Grandma's Sand Tarts (PA Dutch Style)

These PA Dutch-style Sand Tarts are thin, crisp, buttery sugar cookies that bake up perfectly. The recipe comes from my grandma's handwritten cards, and while her version used brown sugar, I made mine with white sugar for a lighter color and cleaner flavor. The key is keeping the dough very cold, rolling it extremely thin, and baking on parchment for exactly ten minutes to get the right snap.

Why You'll Love These Cookies

Sand Tarts are simple on ingredients but big on texture. They bake up crisp, light, and slightly caramelized around the edges. The cinnamon sugar on top gives them a subtle warmth, and the pecan halves make them feel more traditional. These are the kind of cookies that fit into any holiday tin and disappear fast. The dough is straightforward, but rolling it thin makes all the difference.

My Take

This is one of the more finicky cookies from my grandma's collection, not because the ingredients are complicated but because the dough softens quickly. Keeping it cold is everything. I worked with small batches at a time and floured the counter heavily. Once you get the feel for the thinness, they bake up consistently. They're crisp, buttery, and exactly the kind of cookie that tastes like it could only come from an old recipe box.

Favorite Equipment

Baking sheets – lined with parchment for even baking

Wire rack – to cool the cookies without softening

Mixer – helpful for creaming the butter and sugar

Kitchen scale – useful if you want consistent dough measurements

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, divided (2 for dough, 1 for egg wash)

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2–3 tablespoons milk, only if needed

Cinnamon sugar for topping

Pecan halves

How to Make Grandma's Sand Tarts

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mixture gradually to the wet mixture. If the dough seems too dry or crumbly, add 1–2 tablespoons milk until it comes together.
3. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight. The dough must be very cold.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Work with a small portion of dough at a time, leaving the rest refrigerated. Flour your surface and rolling pin heavily. Roll the dough very thin, about 1/8 inch or slightly less.
6. Cut shapes using cookie cutters. Brush each cookie lightly with the beaten third egg. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar and top with a pecan half if using.
7. Bake for exactly 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Do not overbake.
8. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.

Tips for Success

Keep the dough as cold as possible. Roll thinly for the signature crisp texture. Always use parchment to prevent sticking. Brushing with egg wash helps the cinnamon sugar stick and gives the cookies their shine. Grandma's recipe used brown sugar, but white sugar keeps the cookies lighter in color and a little crisper.

Grandma's Sand Tarts (PA Dutch Style)

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These old-fashioned Sand Tarts are thin, crisp, buttery cookies with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. My grandma's original recipe called for brown sugar, but I baked them with white sugar. The dough must stay very cold, rolled super thin, and baked for exactly 10 minutes on parchment for the perfect crispness.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 64 cookies

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Pennsylvania Dutch

Calories: 83

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 2 cups sugar grandma used brown sugar, I used white
• 3 large eggs 2 for dough, 1 for egg wash
• 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons milk only if needed for texture
• cinnamon sugar for topping
• pecan halves optional, for topping

Equipment

• 1 Mixing Bowl
• 1 Hand Mixer
• 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons
• 1 Rolling Pin
• 1 Cookie Cutters
• 2 Baking Sheets lined with parchment paper
• 1 Wire Rack

Method

 

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture until dough comes together. If dough is too dry, add 1–2 tablespoons milk.
3. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Keep dough very cold for rolling.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Work with a small portion of dough at a time, keeping the rest in the fridge. Flour rolling surface and pin heavily. Roll dough very thin (about 1/8-inch or less).
6. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Brush lightly with beaten egg wash. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar and top with a pecan half if desired.
7. Bake for exactly 10 minutes on parchment, until lightly golden at the edges. Cool on pan 1–2 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 83kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 29mgPotassium: 15mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 103IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.3mg

Notes

The dough must stay very cold and is easiest to work in small batches. Use lots of flour when rolling — it softens quickly and sticks. Rolling thin and baking for exactly 10 minutes gives the signature crispness. Grandma's recipe called for brown sugar, but I used white sugar. Parchment prevents sticking and helps cookies bake evenly.

Tried this recipe?

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