Description
Sweet cherry almond Amish sugar cookies blend rustic charm with delightful flavors. Buttery crumbles melt in your mouth, offering a nostalgic taste of Midwestern comfort that connects you to traditional baking wisdom.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies:
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 teaspoons cherry extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Fruit Ingredients:
- 2 (12 ounces / 340 grams) jars maraschino cherries, drained (reserve juice), minced, and squeezed very dry
Icing:
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- ⅓ cup + 1–2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon cherry extract
- 4–5 cups powdered sugar
Garnish:
- ½ cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Thoroughly drain maraschino cherries, reserving the liquid. Mince cherries finely and gently press out excess moisture using paper towels.
- Combine softened butter, oil, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl, blending until smooth and creamy.
- Incorporate eggs, almond extract, cherry extract, and minced cherries into the sugar mixture, stirring until evenly distributed.
- Prepare a separate bowl and whisk flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar together, ensuring even mixture.
- Gradually fold flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing gently to prevent overmixing. The dough should be consistent and soft.
- Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Drop small spoonfuls of cookie dough onto prepared sheets, maintaining even spacing.
- Preheat oven to 375°F and bake cookies for 8-11 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
- Remove cookies from oven and transfer to wire cooling racks, allowing complete cooling.
- For icing, whisk melted butter, reserved cherry juice, almond extract, and cherry extract in a medium bowl.
- Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, stirring until smooth and spreadable. Adjust consistency by adding more juice or sugar as needed.
- Once cookies are completely cooled, generously frost with cherry icing.
- Garnish with slivered almonds and optional sprinkles.
- Allow icing to set before serving.
Notes
- Drain and mince maraschino cherries thoroughly to prevent excess moisture in the cookie dough.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs for smoother, more even mixing of ingredients.
- Avoid overmixing the dough to ensure tender, soft cookies with a delicate texture.
- Measure flour correctly by spooning into the measuring cup and leveling off to prevent dense cookies.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before icing to prevent the frosting from melting or sliding off.
- Adjust icing consistency by adding powdered sugar or cherry juice gradually for the perfect spreadable texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg