Swedish Dream Cookies (Drömmar)

Drömmar (droo-mar) means dream in Swedish. As you would expect from something with that sort of name, they are very light, melting little morsels.

This recipe uses Ammonium carbonate, a classic leavener that was used years ago to make extra crisp cookies. It gives a "fluffiness" of texture that baking powder can't and its leavening power is activated by heat rather than moisture. It has a strong, almost repellent, smell, but the odor dissipates as the cookies bake, and, while the raw cookie dough is unpleasant, you'll find the finished dream cookies are delicious and will literally melt in your mouth.

1-1/2 stick butter, softened
1-1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon powdered ammonium carbonate (or 1 tsp baking powder, might not yield as light and crisp a product)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl of an electric stand mixer and beat, using paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. With mixer still running, add canola oil in a slow,steady stream, beating to incorporate.

Place flour and ammonium carbonate in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly add to creamed mixture, mixing just until a smooth dough forms. Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes, or until it can be shaped and rolled.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2-inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops of cookies crack and crater and are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool cookies on pans for 5 minutes, before transferring to wire racks to complete cooling.

Yield: 36 cookies.

Note: Do not open the oven until cookies are done!