Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Sugar Cookies Recipes

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH SOFT SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Will need 3 or 4 cookie sheets covered with parchment or foil; position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat oven to 375°.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well.
• In the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until combined, then beat in the vanilla.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating smooth after each addition.
• Decrease speed and beat in a third of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk, and another third of the flour mixture; scrape the bowl and beater often.
• Beat in the remaining buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture; scrape the bowl/beater, then remove the bowl from the mixer and give the dough one final mixing with a large rubber spatula.
• Drop tablespoons of the dough 3 or 4 inches apart onto the prepared pans.
• Bake cookies for about 15 minutes or until they spread and rise-they should be lightly golden.
• Slide the papers off the pans onto racks; after the cookies have cooled, detach them from the paper and store them between layers of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with tight-fitting lid.

AMISH SUGAR CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and 2 cups sugar until smooth. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk until well blended. Place big heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Sprinkle each cookie with some of the remaining sugar.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges begin to turn golden. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks. When cool, store in an airtight container.