Sand Tart Cookies (Slice & Bake Buttery Sugar Cookies)

A traditional Pennsylvania Dutch treat, sand tart cookies are a crisp, buttery, rolled sugar cookie. You’ll love this easier slice-and-bake recipe!

Stack of red and green decorated sugar cookies.

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Just like Grandma used to make, but easier! I love the convenience of 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!

With a crisp delicate texture, and buttery sweet flavor, sand tart cookies are really irresistible. I like to make them on the small side, so I can eat more than one. Sand tarts are perfect on a holiday cookie platter and really go well with any beverage. Coffee, tea, or milk are great or serve them with homemade Ginger Spiced Hot Chocolate or an Apple Cider Mule for a special treat. Or nibble on a couple of cookies while sipping a glass of wine.

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. Interesting.

This is 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.

Cookies and milk on a brown wooden tray.

About these 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 more labor intensive. My motto is keep things simple!

Slice and bake cookies, or refrigerator/icebox cookies, are easy and convenient. Before baking, sprinkle the cookies with colored sugar to make them a bit more festive for the holidays. They’re great sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, too.

I’ll get you started here with lots of tips and extra information.

You’ll find a printable recipe card at the end of the post, with complete directions and nutrition information.

Stack of slice and bake cookies with red and green decorators sugar.

What’s in sand tarts?

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 in sugar cookies like these.
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.

Cookies decorated with red and green sugar, milk in background.

FAQs

Are sugar cookies supposed to be soft or crunchy?

This is a matter of personal preference. Many people prefer cookies that are soft and chewy while others are very firmly in the crispy camp. Sugar cookies are “supposed” to be just the way you like them!

Why are my cookies flat and thin?

There can be more than one reason for this. Often a warm cookie sheet is the culprit. If you are re-using cookie sheets for multiple batches, the pan is pretty warm yet when you arrange the unbaked cookies on it. This will cause the butter in the cookie to melt before the cookie has a chance to bake.
Make sure your dough stays well-chilled. Warm dough will spread more.
Another reason is that perhaps you were a bit light-handed with the flour or add-ins. Measure carefully and follow the recipe directions.

Are chewy cookies undercooked?

If you’re wondering if chewy cookies are safe to eat, the answer is yes. Chewy cookies should have a soft center with lightly browned, crisp edges. However, they shouldn’t have raw dough in the center.
How do you tell? Take the cookies out of the oven and look at them closely. If the middle of the cookie looks shiny or glossy, and is really soft when you touch it with your fingertip, the cookie is underbaked and needs a couple more minutes in the oven.

Make It Your Own

Before baking, sprinkle the cookies with colored sugar to add a colorful touch for the holidays.
For a more traditional sand tart, press almond slices or a pecan half into the cookie before baking. Brush the tops with an egg wash (one egg white, lightly beaten) and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Like a lemon flavored cookie? 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 and Make-Ahead Tips

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. 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.

More Slice and Bake Cookies

Loving the idea of these easy slice-and-bake refrigerator cookies? Read on for more great recipes.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Sand Tart Cookies (Slice & Bake Buttery Sugar Cookies)

4.50 from 4 votes

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 12

Total Time: 22

Print Rate Recipe

A traditional Pennsylvania Dutch treat, sand tart cookies are a crisp, buttery, rolled sugar cookie. You'll love this easier slice-and-bake recipe!

Ingredients

▢ 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
▢ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
▢ ⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup)
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

In large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well-blended. Add flour and soda. Mix well until flour is completely incorporated.
Divide dough into three parts and shape into three logs, about twelve inches long. Wrap well in parchment paper or waxed paper.
Refrigerate dough at least overnight or up to a week. It can also be frozen for up to a month. Thaw frozen dough on the counter for one hour before slicing.
When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 375°F.
With a sharp knife, cut logs into ¼ inch slices. Place on cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart and bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool on baking sheet five minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 6 dozen cookies, depending on size. Nutrition information is based on 2 cookies per serving.

Notes

Before baking, sprinkle the cookies with colored sugar to add a colorful touch for the holidays.
For a more traditional sand tart, press almond slices or a pecan half into the cookie before baking. Brush the tops with an egg wash (one egg white, lightly beaten) and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2cookies, Calories: 139kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 40mg, Potassium: 14mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 236IU, Calcium: 4mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.