These Dutch zandkoekjes, easy to bake cookies, are simple slice-and-bake sugar cookies with a crunchy cane sugar edge. The dough comes together in minutes with butter, sugar, flour and vanilla, then it rests in the fridge while you do a hundred other things. Slice, bake and you've got a tin full of golden Dutch sand cookies that taste like "weekend" but fit in any busy weekday.
At a glance
⏲️ Preparation: 15 minutes • ❄️ Chill time: 45 minutes • 🔥 Bake time: 13 minutes
🍽️ Yield: 25 cookies
🥄 Calories: about 107 kcal per cookie
⭐ Difficulty: easy
🥘 Key ingredients: self-rising flour, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, cane sugar
Allergens contains: gluten (flour), egg, milk (butter). Does not contain: nuts, soy, fish, sesame (based on listed ingredients, always check all labels).
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Easy Dutch Zandkoekjes (Slice and Bake Cookies)
Some days, the question "Is there a cookie?" starts even before the school bags hit the floor. On those afternoons I don't want a complicated project, just something I can mix fast and forget in the fridge for a while. This dough is exactly that: a simple Dutch zandkoekjes dough that rolls into a neat log and patiently waits until I'm ready to bake.
When the kids are home and everyone is talking at once, I slice the dough, roll it through cane sugar and slide the tray into the oven. The kitchen smells like warm vanilla and butter, and within minutes there's a plate of still-warm zandkoekjes on the table. They look plain, taste perfect and disappear in a way that strongly suggests cookie thieves live here.
And are you looking for more typical Dutch cookie recipes. Try krakelingen (Dutch sweet pretzel cookies) or Mergpijpjes (Dutch marzipan pastry).
When to Serve Dutch Zandkoekjes?
These Dutch Zandkoekjes are perfect for:
- After-school snacks with a glass of milk or tea
- Filling a cookie tin for the weekend.
- Serving with coffee or tea when friends or family drop by.
- A simple homemade treat to bring to school or work.
Why This Works
- Classic Dutch zandkoekjes dough: Simple butter, sugar and flour base that bakes into crisp sand cookies.
- Slice-and-bake method: Roll the dough into a log, chill and bake only as many cookies as you need.
- Cane sugar crust: Rolling the log in sugar gives every cookie a crunchy, sparkly edge.
- Beginner-proof: No cutters required, just a knife and a baking tray.
- Everyday ingredients: All from your regular pantry, so you can make them in a minute.
What You'll Need
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Self-rising flour: Gives the zandkoekjes structure and a slight lift. You can substitute it with 1 ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour and 1 tablespoon of baking powder, mixed well.
- Salt: A pinch to balance the sweetness.
- Egg: Binds the dough and adds richness.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps with browning.
- Vanilla extract : Classic flavor in these Dutch sand cookies. Make your own with this vanilla extract recipe.
- Unsalted butter: The base of zandkoekjes: buttery, crisp and tender.
- Melted butter: For greasing the baking sheet.
- Cane sugar: For rolling the dough log and creating that crunchy sugar ring.
How To Make It
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe card below.
- Mix self-rising flour and salt in one bowl. Beat butter until fluffy, then add sugar, egg and vanilla and mix until light. Stir in the flour mixture just until you have a soft cookie dough.
- Chill briefly, then roll into a log and coat it in cane sugar.
- Wrap and chill again, then slice into rounds and place on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake until the edges just turn golden, cool on a rack and enjoy your Dutch zandkoekjes.
Top Tips
- Beat the butter well at the start for lighter zandkoekjes.
- If the dough feels too soft to roll, chill it a bit longer before shaping.
- Roll the log evenly so the cookies are done at the same time.
- Press the cane sugar firmly around the dough so it sticks and doesn't fall off on the tray.
- Use a sharp knife to slice clean rounds without squashing the log of dough.
- Leave enough space between cookies; they spread a little while baking.
- Take them out when the edges are just golden. They'll crisp further as they cool.
- Let cookies cool completely before storing so they keep that nice crunch.
Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.
Need more inspiration?
- You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
- And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cup self-rising flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter, room temperature + 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1⅛ cup sugar
- 1 egg, size L, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cane sugar
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Mix the self-rising flour and salt in a bowl.1⅔ cup self-rising flour, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- In a second bowl, beat the butter until fluffy.1 stick butter
- Add the sugar, then the egg and vanilla extract, and mix for about 3 minutes.1⅛ cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the dough for about 15 minutes until it's firm enough to shape.
- Shape the dough into a log about 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) in diameter.
- Sprinkle the cane sugar on the work surface and roll the dough log in it until it is coated.3 tablespoons cane sugar
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to
350 °F (conventional oven) or 320 °F (fan oven). - Grease a baking sheet with the melted butter.
- Cut the dough log into slices about ¼ inch (5 mm) thick.
- Place the slices about 4 inches (ca. 10 cm) apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies rest on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with any remaining dough.
Notes
- Cinnamon zandkoekjes: Mix a little cinnamon into the cane sugar for a warm, spiced edge.
- Citrus zandkoekjes: Add grated lemon or orange zest to the dough for a fresh twist.
- Party sprinkles: Roll the dough log in colored sprinkles instead of cane sugar for a festive version.
- Room temperature: Store cooled Dutch zandkoekjes in an airtight tin for up to 5 days.
- Freezer (baked): Freeze in a box with baking paper between layers for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition
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