Buttermilk cookies are soft vanilla cookies with a tender, cakey crumb. Also known as Amish cookies, these buttermilk sugar cookies are topped with a sweet and slightly tangy buttermilk glaze. Since these cookies with buttermilk are quick and easy to make, they are the perfect easy treat when you are craving something a sweet and a little old fashioned.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I adore a simple, but flavorful cookie. My Cornflake Cookies, Sour Cream Cookies and Lavender Cookies are just a few soft, slightly cakey cookie recipes I love from the blog.
- They are quick and no chill. All you need to do is bring the cold ingredients to room temperature, mix everything up, scoop and bake!
- You love cozy and easy drop cookies. These soft buttermilk sugar cookies are easy to mix up and bake up beautifully. There’s no need for any fancy ingredients or equipment. This recipe for buttermilk drop cookies is easy to follow and will give you beautiful and delicious cookies every time.
- Layers of flavor and texture. From the soft and fluffy vanilla sugar cookie, to the sweet and slightly tangy buttermilk glaze, these buttermilk cookies are full of unexpectedly cozy flavors and textures I know you’ll love.
Ingredients
This recipe for buttermilk cookies requires only a handful of pantry basics to make. Make sure you have these ingredients ready to go!
Buttermilk Cookies
Dry ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking soda and salt
Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, an egg, vanilla extract and buttermilk.
Buttermilk Glaze
Gather powdered sugar, buttermilk and vanilla extract.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make these wonderfully chewy chocolate pecan cookies:
- All purpose flour: This recipe hasn’t been tested with an alternative flour. However, if you want to make this recipe gluten free, use a good 1-1 flour or oat flour and measure by weight rather than cups.
- Baking Soda: This acts as a leavener for these amish buttermilk cookies. If needed, substitute the baking soda with 1 ½ teaspoons double acting baking powder.
- Unsalted Butter: You can use the same amount of salted butter as written in the recipe, but omit the added salt.
- Light Brown and Granulated Sugars: A blend of both sugars is what creates that old fashioned sugar cookie taste just like . This recipe hasn’t been tested using alternative sugars. However, I love using maple sugar as a refined sugar free option in my other cookie recipes. Maple sugar bakes very similarly to light brown sugar.
- Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
- Buttermilk: This is an essential ingredient for buttermilk cookies. If you don’t have buttermilk, it’s easy to make your own. Simply pour 1 ½ teaspoons (8 ml) lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup. Then pour enough milk to reach ½ cup (118 ml). Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to curdle and use as you would regular buttermilk.
- Buttermilk Glaze: This is optional but highly recommended. See Variations section for other toppings and mix-ins or simply enjoy them plain.
Variations
- Cinnamon Sugar: Prepare the recipe as written, then chill the cookies for 2 hours or until the dough is no longer sticky like cake batter. Mix ¾ cup (150 g) sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Roll the tablespoon (15 ml) sized cookie balls into the cinnamon sugar and bake.
- Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Cookies: Prepare the recipe as written. Fold 1 cup (170 g) semi sweet chocolate chips into the dough. Scoop and bake according to the recipe directions.
- Other Topping Ideas: I love the idea of using buttermilk as a glaze for these old fashioned buttermilk cookies. However, there are a few other ways I would top these soft buttermilk sugar cookies. For something cozy, I recommend topping them with my Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting or Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. For something light and refreshing, top these cookies with buttermilk with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. My Funfetti Frosting would be an especially fun choice.
How To Make
Let me show you how to make these quick, easy and wonderfully delicious buttermilk cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
- In another large bowl, beat the room temperature butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. On low, beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, alternating with the buttermilk in this order: dry, buttermilk, dry, buttermilk, dry until just combined.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of buttermilk sugar cookie dough onto a the prepared baking sheet. I like to use a small cookie scoop to get perfectly portioned cookies. Bake the cookies for 10 - 12 minutes. The edges will be set. The center will bounce back when gently pressed. Remove the cookies from the oven onto a cooling rack or stove top. After 3 minutes, transfer the cookies off the hot baking sheet and onto the cooling rack to cool to room temperature. While the cookies cool, make the buttermilk glaze.
- Whisk the buttermilk and vanilla extract into the powered sugar until smooth and well combined. For a thinner glaze, add more buttermilk. For a thicker glaze add more powdered sugar. Top each soft buttermilk cookie with the glaze and enjoy!
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make these buttermilk sugar cookies ahead of time: Simply prepare the cookies according to the recipe directions and store the unbaked cookie dough, covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for a day or two.
- Store baked cookies: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 - 4 days.
- Freeze the cookies: Once the cookies are baked and have full cooled to room temperature, place the baked cookies into an airtight, freezer safe container. I do not recommend freezing the cookies once the glaze has been added.
- Thaw the cookies: Transfer your desired amount of frozen cookies onto a plate to thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
M's Expert Tips
- Fully preheat the oven. Use an oven thermometer to double check the temperature.
- Use whole milk buttermilk. Whole milk buttermilk has a richer taste. If you can’t find whole milk buttermilk, you can make your own. Simply pour 1 ½ teaspoons (8 ml) lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup. Then pour enough milk (whole milk recommended) to reach ½ cup (118 ml). Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to curdle and use as you would regular buttermilk.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the cookies to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in a soft, fluffy and delicious cookie.
- Use a cookie scoop to get perfectly round cookies.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before topping them with the glaze.
FAQs
Buttermilk is known to provide moisture to baked goods. So, using buttermilk in this recipe for buttermilk cookies will provide a boost of moisture. However, if you want even more moisture, try using two egg yolks in place of the whole egg in this cookie recipe.
These cookies can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for 2 -3 days. Then they should be transferred to the fridge for an additional 2 - 3 days. For longer storage, use the freezer.
If you don’t have any other recipes to use your leftover buttermilk for, freezing butter is relatively easy. Simply pour the remaining liquid into a freezer proof container, leaving a little room for the liquid to expand and store in the freezer for 2 - 3 months. Transfer the frozen buttermilk to the fridge to thaw overnight.
Other Buttermilk Recipes to Try
If you try this Buttermilk Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Buttermilk Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 small tablespoon sized cookie scoop
- 1 baking sheets
- 1 parchment paper
Ingredients
Buttermilk Cookies
- 2¼ cups (270 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg (US), room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (118 ml) buttermilk
Buttermilk Glaze
- 1½ - 2 cups (180 - 240 g) powdered sugar
- 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 - 60 ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together until well combined.2¼ cups (270 g) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In another large bowl, cream the room temperature butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. On low, beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 1 large egg (US), room temperature, 1½ teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, alternating with the buttermilk in this order: dry, buttermilk, dry, buttermilk, dry until just combined.½ cup (118 ml) buttermilk
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of buttermilk sugar cookie dough onto a the prepared baking sheet. I like to use a small cookie scoop to get perfectly portioned cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 10 - 12 minutes. The edges will be set. The center will bounce back when gently pressed.
- Remove the cookies from the oven onto a cooling rack or stove top. After 3 minutes, transfer the cookies off the hot baking sheet and onto the cooling rack to cool to room temperature. While the cookies cool, make the buttermilk glaze.
- Whisk the buttermilk and vanilla extract into the powered sugar until smooth and well combined. For a thinner glaze, add more buttermilk. For a thicker glaze add more powdered sugar. Top each soft buttermilk cookie with the glaze and enjoy!1½ - 2 cups (180 - 240 g) powdered sugar, 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 - 60 ml) buttermilk, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
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