Soft Amish Sugar Cookies – Tender, buttery, old-fashioned cookies that melt in your mouth

🎉 Introduction

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies are the definition of simple, timeless baking — tender, buttery, lightly sweet, and delicately crisp on the edges with soft, melt-in-your-mouth centers. These cookies have been cherished for generations because they require no rolling, no chilling, and no fuss. Their old-fashioned flavor comes from humble ingredients, but the result is pure cookie perfection.

Perfect for holidays, gifting, or everyday baking, Amish Sugar Cookies pair beautifully with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk. Soft, comforting, and impossibly easy — they’re a classic for a reason.

🧰 Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowls
• Hand mixer or stand mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Cookie scoop
• Cooling rack

🛒 Ingredients

Traditional Amish Cookie Dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Optional Toppings

• Sanding sugar
• Sprinkles
• Cinnamon sugar
• Glaze (powdered sugar + milk + vanilla)

👩‍🍳 Directions

Step 1: Cream the butter, sugars & oil

In a large mixing bowl, beat together:

• Softened butter
• Granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar

Mix 2–3 minutes until creamy.
Add oil and beat again until smooth and light.

Step 2: Add eggs & vanilla

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
Stir in vanilla.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

• Flour
• Baking soda
• Cream of tartar
• Salt

Add dry mixture to wet ingredients and mix just until soft dough forms.

Step 4: Scoop & bake

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Line baking sheets with parchment.
Scoop dough into 1–1½ tablespoon balls and place 2 inches apart.

Optional: Sprinkle tops with sugar for sparkle.

Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are just set and bottoms lightly golden.
Do NOT overbake — soft centers are key.

Step 5: Cool

Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

🍽️ Servings & Timing

• Yield: 36–42 cookies
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Bake Time: 8–10 minutes per batch
• Total Time: ~30 minutes

🧊 Storage & Reheating

• Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
• Freeze dough balls for up to 3 months and bake directly from frozen with +1 minute bake time.

🥄 Variations

• Lemon Amish Sugar Cookies
  Add lemon zest + replace vanilla with lemon extract.
• Almond Bakery Style
  Replace 1 teaspoon vanilla with almond extract.
• Cinnamon Sugar Amish Cookies
  Roll tops in cinnamon sugar before baking.
• Frosted Sugar Cookies
  Top with vanilla glaze or buttercream once cooled.
• Holiday Sprinkle Cookies
  Add festive sprinkles into the dough or on top.

❓ 10 FAQs

1. Why do Amish Sugar Cookies use both butter and oil?
   Butter adds flavor; oil creates the ultra-soft texture.
2. Do I need to chill the dough?
   No — the dough is ready to bake immediately.
3. Can I make them smaller or larger?
   Yes — adjust bake time accordingly.
4. Can I make them gluten-free?
   Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
5. What’s the purpose of cream of tartar?
   It gives the cookies their signature softness.
6. Can I decorate them?
   Absolutely — sprinkles, glaze, or frosting all work.
7. Why are my cookies too flat?
   Dough may be too warm; add 1–2 tablespoons flour.
8. Why are they crumbly?
   Too much flour — be sure to spoon and level.
9. Can I freeze these?
   Yes — they freeze beautifully baked or unbaked.
10. Can I use brown sugar?
    No — it changes the classic soft, light texture.

🏁 Conclusion

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies are everything a classic cookie should be: tender, buttery, simple, and absolutely irresistible. With their melt-in-your-mouth texture and old-fashioned charm, they’re perfect for holidays, gifting, or everyday baking. Easy, comforting, and wonderfully nostalgic, these cookies are a timeless treat you’ll return to again and again.

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies – Tender, buttery, old-fashioned cookies that melt in your mouth

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies are the definition of simple, timeless baking — tender, buttery, lightly sweet, and delicately crisp on the edges with soft, melt-in-your-mouth centers. These cookies have been cherished for generations because they require no rolling, no chilling, and no fuss. Their old-fashioned flavor comes from humble ingredients, but the result is pure cookie perfection. Perfect for holidays, gifting, or everyday baking, Amish Sugar Cookies pair beautifully with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk. Soft, comforting, and impossibly easy — they’re a classic for a reason.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 40 Cookies

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Get Our Best App for Daily Great Recipes 🍽️

Discover warm, delicious, home-style meals — fresh recipes added every day inside Jacky’s Kitchen.

Coming Soon

Ingredients

  

Traditional Amish Cookie Dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Optional Toppings

• Sanding sugar
• Sprinkles
• Cinnamon sugar
• Glaze powdered sugar + milk + vanilla

Get Our Best App for Daily Great Recipes 🍽️

Discover warm, delicious, home-style meals — fresh recipes added every day inside Jacky’s Kitchen.

Coming Soon

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Hand mixer or stand mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Cookie scoop
• Cooling rack

Method

 

Step 1: Cream the butter, sugars & oil

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together:
2. Softened butter
3. Granulated sugar
4. Powdered sugar
5. Mix 2–3 minutes until creamy.
6. Add oil and beat again until smooth and light.

Step 2: Add eggs & vanilla

1. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
2. Stir in vanilla.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together:
2. Flour
3. Baking soda
4. Cream of tartar
5. Salt
6. Add dry mixture to wet ingredients and mix just until soft dough forms.

Step 4: Scoop & bake

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Line baking sheets with parchment.
3. Scoop dough into 1–1½ tablespoon balls and place 2 inches apart.
4. Optional: Sprinkle tops with sugar for sparkle.
5. Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are just set and bottoms lightly golden.
6. Do NOT overbake — soft centers are key.

Step 5: Cool

1. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Reheating

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.

Freeze dough balls for up to 3 months and bake directly from frozen with +1 minute bake time.

🥄 Variations

Lemon Amish Sugar Cookies
Add lemon zest + replace vanilla with lemon extract.

Almond Bakery Style
Replace 1 teaspoon vanilla with almond extract.

Cinnamon Sugar Amish Cookies
Roll tops in cinnamon sugar before baking.

Frosted Sugar Cookies
Top with vanilla glaze or buttercream once cooled.

Holiday Sprinkle Cookies
Add festive sprinkles into the dough or on top.

❓ 10 FAQs

Why do Amish Sugar Cookies use both butter and oil?
Butter adds flavor; oil creates the ultra-soft texture.

Do I need to chill the dough?
No — the dough is ready to bake immediately.

Can I make them smaller or larger?
Yes — adjust bake time accordingly.

Can I make them gluten-free?
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

What’s the purpose of cream of tartar?
It gives the cookies their signature softness.

Can I decorate them?
Absolutely — sprinkles, glaze, or frosting all work.

Why are my cookies too flat?
Dough may be too warm; add 1–2 tablespoons flour.

Why are they crumbly?
Too much flour — be sure to spoon and level.

Can I freeze these?
Yes — they freeze beautifully baked or unbaked.

Can I use brown sugar?
No — it changes the classic soft, light texture.

🏁 Conclusion

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies are everything a classic cookie should be: tender, buttery, simple, and absolutely irresistible. With their melt-in-your-mouth texture and old-fashioned charm, they’re perfect for holidays, gifting, or everyday baking. Easy, comforting, and wonderfully nostalgic, these cookies are a timeless treat you’ll return to again and again.