Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (2024)

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Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (1)

by: Gerhild Fulson / Cookbook Author, Blogger, German Oma!

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Want an easy sugar cookie recipe? One that can be used for Christmas cookies? Learn how to make Oma’s Zuckerkekse that are perfect any time of the year. Lecker!

The recipe is super easy. Super fun to have your kids join in, both in the cutting out and the decorating.

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (4)

It's aneasy recipeI loved using when our boys were young.They enjoyed using the cookie cutters, and anything else that would work, to create something special.

When I say anything, I mean anything. They would go and rummage through their toy box to find items they could use as cutout tools. Hmmmm ... I wish I had taken photos of some of what they thought would work!

That's exactly what myFacebook Fan, Melissa McInnes, did.

Her Christmas cookies,shown below, were made using this recipe. Delicious and easy!

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (5)

Then would come the decorating.

Icing and sprinkles and chocolate chips and raisins and nuts andM & M's and lots of LOVE ... that's what makes these German cookies so special.

Get ready for Christmas! Grab your copy of Oma's collection of her favorites inChristmas Cookies e-Cookbook.

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (6)

Take a peek at all Oma's eCookbooks. They make sharing your German heritage a delicious adventure!

Decorating Ideas:

  • Melt some chocolate chips and drizzle over cookies. Or, dip half of cookie into melted chocolate.
  • Simple dust with powdered (icing) sugar
  • Make an icing by mixing together1½ cups powdered sugar with 1 - 2 tablespoons milk. Add food coloring and stir till well mixed. Brush on cookies.
  • Put either melted chocolate or icing into a small baggie. Snip off the corner and pipe decoration on cookies.
  • Sandwich two cookies together with marmalade.

I particularly like them with the almond flavoring. It’s like having a little taste of marzipan! And when dipped in dark chocolate and topped with nuts … wunderbar! It’s the perfect combo for adult taste buds, especially when enjoyed with a cup of coffee.

That's what I did in the photo at the top. Dark chocolate and 'marzipan' ... Lecker!

Ready to make these sugar cookies?

Is the recipe below locked?Here'swhy.

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (8)

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse

Want an easy sugar cookie recipe? One that can be used for Christmas cookies? Learn how to make Oma’s Zuckerkekse that are perfect any time of the year. Lecker!

Prep Time

30 minutes + chill time

Bake Time

8 min. each cookie sheet

Total Time

38 minutes + chill time

Servings:

Makes 3 - 4 dozen, depending on size

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp (6 g) baking powder
  • ¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt
  • ⅓ cup (64 g) shortening (see hints below)
  • 6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) almond extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening and butter. Add sugar and beat till fluffy.
  4. Add egg, milk, and almond extract and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat till well mixed. Cover and chill for about 3 hours.
  5. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured counter, roll out one half to about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Repeat with remaining dough. Excess dough can be rerolled. Place at least 1-inch apart on cookie sheets.
  6. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
  7. Let the cookie sheets cool before reusing for the next batch of cookies.
  8. Decorate as desired.

Notes/Hints:

  • Don't want to use shortening? You can substitute butter for shortening, but the cookies will be crispier, flatter, and, well, butterier in flavor, not necessarily a bad thing ;) You may want to omit the milk or only use a teaspoon or two when you are making the dough, since the butter has more water content than shortening.
  • Melt some chocolate chips and drizzle over cookies. Or, dip half of cookie into melted chocolate.
  • Simply dust with powdered sugar.
  • Make an icing by mixing together 1½ cups powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Add food coloring and stir till well mixed. Brush on cookies.
  • Put either melted chocolate or icing into a small baggie. Snip off the corner and pipe designs on cookies.
  • Sandwich two cookies together with jam or jelly.

* * * * *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

11.17.2021 revision update

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Leave a comment about this recipe or ask a question?

Pop right over to my private Facebook group, the Kaffeeklatschers. You'll find thousands of German foodies, all eager to help and to talk about all things German, especially these yummy foods.

Meet with us around Oma's table, pull up a chair, grab a coffee and a piece of Apfelstrudel, and enjoy the visit.

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Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (20)

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe ~ Oma's Zuckerkekse



By Oma Gerhild Fulson


Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (21)


Want an easy sugar cookie recipe? One that can be used for Christmas cookies? Learn how to make Oma’s Zuckerkekse that are perfect any time of the year. Lecker!


Ingredients: shortening,butter,all-purpose flour,sugar,baking powder,butter,egg,milk,almond extract,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

Make every day a day of TRIUMPH!

". . . but even greater is God's wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ."

Romans 5:17 (NLT)

Top of Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to sugar cookies? ›

From the dough to the baking to the icing, our guide will leave you with the perfect sugar cookie this holiday season.
  1. Opt for Room Temperature Eggs. ...
  2. Splurge on "Pure" Vanilla Extract. ...
  3. Whisk the Flour. ...
  4. Chill the Dough. ...
  5. Refrain from Overmixing. ...
  6. Go Easy on the Flour. ...
  7. Bake on Parchment Paper.
Dec 16, 2014

What is the secret to a good cookie? ›

The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.
  • Always use butter.
  • Choose the right sugar.
  • Choose the right flour.
  • Check your flour is in date.
  • Choose the right kind of chocolate.
  • Cream the butter and sugar.
  • Beat in the eggs.
  • Fold in the flour.

How to improve Pillsbury sugar cookies? ›

Mix in tasty ingredients

Take plain sugar cookies up a notch with exciting mix-ins like chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, toasted chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit or M&M's. Add these after blending your butter and egg into the sugar cookie mix. This is our favorite hack for holiday Pillsbury cookie dough.

What happens if you add too much sugar to sugar cookies? ›

Sugar sweetens the cookies and makes them an enticing golden brown. Adding too little sugar can affect the taste and texture of cookies. Adding too much can cause them to be brittle. Take your time creaming the sugar and butter together at the beginning.

How long to chill sugar cookie dough before baking? ›

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

What makes cookies chewy and not hard? ›

The science is simple: According to the flour authorities over at Bob's Red Mill, cornstarch can help “soften the rigid proteins of the flour, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.” “The cornstarch complements the flour in absorbing the liquids, but won't develop gluten structure like the flour will,” stresses ...

What makes cookies taste better? ›

What are some essential tips to take your cookies over the top?
  1. Cream your butter and sugar properly: Make sure your butter is at room temperature and add sugar and vanilla. ...
  2. Use a little secret spice: Dare to be a bit different. ...
  3. Brown butter is a great option to offer a deeper depth to your cookies.
Feb 6, 2023

Is it better to bake cookies with fan or without? ›

It depends on your baking style and what's important to you. Convection is going to be better at making sure the cookies bake evenly, reducing or even eliminating the need to rotate your cookies relative to the heating element. The fan in a convection oven creates a drier environment which is good for browning.

How do you keep Pillsbury sugar cookie dough from spreading? ›

Chilling cookie dough helps prevent spreading. The colder the dough, the less the cookies will over-spread into greasy puddles. You'll have thicker, sturdier, and more solid cookies. Whenever I make cookies, I plan ahead and chill the cookie dough overnight.

Why do my sugar cookies taste so bland? ›

The ingredients you used could be the culprit – using different sugars, melted butter, baking powder or baking soda can alter a cookie's texture and taste.

Can I roll out Pillsbury sugar cookie dough? ›

Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon flour onto work surface; coat all sides of dough with flour. With rolling pin, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Can you over beat sugar cookie dough? ›

Over-working the dough yields a tough cookie, which is not at all what you want. The very best sugar cookies are soft and tender. → Follow this tip: One of the keys to great sugar cookies is mixing the dry ingredients only until they're just incorporated, and not a second longer.

What does vanilla extract do in cookies? ›

Vanilla extract and how important is it for the baking process. The primary purpose of vanilla extract is to add flavour to baked goods. Lacking it, baked goods tend to have a bland and boring taste. Vanilla extract can also contribute moisture to create a soft and fluffy texture.

What happens if I forgot brown sugar in my cookies? ›

What happens when you bake without brown sugar? To be succinct, the resulting baked good could be slightly drier or more crisp. Without the excess moisture from the molasses in the brown sugar, the final cookie won't be as chewy and the final bread might be drier.

What helps sugar cookies keep their shape? ›

Sandwich your dough between two sheets of parchment, roll, then freeze; it makes cut-out cookies a breeze! If you plan to store it for only a few hours or days, there's no need to overwrap the baking sheet; for longer storage, wrap the entire baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap before freezing.

How do you get sugar to stay on sugar cookies? ›

Decorate After Baking

In order to add colored sugar to baked cookies, the sugar needs something to adhere to. Icing is the perfect choice. Bake and cool the cookies as directed by the recipe. Ice the very cool cookies with your favorite icing and top with your choice of colored sugar.

How to make sugar cookie dough better? ›

Almond Extract: For a twist on the traditional sugar cookie flavor, try adding a small amount of almond extract. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust according to your preference. Citrus Zest: Incorporate the zest of citrus fruits like lemon, orange, or lime into the dough. The zest adds a bright and refreshing flavor.

Why do my sugar cookies spread and lose their shape? ›

When your oven temperature is too high the fats in the cookie dough will melt much faster than they would with the normal baking temperature. This means that before the dough has time to bake and set the butter as spread out already and you will end up with flat and shapeless cookies.

References

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