Amerikaner Cookies (Oma's Soft Iced Cake Cookies)

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares German recipes rooted in family tradition.

Published: October 1, 2026

Amerikaner ... you've seen them in every German bakery, right? Big, soft cake cookies with the icing on the flat bottom instead of the top. And they're so easy to make at home!

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Soft on the bottom, sweet icing on top. Lecker!

When my Mutti made them, I used to wonder why she iced the bottoms. Icing the tops would surely mean more icing. But she had her ways, and I was a child who loved icing.

This isn't Mutti's recipe, though. She didn't have it in her handwritten cookbook. Mine is one I tweaked from an old German cookbook to suit busy kitchens.

Most recipes have you mix a sugar glaze AND melt chocolate for the dark half. Not me. I make one bowl of icing and stir a bit of cocoa into part of it. There's no chocolate to melt and one less pot to wash.

Two spoons do the shaping, and there's no piping bag needed. Follow along and you'll have a tray of iced amerikaner in about an hour.

What Are Amerikaner?

Amerikaner (ah-meh-ree-KAH-ner) are round German cake cookies made from a soft vanilla batter. Once they've cooled, you flip them over and ice the flat side, white or chocolate or both. The name means "Americans." You'll find them in every German bakery and at just about every Karneval party and kids' birthday.

Why Are They Called Amerikaner?

I wondered about the name too. Mutti called them amerikaner ... but she didn't know why. Nobody else knows for sure either, but everybody has a theory. Here are the three you'll hear most:

• Baking ammonia: Old recipes used Hirschhornsalz (baker's ammonia) to make them rise. Some say "Ammoniakaner" slowly turned into "Amerikaner."
• American soldiers: Others say the name came with the American soldiers stationed in Germany after the war.
• New York: And some connect them to New York's black and white cookies. They sure look alike.

I use baking powder, like most German home bakers today. You'll find it in any grocery store, and your kitchen won't smell of ammonia while they bake.

A bit of fun for a kids' party.

Amerikaner vs New York Black and White Cookies

If you've bought a black and white cookie in a New York deli, these will look familiar. The two are very close. Here's what's different:

• Icing: New York black and whites almost always come half and half. Amerikaner can be all white, all chocolate or half and half. Your choice!
• Size: Bakery versions of both can be as big as your hand. Homemade amerikaner are usually a bit smaller.
• Name: In a German bakery, ask for amerikaner. Ask for schwarz-weiss (black and white) and you might get crisp swirled butter cookies instead.

If you like one, you'll like the other.

Ingredient Notes

• Butter or margarine: Use whichever you have. Just make sure it's soft, so it beats up light and fluffy.
• Vanilla sugar: In Germany it comes in little 8 gram packets. Can't find it? Follow my recipe for homemade vanilla sugar.
• Cornstarch: Don't skip it! It keeps the crumb soft.
• Baking powder: Yes, 3 level teaspoons. It looks like a lot, but amerikaner needs a good lift to get those rounded tops.
• Hot water: It dissolves the powdered sugar faster, so your icing turns out smooth.
• Cocoa: Unsweetened cocoa, stirred straight into the icing.

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How to Make Amerikaner

Like any good recipe prep, gather all your ingredients in advance.

Plain pantry staples, nothing fancy. Don't skip the cornstarch!

Beat the soft butter until light and fluffy. Then beat in the sugar, vanilla sugar, eggs and salt.

Add the eggs gradually and beat well after each one, so the batter stays smooth.

Whisk the flour, cornstarch and baking powder together. Sift the dry ingredients over the batter, add the milk and vanilla extract, and stir until combined.

Mix the dry ingredients first, then sift them over the batter.

Drop big spoonfuls onto the baking sheets and gently flatten with the back of a wet spoon. Leave lots of room because they spread as they bake.

A spoon is all you need, no piping bag.

Bake until the edges are light golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely on a rack.

Flip them over and ice the flat bottom.

Flip them over and spread the icing on the flat side. I even tried making a heart-shaped one! Turned out pretty good.

For a heart, shape the batter with the back of a spoon before it goes in the oven.

One Bowl of Icing, Two Colors

Most amerikaner recipes make two toppings. First a sugar glaze, then melted chocolate for the dark half. That means two bowls, a pot or the microwave, and more dishes to wash.

Here's my way. Stir the powdered sugar with a little hot water until it's smooth and spreadable. Spoon some of it into a second bowl and stir in the cocoa. Now you have white and chocolate icing, and nothing to melt.

For the half-and-half look, ice the white side first and give it a few minutes to set. Then spread on the chocolate. The set white icing gives you a clean edge to work against. If the chocolate icing thickens once the cocoa goes in, add a few drops of hot water.

Tips for Soft, Round Amerikaner

• Round tops: Dip a spoon in water and smooth each mound before baking. The batter won't stick to a wet spoon, and smooth mounds bake into rounder cookies.
• Room to spread: Use two baking sheets if needed, or bake in two batches. Crowded amerikaner run into each other.
• Don't overbake: Take them out when the edges are light golden and a toothpick comes out clean. A few minutes too long and they dry out.
• Cool completely: Icing on warm cookies melts and runs down the sides.
• Ice the flat side: The bottom is smooth, so the icing spreads in a nice even layer.

Ice them on the rack once they've cooled completely. Warm cookies melt the icing.

Storing and Freezing

Amerikaner are best the day you bake them. Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Once the icing has set, put a sheet of parchment between the layers so they don't stick together.

To bake ahead, freeze them without icing. Lay them in a single layer until firm, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and ice them fresh.

More German Cookies from Oma's Kitchen

In Germany (and my home in Canada), amerikaner go with afternoon coffee ... or a glass of milk after school. If you liked these, give some of my other cookies a try:

• Oma's German Cookie Recipes
• Spritzgebäck (German Spritz Cookies)
• Zuckerkekse (Easy Sugar Cookies)
• Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
• Berliner (Karneval jelly donuts)
• Oma's German Desserts

Print Recipe

Amerikaner Cookies (Iced Cake Cookies)

Make classic German amerikaner with a soft, cake-like vanilla base and smooth white icing, or finish them with chocolate icing for a tasty variation.

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Cook Time:

20 minutes  (plus 20 minutes cooling)

Total Time:

60 minutes

Servings:

12 cookies

Ingredients:

• 7 tablespoons (100 grams) butter or margarine
• ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 pinch salt
• ¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
• 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 level teaspoons (12 grams) baking powder
• 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) milk
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
• Butter or other fat for greasing the baking sheet
• ¾ cup (100 grams) powdered sugar
• 1½ tablespoons (22 milliliters) of hot water
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease two baking sheets and/or line with baking parchment.
2. Beat the butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar, vanilla sugar, eggs, and salt.
3. Mix the cornstarch with the flour and baking powder. Sift the dry ingredients over the batter, add the milk and vanilla extract, and stir until combined. The batter should be firm enough to hold its shape. Add a little more flour if necessary.
4. Drop large spoonfuls of batter about 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them. Gently flatten with the back of a wet spoon.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
7. Stir the powdered sugar with hot water to make a smooth, spreadable icing.
8. Spread the icing over the flat undersides of the cooled cookies.
9. For a chocolate variation, stir the cocoa powder into some or all of the icing before spreading it over the cookies.

Notes/Hints:

• Decorate with sprinkles or candies before the icing dries.
• Be a bit creative and turn the circles into hearts by carefully shaping the dough circles.

*  *  *  *  *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

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to your table

Complete your set today - order now!

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.