Amish Cookies

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies Recipe

For many, quintessential Amish Cookies are soft sugar cookies. Note that this dough needs to chill for a few hours before baking.

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 cup lard or shortening
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, baking powder, shortening, lemon juice, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt until well blended. (The mixture should be light in color, smooth, and soft.)
2. Stir in enough of the flour to make a stiff dough, working it in with your hands.
3. Chill the dough for at least a few hours or overnight.
4. When you are ready to bake your cookies, position one of your oven racks in the center and preheat to 350F degrees.
5. Lightly grease your cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.
6. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto your prepared cookie sheets.
7. Bake one cookie sheet at a time in the center of your oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are golden and the centers are soft to the touch.
8. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to set on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

This cookie recipe makes about 10 dozen Soft Amish Sugar Cookies.

Amish Buttermilk Cookies Recipe

Buttermilk cookies are common in Amish communities throughout northern Indiana, where they use their own buttermilk for baking. These delicious amish cookies will last for several days in a sealed cookie jar, if they last that long!

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 4 eggs
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk

1. Position one of the oven racks in the center and preheat the oven to 425F degrees. Either line your cookie sheets with parchment or lightly grease them.
2. In a large bowl beat together the sugar and shortening until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir in the vanilla.
5. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
6. Add the dry mixture to the shortening mixture a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk.
7. Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.
8. Bake one cookie sheet at a time on the center rack for 6 to 8 minutes, until cookies are set.
9. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer them with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

This Amish cookies recipe makes about 3 dozen Amish Buttermilk Cookies.

Amish Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

This cookie recipe makes a large batch of large chocolate chip cookies with fewer chocolate chips than the traditional Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.

• 2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 (12-ounce) package chocolate chips

1. Position one of the oven's racks in the center and preheat the oven to 375F degrees.Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
2. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars together until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended.
4. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the hot water.
5. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and salt.
6. Add the baking soda mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, alternating with the flour and stir just until combined.
7. Stir in the chocolate chips.
8. Drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls, spaced 3 inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets.
9. Bake, one cookie sheet at a time in the center of the oven, for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheets and then transfer them with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

This Amish Cookies recipe makes about 5 to 6 dozen large Amish Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Amish Snickerdoodles Cookies Recipe

Snickerdoodles are an old-fashioned favorite brought to America by the Germans. This recipe for snickerdoodles makes Amish cookies that are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. They will keep in a tightly sealed container for weeks.

You'll find cream of tartar in the spice aisle of your grocery store.

• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1. Position one of your oven's racks in the center of the oven and preheat it to 400F degrees. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the cinnamon and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the remaining sugar and shortening until creamy and well blended.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.
5. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar.
6. Add the dry mixture to the sugar and egg mixture and mix just until blended.
7. Shape the cookie dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and roll each ball in the reserved cinnamon sugar mixture.
8. Place each ball 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
9. Bake, one cookie sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven, for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

This recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen Amish Snickerdoodles Cookies.

Amish Molasses Nut Cookies Recipe

Amish molasses nut cookies are an old-fashioned favorite that are easy to make. If you love sweet and spicy soft molasses cookies, I hope you give these a try. This makes a big batch of Amish cookies. For fewer cookies, divide the recipe ingredients in half.

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 cups all-pupose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup chopped nuts

1. Position one of the oven's racks in the center and preheat oven to 375F degrees.
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
3. In a large bowl beat together the sugar and shortening until creamy.
4. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla and beat well.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger until well blended.
6. Add the dry mixture to the sugar mixture in several additions, alternating with the buttermilk until well combined.
7. Stir in the nuts.
8. Drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls spaced 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
9. Bake for about ten minutes, until golden around the edges.
10. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

This Amish cookies recipe makes about 10 dozen Amish Molasses Nut Cookies.