Amish Cookies with Buttermilk
Once again, buttermilk and baking powder work their magic to produce some of the most delicious old-fashioned cookies that may transport you back to your grandmother's kitchen. These Amish buttermilk cookies are so delightfully soft and irresistible.
Some of you may enjoy these simple cookies without any icing on the top. But let me assure you that the caramel-flavored icing drizzled over the top takes these fluffy buttermilk cookies to another level. It adds so much flavor!
Ingredients
- Butter or Shortening adds fat to the cookies, contributing to their tenderness and flavor. Butter adds a rich, creamy taste, while shortening tends to make cookies more tender and helps them hold their shape better during baking.
- Brown Sugar provides sweetness and moisture and adds a subtle molasses flavor, which enhances the overall taste.
- Eggs act as a binding agent, helping to hold the ingredients together. They also contribute to the structure and texture of the cookies, making them moist and tender.
- Vanilla enhances the flavor, adding a sweet and aromatic note.
- Buttermilk adds moisture and tanginess to the cookies. The acidity of buttermilk helps activate the leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda), resulting in a lighter texture.
- All-purpose Flour provides structure and stability to the cookies.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda act as leavening agents, helping the cookies rise and become light and fluffy.
- Salt enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Glaze Ingredients:
- Butter adds richness and flavor to the glaze.
- Brown Sugar provides sweetness and a caramel-like flavor.
- Buttermilk or Milk adds moisture and helps achieve the desired consistency.
- Confectioners Sugar sweetens the glaze and gives it a smooth, creamy texture.
This buttermilk cookie recipe calls for simple old-fashioned ingredients, which is my favorite kind of recipe.
Buttermilk
What is buttermilk and why is it used?
Years ago, many housewives churned their butter from the cream that settled on top of fresh cow's milk. And buttermilk is just the milk that's left behind after cream is churned into butter. But not too many of us make homemade butter anymore.
And store-bought buttermilk is usually made from milk treated (or "cultured") with lactic acid bacteria. The result is a delicious ingredient that gives baked goods a lofty rise.
Buttermilk brings a pleasant tang to cakes, biscuits, and other family favorites while adding very little fat. Like yogurt and sour cream, this acidic ingredient also helps tenderize gluten, giving baked goods a softer texture and more body.
I love to bake with buttermilk. It adds such a wonderful flavor and fluffy texture.
Typically, I like flatter (not fat) chewy cookies. But these buttermilk cookies are puffy and more cake-like.
Can I Make These Cookies Without Buttermilk?
For best results, I recommend using buttermilk to make these cookies. It can usually be found in the dairy section of supermarkets.
However, if purchasing buttermilk is not an option, you can make buttermilk with ingredients you probably already have.
Add two tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup and fill the cup with whole milk. Let it sit for five to ten minutes. It will curdle and thicken, producing homemade buttermilk.
I have made buttermilk with 2% milk before, and it works ok. However, 1% milk will not work because there's not enough fat.
Vanilla Buttermilk Cookie Variations
These Amish buttermilk cookies are basic vanilla cookies that are very versatile. I drizzle or spread them with an easy homemade caramel glaze because it adds an amazing flavor, which I happen to love. But feel free to ice them with your favorite cookie icing.
You can also sprinkle the top of the glaze with chopped nuts for an added crunch.
Turn them into spice cookies, or you could add different extracts to change the flavor of the buttermilk cookies. If you love lemon, substitute the vanilla extract with lemon extract or lemon juice. Add some lemon zest and ice the cookies with lemon frosting.
Have fun and get creative with this old-fashioned buttermilk cookie recipe.
Can I Freeze Buttermilk Cookies?
Yes, you sure can freeze buttermilk cookies. I always freeze some of mine because it keeps them fresh.
Since there's nothing quite as delicious as a warm cookie fresh out of the oven, you could freeze the dough balls before baking. However, I prefer having the cookies baked because they're so handy to grab for a snack or lunchbox.
Cool and ice or glaze the cookies, then store them in an airtight container. Put parchment paper between the layers to prevent them from sticking together.
Amish Cookie Recipes
Cookies are amazing! And I think it's probably safe to say that they are one of the most loved treats in the world.
There are so many different choices, and the flavor variety and combinations are practically endless. They are easy to transport and a convenient treat. So, who wants to bake some cookies?
The Amish have many different cookie recipes, of which I have shared a few on my blog. Of course, there's the traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies which are often a favorite. Amish Monster Cookies were my dad's favorite cookie. Sand Tart Cookies, Date Pinwheel Cookies, and Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies are some of my favorite holiday cookies.
And then, of course, there's Whoopie Pies, which are two cookies with frosting sandwiched in the middle. These are popular cookies among the PA Dutch.
Oatmeal Whoopie Pies are a favorite in our home, with Pumpkin Whoopie Pies being a fall favorite. Chocolate Whoopie Pies will always be a hit with chocolate lovers, and if you love molasses, try Molasses Whoopie Pies.
So after you've tried this Amish Frosted Buttermilk Cookies Recipe, make sure to try more of these Amish favorites!
More Recipes Using Buttermilk
After making these cookies, you may wonder what to do with the leftover buttermilk. I've got you covered with more delicious recipes to use it up. Try Amish buttermilk pancakes, homemade biscuits, or Bran Muffins.
If you try this Amish recipe for buttermilk cookies, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Buttermilk Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 c. softened butter (2 sticks) or shortening, or use ½ c. butter and ½ c. shortening
- 2 c. brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 c. buttermilk
- 4 c. flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
Glaze:
- ½ c. butter (1 stick)
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. buttermilk or milk
- ¾ c. confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Cream the softened butter and sugar for a couple of minutes until fluffy.1 c. softened butter (2 sticks) or shortening, or use ½ c. butter and ½ c. shortening, 2 c. brown sugar
- Add the eggs and mix.3 large eggs
- Add buttermilk and vanilla. Mix to combine.1 c. buttermilk, 2 tsp. vanilla
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and mix until everything is incorporated.4 c. flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt
- Drop onto parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 10 - 11 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the tray for a minute before removing to a wire cooling rack.
- Cool completely then drizzle or spread with glaze.
Cookie Glaze:
- Over medium/low heat, melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Whisk and bring to a rolling boil.½ c. butter (1 stick), 1 c. brown sugar
- Remove from the heat, add milk, and whisk.1 Tbsp. buttermilk or milk
- Add powdered sugar and whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Cool. The glaze will thicken as it cools. But if the glaze seems too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk.¾ c. confectioners sugar
Notes
Nutrition
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Karen
I LOVE how you wrote the recipe. I don't like having to scroll up to the ingredients list to find the amount while trying to follow the instructions on when to add them. What a wonderful idea that saves me a lot of frustration. I'm bookmarking this recipe.
Anna
I appreciate it as well, which is why I do it. Not sure why not more people do this?
Anna
So delicious - light and fluffy cookies!
Jean Sutton
These are amazing cookies. The first Amish Buttermilk Cookie I had in Ohio had a spicy flavor, cinnamon and/or nutmeg maybe. Can a spice be added to your recipe and if so, how much do you suggest?
Anna
Sure, feel free to add whatever spices you like. Many spices are pretty powerful, so I would go easy on it. When adding cinnamon, you could probably add at least a teaspoon. Other spices I would not add more than a fourth or half without first tasting.
Lynn G
These sound wonderful! I am wondering if the dough can be successfully frozen. I don't like to bake up too many cookies at once. There are just 2 of us. I like to freeze scoops of dough for use at a later time.
Anna
Truthfully, I have never frozen any kind of cookie dough. I always bake up the whole batch, then freeze the cookies in airtight containers. They freeze well for up to 2 months, and they come out the same as when you put them in. I just like having cookies ready to eat in the freezer rather than baking all the time. I'm sure you could freeze the dough, but I have not tried it.
Holly
I haven’t had the opportunity to try these yet (I'm doing it tomorrow though!). I just wanted to let you know that I LOVE the way you wrote the directions! I’m not fond of having to scroll back up to read the ingredient amounts while in the middle of baking. THANK YOU FOR SIMPLIFYING THE PROCESS!!
Anna
You are welcome! 🙂 Let me know how they turn out for you.
Conrad
What I wrote on my Facebookpage - "I tried to make these but packed them too close in the tray and started with too cold an oven. Ended up with one solid layer of something like a pudding cake. Unfazed by that result I topped it off with my own lime infused caramel glaze. With all due modesty I don't believe you could buy a better pudding in ZA. I'm sure the cookies are something special too. Thanks to Anna the Amish lady. "
Anna
Interesting cookie turnout, aye? 😉
Conrad
I call it the man cookie - just 1 in a batch. made another today for xmas pudding 😉
Anna
love it.
Wanda June Henderson
The frosting was grittie. Don't know what I did but I could not use it.
Anna
I'm sorry that the frosting did not turn out for you. It probably had something to do with how it was cooked (maybe not long enough, or whisked enough, or maybe too high heat. Not sure?)
Karl Lervold
Excellent cookie! I am just learning to bake, and the recipe was easy to follow.
Anna
I'm so glad you enjoy them!
William Propsner
I just put the first batch in the oven. Had some buttermilk, was going to make more biscuits but thought, 'why not buttermilk cookies'. Found your recipe. I will finish this post after I pull out the first batch, smells good. Oh, I used maple instead of vanilla. Ran out of vanilla.bbs.
Wow! Just got them out and put second batch in. Had to try one before they cooled. Boy oh boy they're really good! Even without icing. Had two before the wife tried one, she likes. I will be making maple icing.
I WILL be making them again.
Thank you,
William
Author of All The Oceans
Anna
I'm glad you are enjoying them!
Connie Clark
Hi William I read your comment about these cookies and I can’t wait to try them myself. I noticed you referenced being an author of a book and I wondered if you could tell me about it and where to find it please.
Lillian Froese
Hi Anna,
Just wondering if honey or maple syrup would work as a substitute in this recipe?
Anna
I have never tried this and am guessing it would produce a bit different result. But if you try it and it works, let me know.
Jan
Amish Buttermilk Cookies Recipe
Awesome recipe. Delicious and came out just like the recipe pictured.
Not too sweet. I can see this as a go to recipe with so many possible variations.
Thanks for sharing.
Anna
Glad you enjoy them!
Cathy
I made these tonight. Followed the recipe exactly. They are so delicious! Fluffy and soft! I put toasted chopped pecans on top of the glaze. So good!!
Anna
So glad you're enjoying them.