Simple family favorite recipe
These simple and tasty cookies would be the perfect addition to an afternoon fall tea or even for a Christmas cookie exchange.
When the weather begins changing from summer to fall and the temperatures start cooling off, family favorite recipes always come to mind. Food is the perfect way to create memories with your friends and family or to relive some memories from your past.
I think of my Grandmother often and when I do her cooking comes to mind. She was amazing in the kitchen always cooking from scratch with lots of love and patience.
Fall makes me think of her famous Ammonia cookies, a cookie that she frequently made for special occasions or during the holidays.
This particular recipe calls for baking ammonia which acts as a leavening agent. It was used many years ago before baking powder came about. If you are unable to find baking ammonia you may substitute baking power with a 1 to 1 ratio.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 c. milk
- 3/4 c. shortening
- 1 tsp. baking ammonia (not cleaning ammonia, this is a leavening agent for baking)
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. lemon oil
- flour
Creaming the sugar and shortening
First cream the sugar and shortening together. Creaming together simply means that your mixing on low with a hand mixer until the shortening and sugars are well blended, light and fluffy.
Adding in the eggs
After the sugar and shortening are creamed together add in the lightly beaten eggs.
Adding milk and dry ingredients
When adding the milk and dry ingredients, be sure to alternate between the two until all is mixed in.
Add in flour in order to stiffen the dough prior to rolling it out, you will have to judge this as you go, so add in small increments.
Rolling out the dough
After you have added the flour to stiffen the dough, roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick, cut it with a round cookie or biscuit cutter.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden on top, at 375 degrees
Ammonia Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cup shortening you may substitute 3/4 cups of butter
- 1 tsp baking ammonia order online
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp lemon oil
- flour add enough to make dough stiff
Instructions
- 1. Cream sugar and shortening (or butter), add eggs2. Alternate adding milk and dry ingredients3. Add enough flour to make dough stiff to roll out4. Roll out to 1/4 inch and cut with cookie cutter5. Bake 375 degrees until lightly brown (about 10 minutes)
Her original recipe called for shortening which I did not want to use this time so I substituted butter. I will tell you that in doing that, the cookies had a total different color and consistency. Even though they tasted the same, I did not care for the other changes. Next time I will prepare them as the recipe was written.
This recipe is super simple, does not require a lot of time and would be the perfect addition to your holiday baking list. I hope that you will use this to create some new memories with your family and friends or maybe even create a new family favorite recipe in your home.
Till next time
xoxo
Sonya
I have never heard of baking ammonia! I’m going to google this to see what it does to the cookies! Pinning!
Hi Julie. when I first started making these cookies it took me forever to find the baking ammonia which acts as a leavening agent. My family lives in West Virginia and they would find it at many country stores but I was unable to find any where I live. I could not even find anyone who had ever heard of it around here. These cookies are so light and tasty.
I have to say, this freaked me out a little bit when I first read “ammonia” but now I am intrigued. Thanks for sharing, I love learning new things!
Sorry that freaked you out Marissa. These cookies are so good and light. If you do make them just know that the baking ammonia does smell strong but after it is cooked has no scent at all other than lemon.
Hi Sonya! I have never heard of baking ammonia. Very interesting! I’ll have to try these. I feel like recipes from grandmothers are just the BEST!
Hi Crissy, it is funny that not many people have heard of baking ammonia, My grandmother made them alot during the holidays, I think they are originally a German cookie. If you make them I hope you enjoy them and I totally agree about grandmothers recipes being the best.