Best 6 Moravian Sugar Cookies Recipes

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Indulge in the delightful Moravian Sugar Cookies, a cherished tradition passed down through generations. Originating from the Moravian settlers in North Carolina, these cookies have become a symbol of love, unity, and the holiday spirit. This article presents a collection of meticulously crafted recipes that capture the essence of these timeless treats. Discover variations of the classic Moravian Sugar Cookies, each with unique flavors and textures. Explore a recipe that incorporates the tanginess of lemon, adding a refreshing twist to the traditional sweetness. Delight in the crunch of pecans, perfectly complementing the soft and chewy cookie base. For a touch of elegance, try the recipe adorned with a delicate glaze, transforming the cookies into works of art.

Find a recipe that showcases the beauty of simplicity, featuring only a handful of wholesome ingredients, resulting in a nostalgic flavor that evokes memories of childhood. Experience the joy of creating these cookies with your loved ones, making memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you prefer the classic Moravian Sugar Cookies or are adventurous enough to try the variations presented in this article, you are guaranteed a delightful culinary journey.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

MORAVIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES



Moravian Christmas Cookies image

A very large recipe for gingerbread-molasses-type Christmas cookies from the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania area. A full batch makes more than 12 dozen. With medium cookie cutters, a quarter recipe made 74 cookies.

Provided by ARBethany

Categories     Desserts     Cookies     International Cookie Recipes     American Cookie Recipes

Time 1h40m

Yield 144

Number Of Ingredients 9

8 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 cup lard
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon baking soda
4 cups molasses

Steps:

  • Sift flour, cinnamon, and ginger together in a large bowl. Add sugar and mix well. Work lard and butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender.
  • Combine vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl; mix to dissolve. Add mixture to the flour mixture in the bowl. Add molasses and mix thoroughly. Place dough in the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Roll dough out very thin on a floured surface. Cut into shapes using fancy cookie cutters.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 89 calories, Carbohydrate 15.5 g, Cholesterol 4.7 mg, Fat 2.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.7 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 17.9 mg, Sugar 8.4 g

MORAVIAN SUGAR COOKIES



Moravian Sugar Cookies image

This is a rolled cookie recipe, that you cut with cookie cutters. You will need a stockinette for your rolling pin, and pastry cloth, because these cookies are rolled out very thin. They are crisp and sweet, and I like them so much better than a regualar sugar cookie.

Provided by KittyKitty

Categories     Dessert

Time 9h20m

Yield 9 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup buttermilk
superfine sugar

Steps:

  • Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed with electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla, beat well. Combin 2 1/4 cups flour, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour if dough seems very sticky. Cover and chill 8 hours.
  • Work with one-fourth of dough at a time, and store remainder in fridge. Place stickinette cover on rolling pin; flour well. Roll dough to 1/16 inch thickness on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut with a 3 inch roud cutter, and carefully place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 6-8 minutes or just until cookies brown around the edges. Cool slightly on cookie sheets and sprinkle with superfine sugar. remove to wire racks, and cool completely. repeat with reaminingdough. Store in airtight containers.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 301.7, Fat 11.2, SaturatedFat 6.7, Cholesterol 50.9, Sodium 287.3, Carbohydrate 46.5, Fiber 0.8, Sugar 22.7, Protein 4.3

MORAVIAN SUGAR COOKIES



Moravian Sugar Cookies image

78

Categories     Dessert     Cookies     Baked Goods

Time 8h

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 18

butter
sugar
eggs
vanilla extract
all-purpose flour
baking soda
salt
buttermilk
sugar
butter
sugar
eggs
vanilla extract
all-purpose flour
baking soda
salt
buttermilk
sugar

Steps:

  • Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Combine 2¼ cups flour, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well. Add remaining ¼ cup flour if dough seems very sticky. Cover and chill 8 hours. Work with one-fourth of dough at a time, and store remainder in refrigerator. Place stockinette cover on rolling pin; flour well. Roll dough to 1/16-inch thickness on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut with a 3-inch round cutter, and carefully place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375℉ (190℃) F for 6 to 8 minutes or just until cookies begin to brown around edges. Cool slightly on cookie sheets, and sprinkle with superfine sugar. Remove cookies to wire racks, and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Store in airtight container. OLD FASHIONED TEACAKES: Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut as directed above. Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 8 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts :

MORAVIAN CRISPS WITH ROYAL ICING



Moravian Crisps with Royal Icing image

Provided by Shelley Wiseman

Categories     Cookies     Mixer     Dessert     Bake     Christmas     Kid-Friendly     Cinnamon     Clove     Christmas Eve     Party     Molasses     Gourmet     Kidney Friendly     Vegetarian     Pescatarian     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Kosher     Small Plates

Yield Makes 40 to 80 cookies (Depending on size)

Number Of Ingredients 18

For cookies:
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (trans-fat-free)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
For royal icing:
1 (1-pound) box confectioners sugar
4 teaspoons powdered egg whites (not reconstituted) such as Just Whites
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional)
Equipment: a pastry or flour-sack cloth and a cloth rolling-pin sleeve; decorative cookie cutters;a small offset spatula; pastry bags fitted with pastry tips

Steps:

  • Make cookies:
  • Pulse shortening, brown sugar, and molasses in a food processor until smooth. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add to processor and blend just until combined.
  • Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly, allowing dough to absorb a little more flour if sticky. Divide dough in half and form each half into a 3-inch square. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 day.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Roll out 1 piece of dough on a floured pastry cloth using floured sleeve-covered rolling pin until very thin (less than 1/16 inch thick), about a 15-inch square. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and, using offset spatula to transfer, arrange about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets.
  • Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, 10 minutes. Let stand 1 minute on sheet, then loosen with spatula and transfer on parchment to a rack to crisp, about 10 minutes. If first batch isn't crisp, bake 1 minute more (on baking sheet), then bake remaining batches 10 to 11 minutes. Cool cookies completely on rack.
  • Repeat with remaining dough (cool baking sheets and line with fresh parchment). Reroll scraps once for extra cookies if desired.
  • Make icing:
  • Beat together icing ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and beat until icing holds soft peaks, about 3 minutes more. If desired, divide icing and add food coloring.
  • Fill pastry bags with icing and pipe decoratively on cookies, then let set, about 1 hour.

MORAVIAN COOKIES



Moravian Cookies image

Thin, crisp rolled cookies with a good ginger and molasses flavor. If you get tired of rolling these out, roll into balls, flatten them out and bake. I have often made and brushed them with a clear boiled sugar/water glaze, and when the glaze dried my children referred to these as my "varnished" cookies.

Provided by superbuna

Categories     Dessert

Time 2h40m

Yield 72 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1 1/2 cups light molasses
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

Steps:

  • Sift together into bowl the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
  • Add the brown sugar and mix well.
  • With pastry blender, cut in butter and lard. (I use my Kitchen Aid for all).
  • Gradually add the molasses and vinegar and mix thoroughly.
  • Chill several hours or until firm enough to roll.
  • Using a small amount of dough at a time, roll out on floured surface to about 1/8 inch or more thickness and cut with fancy cutters.
  • Bake in preheated moderate oven 350 degrees F. for about ten minutes or until browned.
  • Cool and decorate.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 84.4, Fat 2.8, SaturatedFat 1.3, Cholesterol 3.4, Sodium 33.6, Carbohydrate 14.2, Fiber 0.2, Sugar 6.9, Protein 0.8

MORAVIAN SUGAR CAKE (AUTHENTIC)



Moravian Sugar Cake (Authentic) image

My Grandma would roll over in her grave right now if she knew I was posting her Moravian Sugar Cake recipe but why keep such a delish recipe under wrap? My family is Moravian this recipe comes straight from the church. My Grandma used to make this all the time on Sunday mornings for breakfast with coffee or tea. It's a bit time consuming, but well worth the effort.

Provided by Sherie717

Categories     Breakfast

Time 4h45m

Yield 2 large sheet cakes

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 (1 tablespoon) package dry yeast, dissolved in
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup hot mashed potatoes (if using instant, use water for liquid & do not add salt)
1 cup scalded milk, cooled to warm
6 -7 cups flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup flour
1 lb light brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 dash cinnamon

Steps:

  • To proof yeast, add a pinch of sugar to the yeast in lukewarm water (hot water will kill the yeast action). If it foams, it is good.
  • In large mixing bowl, cream eggs, salt, sugar & shortening till smooth.
  • Gradually add warm milk & mashed potatoes, stirring a bit. Then add yeast, mixing well. Add flour, a cup at a time, until dough is stiff enough to turn out on a floured board.
  • Knead dough until soft & spongy (about 10-15 minutes by hand, or if done in a food processor, mix until it forms a ball). Place in large greased bowl in a draft free, warm place & cover with a damp towel. Let dough double in size (approx. 2-3 hours).
  • Punch down and divide dough.
  • Place in greased pie pans or large cookie sheets, cover & let double in size again (approx. 1 ½ hrs.).
  • Spread melted butter on top of cakes, punching holes in dough about 1 inch apart with fingers. Be careful not to punch down to bottom of pan but only half way down. Mix the topping thoroughly & pour into holes in the dough.
  • Sprinkle remaining crumbs over top & sprinkle with cinnamon.
  • Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden & fully baked on the bottom. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 4005.4, Fat 151.7, SaturatedFat 66.2, Cholesterol 388.2, Sodium 2876.9, Carbohydrate 609.5, Fiber 14.2, Sugar 272.9, Protein 57.7

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients, especially butter and flour. This will make a big difference in the final flavor and texture of the cookies.
  • Make sure the butter is cold before creaming it with the sugar. This will help to create a light and fluffy dough.
  • Don't overmix the dough. Overmixing will make the cookies tough.
  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. This will help to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
  • Bake the cookies in a preheated oven. This will help to ensure that they cook evenly.
  • Don't overbake the cookies. Overbaking will make them dry and crumbly.
  • Let the cookies cool completely before storing them. This will help to prevent them from sticking together.

Conclusion:

Moravian sugar cookies are a delicious and festive treat that are perfect for any occasion. With their simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, they are a great recipe for bakers of all skill levels. By following these tips, you can make sure that your Moravian sugar cookies turn out perfectly every time.

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