Ammonia Cookies, also known as Lemon Crackers, are an old-fashioned treat that showcases the use of baker’s ammonia (ammonium carbonate), once common in European and early American baking. These cookies are crisp, light, and delicately flavored with lemon oil. They’re easy to roll and cut into shapes, often sprinkled with colored sugar for a festive finish. Despite the unusual leavening agent, they bake up with a clean flavor and no residual taste of ammonia, making them a unique addition to any vintage cookie collection.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs (beaten)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup Crisco (or other shortening)
- 1¼ cups milk
- 2 tsp lemon oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 oz powdered ammonia (baker’s ammonia)
- 6-7 cups flour
Optional:
- colored sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Ammonia Mixture
- Dissolve 1 oz powdered ammonia in ¼ cup warm water. Let it stand until fully softened and dissolved.
Step 2: Cream Shortening and Sugar
- In a large bowl, cream together the Crisco and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Step 3: Add Eggs and Lemon Oil
- Beat in the eggs and lemon oil until fully incorporated.
Step 4: Combine Liquids and Dry Ingredients
- Add the dissolved ammonia and salt to the milk. Alternate adding the milk mixture and flour (6–7 cups) to the creamed mixture, stirring after each addition until a soft dough forms.
Step 5: Roll and Cut Dough
- On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough. Cut into squares or circles with a knife or cookie cutter. Add more flour as needed to handle the dough—it should be soft but not sticky.
Step 6: Finish and Bake
- Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Prick each with a fork and sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.
- Bake at 400°F until lightly browned (about 8–10 minutes).
Tips
- Use lemon zest for extra bright citrus flavor.
- Chill dough 20 to 30 minutes if it’s too soft to handle.
- Substitute vanilla for lemon oil for a more neutral cookie.
- Add a light glaze (powdered sugar + milk + lemon juice) instead of colored sugar.
- Roll dough slightly thicker for softer cookies, thinner for crisp crackers.
- Sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar for a vintage bakery look.
- Replace half the Crisco with butter for richer flavor.
- Add a drop of yellow food coloring for a visually lemony cookie.
- Serve with tea or coffee, these are excellent dunking cookies.
- Store in an airtight tin; flavor improves after 1 to 2 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 65kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 7mgPotassium: 9mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 13IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.4mg
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