Harthorn Cut-out Cookies

Hartshorn is a leavening agent, and a precursor to the baking soda and baking powder. It was used mainly in the 17th and 18th centuries as a forerunner of baking powder. It is called for in old German and Scandinavian recipes and, though rarely used in modern times, may still be purchased as a baking ingredient.

Hartshorn is also called baker's ammonia or ammonium bicarbonate, the latter of which should be available in at least some drug stores, but you must first grind it to a very fine powder using a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin. Because Baker's Ammonia has a tendency to evaporate when exposed to air, it should be stored in a jar with a tight cover. It will not spoil, but will "disappear" if not stored properly.

Hartshorn’s virtue is that it readily breaks down into a gas when heated (causing the leavening), but unless it escapes completely, it leaves a hint or more of the smell of ammonia. For that reason, it is generally used only in cookie recipes where it doesn’t have to fight its way out of a deep batter. It is especially suited to thin, dry cookies. When heated it releases ammonia and carbon dioxide gases, but no water. The lack of water allows the cookies to cook and dry out faster, and thinner cookies allows the pungent ammonia to be completely baked out, rather than remaining behind, as it would in a thicker mass.

If you cannot find hartshorn, substitute (for 1 teaspoon of baker’s ammonia): 1 teaspoon baking powder (This is very similar, but might not yield as light and crisp a product.) OR 1 teaspoon baking powder plus 1 teaspoon baking soda

Grandma Fickelscherer's Harthorn Cut-out Cookies

This recipe makes a lot of cookies; you may want to cut the recipe in half or even fourths.

4 cups sugar
1 pound (2 cups) oleo
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cream
1 oz. hartshorn dissolved in a little hot water
Anise seed
2 - 3 tsp. vanilla
6 egg yolks or 4 eggs
10 - 12 cups flour (enough to stiffen dough)

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the milk, cream, and hartsorn dissolved in a little water. Add a little anise seed, vanilla and eggs. Mix in enough flour to create a stiff dough for rolling.

Roll out and cut into shapes with cookie cutter. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake 7 - 8 minutes at 375° F.