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Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe – Oma's Zuckerkekse 

Want an easy sugar cookie recipe? One that can be used for Christmas cookies? Learn how to make Oma’s Zuckerkekse that are perfect any time of the year. Lecker!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons (6 grams) baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt
• ⅓ cup (64 grams) shortening (Crisco, also see hints below)
• 6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoons (15 milliliters) milk
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) almond extract

Instructions:

1. Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening and butter. Add the sugar and beat till fluffy. Add the egg, milk, and almond extract and beat well. Add the flour mixture and beat till well mixed. Cover and chill for about 3 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
4. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured counter, roll out one half of the dough to a thickness of about ⅛ to ¼ inch. Cut out festive shapes with cookie cutters and place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough. Excess dough can be rerolled.
5. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove them to the racks to cool completely.
6. Let the cookie sheets cool before reusing them for the next batch of cookies.
7. Decorate as desired.

Notes/Hints:

• Don't want to use shortening? You can substitute butter for shortening, but the cookies will be crispier, flatter, and, well, butterier in flavor, not necessarily a bad thing ;) You may want to omit the milk or only use a teaspoon or two when you are making the dough, since the butter has more water content than shortening. 
• Melt some chocolate chips and drizzle over cookies. Or, dip half of cookie into melted chocolate.
• Simply dust with powdered sugar.
• Make an icing by mixing together 1½ cups powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Add food coloring and stir till well mixed. Brush on cookies.
• Put either melted chocolate or icing into a small baggie. Snip off the corner and pipe designs on cookies.
• Sandwich two cookies together with jam or jelly.

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Updated on November 24, 2025