This Amish sugar cookie recipe makes soft, buttery cookies with lightly crisp edges and tender centers. The dough uses simple ingredients: butter, granulated sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
Unlike rolled sugar cookies, these are scoop-and-bake cookies, so there’s no rolling or cutting. After the dough chills, portion it, add a topping if you like, and bake until the edges are lightly golden.
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Chill time: 1 hour
- Bake time: 8–10 minutes at 350°F (175°C)
- Total time: about 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: about 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Optional add-ins: ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and colored sugar or festive sprinkles for topping.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: use softened, not melted. It should mix easily but still hold its shape.
- Sugar: granulated sugar adds sweetness and contributes to the texture and browning.
- Eggs: large eggs bind the dough and add moisture.
- Flour: measure carefully, because too much makes the cookies heavy or dry. King Arthur Baking explains how to measure flour.
- Baking soda and cream of tartar: together they provide the leavening. Cream of tartar is an acidic baking ingredient commonly paired with baking soda in cookies.
How to Make Amish Sugar Cookies
1. Prepare the Oven
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugar
Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy.
3. Mix in the Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Stir in the vanilla until evenly combined.
4. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, just until a soft dough forms. Stop mixing once the flour is incorporated.
5. Chill the Dough
Cover the dough and refrigerate it for about 1 hour. Chilling firms the butter, makes the dough easier to handle, and helps reduce excess spreading.
6. Portion and Bake
Scoop the chilled dough into about 24 even portions, roughly 2½ tablespoons (about 40 g) each, and place them on the baking sheet with space between. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
7. Cool
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes. They’re delicate while hot, so let them set slightly before moving them to a wire rack.
Tips for Soft Amish Sugar Cookies
- Use softened butter, not melted.
- Measure the flour carefully, and don’t pack it into the cup.
- Mix the dough only until the ingredients come together.
- Chill the dough for the full hour for easier handling.
- Keep the portions similar in size so they bake evenly.
- Take the cookies out before the centers look completely firm.
- Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them.
For another simple cookie with a cinnamon-sugar finish, try our easy homemade snickerdoodle cookies.
Easy Variations
- Cinnamon sugar: add a little ground cinnamon to the dough, or sprinkle the shaped dough with cinnamon sugar before baking.
- Nutmeg: add ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg for a gently spiced version.
- Almond: add ½ teaspoon almond extract along with the vanilla.
- Lemon: add fresh lemon zest for a bright citrus note.
- Holiday: top the shaped dough with colored sugar or festive sprinkles before baking. If you’d rather roll and cut shapes, see our easy homemade sugar cookies.
Do These Cookies Need Frosting?
No. They’re designed to be enjoyed plain, with flavor from the butter, sugar, vanilla, and a slight tang from the cream of tartar. If you prefer decorated cookies, add a simple glaze or frosting after the cookies have cooled completely. For a more buttery, crumbly cookie, try our buttery shortbread cookies.
How to Store Amish Sugar Cookies
Let the cookies cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep the container closed when you’re not serving them, to maintain their texture.
Can You Freeze Amish Sugar Cookies?
Baked Cookies
Once completely cooled, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag, with parchment between layers if needed. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Cookie Dough
Wrap the dough tightly and place it in a freezer-safe container or bag. When you’re ready to bake, thaw it in the refrigerator before portioning. Frozen dough can bake differently, so judge by sight and remove the cookies when the edges are lightly golden and the centers remain slightly soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Amish sugar cookies soft?
The mix of butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and leavening creates a tender texture. Chilling the dough and avoiding overbaking help keep the centers soft.
Can I make these cookies without cream of tartar?
You can, but removing it changes the balance of the recipe and may affect the texture and flavor. For the intended result, keep the cream of tartar.
Do I have to chill the dough?
For this recipe, yes. The one-hour chill firms the dough, makes it easier to handle, and helps control spreading.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
Look for lightly golden edges while the centers still appear slightly soft. The cookies keep setting as they cool.
Why is it called an Amish sugar cookie?
There’s no single universal formula for Amish sugar cookies. Published recipes use different combinations of butter, oil, sugars, flour, eggs, and leavening. This recipe is one version of an Amish-style sugar cookie, not the only authentic formula.
Food Safety Note
Cookie dough contains raw eggs and raw flour, so don’t eat it before baking. The FDA explains the risks of raw flour, and the CDC explains why you shouldn’t eat raw dough. Wash your hands and utensils after handling raw dough, and bake the cookies before serving.
Final Thoughts
This Amish sugar cookie recipe keeps things simple with familiar ingredients and a straightforward scoop-and-bake method. The keys to soft, buttery cookies are softened butter, carefully measured flour, a full hour of chilling, and not overbaking. Serve them plain, or customize the dough with nutmeg, almond extract, lemon zest, colored sugar, or sprinkles.