Amish Sugar Cookies

These delicious Amish sugar cookies are different than any recipe I have tried!

Baking is a lovely way to pass the time during the dark days of winter. We homeschooling moms have a lot of time to fill, don't we, when it's harder to head outside to play?

The mixture of butter and oil, and the variety of sugars give these cookies a softness and a flavor that is unique. I love the addition of the almond extract as well -- although my daughter doesn't (she can tell if I sneak it in there). You could also experiment with other extracts to enhance flavors, or stir in half a cup of chopped sweetened dried cranberries.

You could also dress these up with a few drops of food coloring (I use the natural kind from India Tree, available on Amazon, because my kiddo reacts to artificial colors) for holidays! Pink cookies would be super cute for Valentine's Day!




If you'd like to make a version that's a bit healthier, you can experiment with substituting applesauce for some of the oil. Start with half and see how you like them.

Be careful not to over bake these. I pull them out when they still look slightly underdone. The recipe says 8-12 minutes -- set your timer for 8 and check them. They should be golden brown on the bottom.

Amish Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cream of tartar
4 ½ cups flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar until thoroughly blended.
3. In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream butter, oil, and sugars together until creamy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla to butter and sugar mixture and mix well.
5. Slowly add dry ingredients to the mix until well blended.
6. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat.
7. Bake 8-12 minutes or until lightly golden on the bottom.

Store in an airtight container. These freeze very well!

Give them a try and let me know what you think!