There are assorted versions of this cookie, some are sliced and some drop.  This recipe is for either way.  If you make them, use the small cookie scoop, not the normal size one.  This cookie gets its name because it crunches in your mouth, sorta gritty sandy but yummy goodness in your mouth, if you know what I mean.  My boyfriend used to watch his grandmother make these cookies, but she sliced hers thin and then baked them, where as I like to drop them, load them up with colored sugar, press a piece of walnut in the center and then bake.  I also do some of them with cinnamon and sugar, as this is also very popular on top the sand tarts.   As you can see below, I’ve done them in various colored sugars, and also the cinnamon sugar ones.  This is a popular cookie in PA and the Amish areas.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1 pound (4 sticks) margarine  (Blue Bonnet)

2 eggs

4 cups pre-sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons soda

Walnuts for placing in center of cookie

Directions: 

Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy.  Add eggs one at time beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla.

Sift flour and soda together and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk well.

Decorate with sugars and then place a nut piece in center of each cookie.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

You can freeze in a roll and then slice thin to bake, or use a cookie scoop and drop cookies.

You can put cinnamon on top or sprinkle with colored sugars.

Make sure you bake them till they are crispy, if you take them out of the oven too soon they will be too soft, you want them crispy.  I bake them for 12 minutes exactly, but each oven varies.