Monthly Archives: December 2017

Sand Tarts

Holiday Traditions

I have written about one of my holiday traditions in the past, baking Sand Tart cookies with my mother each year. Sand Tarts are a Pennsylvania Dutch cookie recipe. I starting helping my mother bake these Christmas cookies at a very young age.

As most kids do, I would put a ton of colored sugar on the cookies. My grandson and step-daughter help me keep holiday traditions alive. And yes, he also loves to load the cookies with colored sugar. We have a new addition to our Sand Tart baking day, we now do a gluten free version. Simply use your favorite gluten free flour in place of the wheat flour.

Sand Tart Recipe

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks) softened, not melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
Mix in a mixer, these two items then add in
3 eggs – mix a few seconds
4 cups flour – add slowly
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

This makes a very heavy dough. Separate into 3 segments and wrap each segment in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Roll each dough segment on a floured surface (waxed paper works) to about 1/8” thick. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters, place shapes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle colored sugar on cookies.

Cook for 7 to 8 minutes at 375o