Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Sugar Cookies

• cups all-purpose flour↗4 cups
• teaspoons baking powder↗2 teaspoons
• teaspoon baking soda↗1 teaspoon
• salt, a pinch↗ pinch
• tablespoons unsalted butter, softened↗16 tablespoons
• cups sugar↗2 cups
• teaspoons vanilla extract↗3 teaspoons
• large eggs↗3
• cup buttermilk↗1 cup

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Will need 3 or 4 cookie sheets covered with parchment or foil; position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat oven to 375°.

2. 2

   In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well.

3. 3

   In the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until combined, then beat in the vanilla.

4. 4

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating smooth after each addition.

5. 5

   Decrease speed and beat in a third of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk, and another third of the flour mixture; scrape the bowl and beater often.

6. 6

   Beat in the remaining buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture; scrape the bowl/beater, then remove the bowl from the mixer and give the dough one final mixing with a large rubber spatula.

7. 7

   Drop tablespoons of the dough 3 or 4 inches apart onto the prepared pans.

8. 8

   Bake cookies for about 15 minutes or until they spread and rise—they should be lightly golden.

9. 9

   Slide the papers off the pans onto racks; after the cookies have cooled, detach them from the paper and store them between layers of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with tight-fitting lid.