Have you ever baked a cookie that just… fell flat? I don’t mean literally flat (though that’s happened to me too), but one that was just okay. It was sweet, sure, but you forgot about it the second you finished eating it.
This recipe is the exact opposite of that. We’re going to make Cherry Almond Amish Sugar Cookies that are so soft and flavorful, they’ll become the cookie you can’t stop thinking about. I’ll walk you through every single step, so you end up with perfect, pillowy cookies every time.
This isn’t just about following directions. It’s about understanding the why behind each step, so you can feel confident in your kitchen. Let’s make something amazing together.
What You’ll Need
Getting your ingredients ready first is probably the best habit you can have in the kitchen. It’s what the fancy chefs call “mise en place,” but I just call it “not panicking later.” It makes everything go so much smoother.
Here’s a quick look at what we’ll be using for the cookie dough itself. Notice we’re using both butter and oil. That’s a little secret for getting a cookie that is both rich from the butter and incredibly moist from the oil. It’s a game-changer.
| Cookie Dough Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| Unsalted Butter | ½ cup |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 cup |
| Vegetable Oil | ½ cup |
| Large Eggs | 2 |
| All-Purpose Flour | 3 cups |
| Baking Soda | 1 tsp |
| Cream of Tartar | 1 tsp |
| Salt | ½ tsp |
| Almond Extract | 1½ tsp |
| Vanilla Extract | 1 tsp |
| Maraschino Cherries | ½ cup |
And for that simple, sweet glaze that goes on top? It couldn’t be easier. The little bit of cherry juice gives it a beautiful pink color without needing any food dye.
| Simple Almond Glaze | Amount |
|---|---|
| Powdered Sugar | 1½ cups |
| Milk (or heavy cream) | 3-4 tbsp |
| Almond Extract | ½ tsp |
| Maraschino Cherry Juice | 1 tsp |
A Few Pro Tips Before We Start
I’ve made these cookies more times than I can count, and I’ve made just about every mistake possible. Here are a few things I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.
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Your Butter MUST Be Soft: I know, every recipe says this. But what does “soft” even mean? It means you can press your finger into it and it leaves a dent, but it’s not greasy or melted. If it’s too cold, it won’t mix with the sugar right. If it’s too melty, your cookies will spread into sad, flat pancakes. Take it out of the fridge about an hour before you start. That’s the sweet spot.
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Don’t Over-mix the Flour: This is the big one. Once you add the flour, you want to mix it just until you can’t see any more white streaks. If you keep mixing after that, you’re basically giving the gluten a workout, and you’ll end up with tough, dense cookies instead of soft, pillowy ones. Be gentle here.
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Chilling the Dough is Not a Suggestion: The dough will be very soft and sticky. You might even think you did something wrong. You didn’t. This softness is what makes the final cookie so tender. Chilling it for at least an hour solidifies the fats (the butter and oil), which keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. If you skip this step, you’ll have one giant, thin cookie instead of a dozen perfect ones.
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Dry Those Cherries: Maraschino cherries are packed in syrup, which is great for drinks but not so great for cookie dough. All that extra liquid can make your dough watery. After you chop them, lay them on a paper towel and pat them dry. It’s a small step that makes a huge difference.
The Tools for the Job
You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment for this. Your kitchen probably has everything you need already.
- Mixing Bowls: You’ll need one large one for the main dough and a smaller one for the dry ingredients.
- Mixer: A stand mixer with a paddle attachment is great, but a regular hand mixer works just as well. You could even do it by hand if you have a strong arm and some patience.
- Spatula: For scraping the sides of the bowl. You don’t want to leave any of that goodness behind.
- Baking Sheets: Two is ideal so you can have one batch ready to go while the other is in the oven.
- Parchment Paper: This stuff is magic. It prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze. Don’t skip it.
- Cookie Scoop: A medium-sized one (about 1.5 tablespoons) is perfect. It makes all your cookies the same size so they bake evenly. Plus, it’s just faster and less messy than using spoons.
Let’s Get Baking: The Step-by-Step Guide
Alright, are you ready? Let’s turn that list of ingredients into something delicious. We’ll take it one step at a time.
Step 1: Mix the Wet Stuff
In your big mixing bowl, add the softened butter and the granulated sugar. Turn your mixer on medium speed and let it go for about 2 minutes. You want it to look light and fluffy. Then, drizzle in the vegetable oil and mix for another minute until it’s all combined.
Step 2: Add Eggs and Flavor
Add your eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with your spatula to make sure everything is getting mixed in. Now add the almond and vanilla extracts and give it one last quick mix.
Step 3: Whisk the Dry Stuff
In your other, smaller bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Whisking them first makes sure the leavening agents (the soda and cream of tartar) are evenly spread out. This means every cookie will rise perfectly.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry
Slowly add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients, about a third at a time. Keep your mixer on low speed. Remember what I said about not over-mixing? Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
Step 5: Fold in the Cherries
Gently fold in your chopped (and dried!) maraschino cherries with a spatula. Just a few turns is all you need to get them distributed.
Step 6: The Big Chill
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least one hour. You can even leave it in there overnight if you want to prep ahead. The dough should be firm to the touch when it’s ready.
Step 7: Prep for Baking
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This is a good time to make sure your oven rack is in the middle position for even baking.
Step 8: Scoop and Bake
Use your cookie scoop to make uniform balls of dough and place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. They will spread a bit. Bake for 9-11 minutes. The edges should be just barely golden brown, and the centers should look set but still soft. (They’ll firm up as they cool).
Step 9: Cool Them Down
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you try to move them too soon, they might fall apart. Be patient!
Step 10: Make the Glaze
While the cookies are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, almond extract, and cherry juice in a small bowl. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. You’re looking for a smooth, drizzly consistency.
Step 11: Glaze the Cookies
Once the cookies are completely cool (this is important, or the glaze will melt right off), you can either drizzle the glaze over them with a spoon or dip the tops of the cookies right into the bowl. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before storing.
Substitutions and Fun Variations
Once you get the hang of this basic recipe, you can start playing around with it. It’s pretty forgiving.
- Different Extracts: Not a fan of almond? You can use all vanilla extract, or try a lemon extract for a completely different flavor.
- No Cherries? No Problem: You can leave the cherries out for a classic Amish sugar cookie. Or, swap them for finely chopped dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, or even some festive sprinkles mixed into the dough.
- For a Little Crunch: Add half a cup of slivered almonds along with the cherries. It adds a really nice texture.
- Make it Gluten-Free: You can swap the all-purpose flour for a good quality 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. I’ve had good luck with Bob’s Red Mill brand.
- Dairy-Free Version: Use a high-quality dairy-free butter substitute (the stick kind, not the tub kind) and use a plant-based milk like almond or oat milk in the glaze.
Let’s Talk About Efficiency
Want to make these cookies without spending all day in the kitchen? It’s totally possible.
The biggest time-saver is making the dough ahead of time. It can sit in your fridge for up to 3 days. So you can make the dough on a Tuesday and bake the cookies fresh on a Thursday.
You can also freeze the dough. Scoop the dough balls onto a parchment-lined tray, freeze them for an hour until they’re solid, then toss them into a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, you can bake them straight from frozen; just add 2-3 extra minutes to the baking time.
Storing Your Amazing Cookies
If you have any leftovers (which is a big “if”), you’ll want to store them properly to keep them soft.
Place them in a single layer in an airtight container. If you have to stack them, put a piece of parchment paper between the layers so the glaze doesn’t make them stick together. They’ll stay fresh and soft at room temperature for about 3-4 days.
Here’s a little trick my grandma taught me: if you put a small piece of plain bread in the container with the cookies, the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread and stay soft even longer. It sounds weird, but it really works.
Some Common Questions Answered
Over the years, people have asked me a lot of questions about this recipe. Here are some of the most common ones.
Q1. Why did my cookies turn out flat?
Ans: This is almost always because the dough wasn’t cold enough or your butter was too soft. Chilling the dough properly is the best way to prevent this.
Q2. Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino?
Ans: I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. Fresh cherries have a lot of water in them, which can make the dough too wet and affect the texture.
Q3. My dough is super sticky, is that normal?
Ans: Yes, completely normal! The combination of butter and oil makes for a very soft dough. That’s what leads to a tender cookie, and it’s why the chilling step is so important.
Q4. Do I really need cream of tartar?
Ans: It’s pretty important here. It works with the baking soda to give the cookies their lift and a slight tangy flavor that’s classic in sugar cookies. In a pinch, you could leave it out, but the texture will be a little different.
Q5. Can I make these without a mixer?
Ans: Absolutely. It’ll just take a little more elbow grease. Make sure your butter is very soft, and use a whisk to cream the butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy before switching to a wooden spoon.
Wrapping Up
See? That wasn’t so hard. You took a list of simple ingredients and turned them into something truly special. These cookies are soft, they’re chewy, and they have that amazing cherry-almond flavor that just feels like a celebration.
The best part of baking is sharing what you’ve made. So go on, share these with your family, your friends, or your neighbors. Or don’t, I won’t tell.
Now it’s your turn. Give this recipe a try and come back here to tell me how it went. I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Did you make any fun changes? Did they disappear in a day? Let me know