very nice rise, which also contributes to the tenderness. 

  • Mix & drop method - Most sugar cookies are either rolled and cut out, or the dough is formed into individual balls then dipped in granulated sugar before baking. -- With some recipes also involving flattening out each dough ball prior to popping them in the oven.  While these steps aren't inherently difficult, they can be time consuming and cumbersome.  Amish Sugar Cookies, on the other hand, are neither time consuming nor cumbersome at all.  Relying on the simple and basic mix-and-drop method, Amish Sugar Cookies come together super quick and easy.  Simply mix the ingredients together, and drop by rounded spoonfuls on a baking sheet to prep them for the oven -- that's it!

Cream of tartar is a key ingredient that significantly contributes to Amish sugar cookies' distinctiveness.

But just what is cream of tartar, you ask? -- Cream of tartar is a rising agent that's essential in creating Amish Sugar Cookies' tender texture.  It works by combining with and activating the baking soda to produce a nice rise, which allows the cookies' puffiness to happen.  

Working in the same way it does in classic Snickerdoodles and our Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies, cream of tartar also inhibits sugar crystals from forming in baking -- which keeps the baked Amish Sugar Cookies tender and soft throughout. 

Jar of Cream of Tartar Image


Amish Sugar Cookie Ingredients:

Just like with traditional sugar cookies, there are no fancy ingredients here.  Amish Sugar Cookies are truly just a simple mix of butter and oil, sugar, vanilla, egg, and flour, combined with leaveners to help them rise. To whip up a tasty batch, you'll need:

  • Unsalted butter -  Since butter is so important to the sugar cookies' flavor, I recommend sticking with real butter rather than substituting margarine in this recipe.

  • Vegetable or canola oil - Brings more fat to the cookie dough, and is a key ingredient in setting Amish Sugar Cookies apart from regular, traditional sugar cookies.  The oil contributes greatly to Amish Sugar Cookies' soft and tender pillowy texture.

  • Granulated + powdered sugar - It just wouldn't be sugar cookies without a good dose of sugar! A mix of both granulated and powdered sugar gives these cookies their melt-in-your-mouth texture.

  • Eggs - Serves as the binder for the cookie dough. Using 2 eggs in the dough contributes to the cookies' baking up into their cakey pillowy shape.

  • Vanilla extract - A full 2 & 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract brings fabulous flavor to these cookies.  Since it's such an important element to the cookies' flavor, be sure to use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.

  • All-purpose flour - The backbone that brings "structure" to the cookies.

  • Baking soda + cream of tartar - The leavening agents that work together to create the cookies' rise.  Cream of tartar also greatly contributes to Amish Sugar Cookies' tender texture.

  • Salt - A pinch of salt enhances and rounds out the finished cookies' flavor.
Scoop of Amish Sugar Cookie Dough Image


How to Make Amish Sugar Cookies:

As far as cookies go, Amish Sugar Cookies are truly easy to make.  Since they're made with simple, basic ingredients and use the standard mix-and-drop method, they come together quickly with no fuss.

No forming the dough in balls, dipping in sugar, or rolling and cutting involved here.  Just a simple mixing of ingredients, and scooping and dropping of the dough on a baking sheet.

As far as cookies go, Amish Sugar Cookies are truly easy to make.

To mix up the dough, start by beating together softened butter, some vegetable or canola oil, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until the ingredients are well combined.  Then beat in eggs and vanilla extract.

In two additions, beat in a mixture of all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  Mix this in only until everything's just combined.  Once you've added flour to wet ingredients, overmixing can create tough baked goods.

Baking Sheet with Scoops of Amish Sugar Cookie Dough Image

Drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, using 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie.  I use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to make scooping the dough super easy and to keep the cookies pretty consistent in size.

Then, bake the cookies up until they're puffy and just beginning to get light golden brown on the bottom and edges.

Amish Sugar Cookie Image

And then you're good to go with enjoying these puffy little pillows of sugar cookie deliciousness!

Loaded with fabulous vanilla flavor, a tender texture that just melts in your mouth, and pillowy softness, Amish Sugar Cookies are sure hard to resist.  They've become the absolute favorite sugar cookie in our house. 

And who knows? -- They may just become your new sugar cookie favorite, too.

Amish Sugar Cookies on Cooling Rack Image
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Amish sugar cookies recipe, sugar cookies, soft sugar cookies, Amish cookies
Cookies & Bars
Amish
Yield: about 40-45 cookies
Amish Sugar Cookies

Amish Sugar Cookies

Amish Sugar Cookies bake up pillowy soft, loaded with fabulous vanilla flavor, and with a tender texture that just melts in your mouth. And since they rely on the basic mix-and-drop cookie method, they're super easy to make, too.
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Ingredients

  • 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 c. vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 c. powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cream of tartar
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, oil, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until well combined.
  2. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until well combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
  4. Add half of flour mixture to the butter mixture; beat on low speed until just combined.  Add remaining half of flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.  Do not overmix.
  5. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, using 2 tablespoons dough for each cookie.
  6. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes, until edges and bottoms are just barely lightly browned.
  7. Allow to cool on baking sheet 3-5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
TRACEY'S NOTES:
  1. Amish Sugar Cookies freeze very well. Place in an airtight plastic container or zip-top baggie and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
  2. I use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to make scooping the dough super easy and to keep the cookies consistent in size.


Amish Sugar Cookies ~ With their pillowy softness, fabulous vanilla flavor, & tender texture that just melts in your mouth, Amish Sugar Cookies may just become your new favorite sugar cookie! And since they rely on the basic mix-and-drop cookie method, they're super easy to make, too.  www.thekitchenismyplayground.com


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6 comments

  1. Tracey, our Adrienne has chosen your Amish cookies to be featured in the next Blogger's Pit Stop.
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tracey, these cookies look so yummy and easy to make! I've bookmarked for later, printed the recipe, and am looking forward to making them. After reading this post, I knew I had my next cooking feature! (See comment from Kathleen.) ~Adrienne from Gluten Free Preppers and a member of the Blogger's Pit Stop Crew

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am a huge fan of Amish fiction, and I have a couple cookbooks, as well. So I look forward to trying these! Pinned.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Where can I find a 2 T. cookie scoop?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I LOVE!!!!! this recipe. It's so easy and versatile! I've made them with fresh lemon juice and zest, Anise, Almond.This recipe is very forgiving! Perfect every time!!! This will be my #1 go to cookie recipe!!!

    ReplyDelete

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