4 Pennsylvania Dutch Sweet Treats Your Grandma Baked (Sugar Cake, Sand Tarts & More)

Welcome to The PA Dutch Kitchen! 🍰 Today we're baking four sweet treats your grandma would have set out proudly at a church supper — and doing our part for the sweet side of the table. In Dutch country, a proper table carries seven sweets and seven sours... but let's be honest, the sweets disappear first! Moravian sugar cake, sand tarts, Pennsylvania Dutch snickerdoodles, and funnel cake — four old favorites, with the full written recipes below. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Welcome to The PA Dutch Kitchen 0:34 Moravian Sugar Cake 1:28 Sand Tarts 2:19 Pennsylvania Dutch Snickerdoodles 3:10 Funnel Cake 4:04 Thanks for stopping by! --- 🍰 MORAVIAN SUGAR CAKE Serves 12 Ingredients 1 cup warm mashed potatoes 1 cup warm milk 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup melted butter 1 egg 1 teaspoon salt 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast About 4 cups all-purpose flour Topping: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon Steps 1. Stir the warm mashed potatoes, warm milk, sugar, melted butter, egg, salt, and yeast together. Stir in the flour until a soft dough forms. Knead briefly until smooth. 2. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. 3. Press the dough into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Poke deep dimples all over the top with your fingers. 4. Dot the dimples with butter and sprinkle generously with brown sugar and cinnamon. 5. Bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Cool slightly before serving. --- 🍪 SAND TARTS Makes about 4 dozen Ingredients 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg white, beaten, for brushing Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling Pecan halves for topping Steps 1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. 2. Stir in the flour and baking powder until a dough forms. Chill well, at least 1 hour. 3. Roll the dough out very thin on a floured surface and cut into rounds. 4. Place on greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush each with beaten egg white, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and press a pecan half into the center. 5. Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are golden. Cool on the pan briefly, then move to a rack. --- 🍪 PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH SNICKERDOODLES Makes about 3 dozen Ingredients 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt Coating: 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon Steps 1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. 2. Mix in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt until just combined. 3. Roll the dough into balls and roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar coating. 4. Place 2 inches apart on greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. 5. Bake at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look a little soft. Cool on the pan for a few minutes before moving to a rack — they firm up as they cool. --- 🎡 FUNNEL CAKE Makes about 4 cakes Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 1/4 cups milk Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 inches deep) Powdered sugar, for dusting Steps 1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Whisk in the eggs and milk until smooth. 2. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet to 375°F. Keep children clear of the hot oil and never leave it unattended. 3. Pour the batter through a funnel in a slow spiral into the hot oil, letting it swirl and tangle. Do not crowd the pan — fry one cake at a time. 4. Fry about 1 minute per side, until deep golden. Lift out with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. 5. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm. --- Thanks for pulling up a chair at The PA Dutch Kitchen! New Pennsylvania Dutch recipe videos — shoofly pie, chicken pot pie, whoopie pies, apple dumplings, and all the comfort food grandma used to make. Eat hearty, save room for something sweet, and always save room for pie. 🥧