These sugar cookies are just like Grandma used to make. With a crisp delicate texture, and buttery sweet flavor, sand tart cookies are really irresistible. How long it takes: 10 minutes to prep, plus chilling time Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, parchment or waxed paper, baking sheet Servings: makes 6 dozen cookies Sand tart cookies are perfect on a holiday cookie platter and go well with any beverage. Coffee, tea, or milk are classic choices or serve the cookies with homemade ginger spiced hot chocolate or an apple cider mule for a special treat. Shortbread cookies are wonderful with a glass of wine, too. This is another one of my grandma’s favorite recipes from her stained and tattered school cookbook. We always called them sand cookies. I thought it was because of the texture, kind of grainy (in a good way!) or sandy from the sugar. Upon doing a bit of research, I found that that their true name is Sand Tart Cookies and they are originally a German (Deutsch) cookie that “immigrated” to the United States. It’s so cool to find recipes from around the world in my grandma’s well-worn cookbook.
About Sand Tart cookies
Most of the recipes for this traditional Pennsylvania Dutch cookie use chilled dough that you roll very thin and cut with a cookie cutter. Some bakers press sliced almonds, or a pecan half into the dough, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before baking. Others roll the dough into small balls and bake. These are fine baking methods but a bit labor intensive. Since my motto is keep things simple, I’ve converted this cookie recipe into convenient slice-and-bake cookies. Mix up the dough, form it into logs, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. Slice into thin rounds and bake. A fresh cookie in minutes! Some folks call them refrigerator or icebox cookies. Decorate the cookies with colored sugar to make them a bit more festive for the holidays. They’re great sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, too, or just plain.
What’s in Sand Tart Cookies?
I can assure you, there’s no sand in sand tarts! The ingredients are simple and I bet you already have everything you need in your sandbox, er, I mean, pantry.
Butter: Choose unsalted butter for baking, unless directed otherwise. Take it out of the refrigerator an hour or two ahead of time so it has a chance to soften. Rock hard butter is almost impossible to work with. Sugar: Regular granulated white sugar provides sweetness, crunch, and the “sandy” texture of these cookies. Flour: Choose all-purpose white flour. Whole wheat flour is a little too assertive and heavy for delicate sugar cookies. Pure Vanilla Extract: A good quality vanilla is important in this recipe. Baking Soda, and pinch of Salt: Mix these two dry ingredients with the flour.
Make These Sugar Cookies Your Own
Decorate them: Before baking, sprinkle the cookies with colored sugar to add a colorful touch for the holidays. Match the cookie to the occasion (green sugar for St. Patrick’s Day, red sugar for Valentines’ Day, etc.). Add a flourish. For a more traditional sand tart, press almond slices or a pecan half into the cookie before baking. Another option is to brush the tops with an egg wash (one egg white, lightly beaten) and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before baking. Lemon flavored cookies: Substitute a teaspoon of lemon extract for one teaspoon of the vanilla extract. The two flavors complement each well. Or try these lemon sugar cookies!
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Refrigerate/Freeze Dough: Tightly wrapped cookie dough logs can be refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for a month. If the dough is frozen, thaw it on the counter for an hour before you slice it. Refrigerate/Freeze Cookies: Baked cookies keep well in a tightly sealed container for a week on the counter, a couple weeks in the fridge, or a month in the freezer. Quick-Start Guide!
