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Oma's Peppermint Cookies


Traditionally this is a Christmas cookie, but our family loves them when we have gone camping, sitting around the fire on cool evenings. Oma makes sure that the family is always well supplied, since camping season is finally upon us our freezer is stocked. We thank you Oma.
  • 1 cup of oil
  • 2 cups of thick plain yogurt or sour cream (she uses yogurt, tastes great)
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp. *baking ammonia* dissolved in 1/8 cup of warm water
  • 4 tsp. peppermint extract
  • 5 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 6 cups flour
  1. Mix all the wet ingredients together
  2. Add all dry ingredients
  3. Gently blend til smooth by hand with a wooden spoon
  4. Refrigerate over night, the dough is very soft and sticky.
  5. Roll out dough on floured counter in small amounts, dough is sticky so it is easier to handle in small amounts, and cut in desired shapes.
  6. Bake at 350 for 10- 12 minutes.
  7. Cookie should be white on top and light brown on bottom.
  8. Glaze with a little icing sugar mixed with milk.
  9. * Baking ammonia can be bought in German deli's or specialty store.

21 comments:

  1. Those look interesting! And yummy!

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  2. These are amazing cookies, I get many strange looks when I say they have baking ammonia in them. If you are in the Saskatoon area Nutters on Primrose carries the Baking Ammonia.

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  3. I love to pop one of those in my mouth right now. They look like they would melt in my mouth...

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  4. Sadly. . .we've run out. My mil always makes themn for our family at Christmas. ..maybe I should tell her about the camping tradition.

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  5. Hmmmmm... now I'm curious. I don't have baking ammonia in my pantry, and I thought I had almost ALL baking ingredients. Clearly I shall have to remedy this!

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  6. I found on www.chefhelp.ca that you can use baking powder instead of baking ammonia/hartshorn if you can't find the baking ammonia. I've never used it, but it's worth a shot.

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    Replies
    1. Baking soda makes the cookies taste like aluminum. Find ammonia if you can!

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  7. One of my favorites that I only make at Christmas...that should change. I'd love one right now. Kathy

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  8. I've heard of everything...baking ammonia? Wow. I'd love to give these a try, but can't imagine where I'd find baking ammonia in my corner. Oh, I see that Pam offers a substitute.

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  9. I think I will have to try these. I have never tried them, but they sound pretty amazing. To make my chocolate fix I might just have to try and chocolate frosting on the cookie!! :-)

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  10. does anyone know if the final cookie is a soft type cookie, or crunchy/hard?

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  11. The cookie is super soft! I wouldn't use a substitute for the ammonia- Ask your grocer to carry it. Here in Altona Manitoba I can buy it at our local Sobeys!

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  12. You KNOW how much I love to drop in and sit around your table watching you cook up wonderful things.

    I'm sorry, but WHAT is baking ammonia? I've certainly never used it (I don't think).

    Sending fond wishes to you from the banks of the Missouri River in Iowa. I am on a cross country tour and have met LOTS of wonderful people with similar passions.

    Thanks so much for everything you do,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  13. These look lovely and refreshing! I love the chocolate icing idea too.

    You can order baker's ammonia from Edelweiss Imports.com (they are located in Calgary) or in the US from King Arthur Flour or House on the Hill.

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  14. There have been so many good question regarding baking ammonia....
    i wish that i could tell you the cookies are fine with out it, but i have never had them with out it, so i couldn't give you an honest answer.
    these are a very light and soft cookie....definitely not crunchy.
    in my community i can get baking ammonia at three of my local grocers, so thank you readers for giving the online info, i appreciate that.

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  15. I remember my Mom baking ammonia cookies and we could hardly wait till the first pan of cookies was done and of course we had to wait till they cooled before we could finally eat one.
    Thanks Char for bringing back precious memories.
    I must bake these soon!

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  16. Hello wonderful girls, Can you tell me whether the baking ammonia dissolves completely or does it remain in crystalline state. I can't get mine to dissolve in the hot water, and I wonder whether this makes a difference in the mixture? It is not lumpy, just remains undissolved.

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  17. I just followed this recipe yesterday. Not wanting to go on the hunt for the baking ammonia I researched and substituted double baking soda for the ammonia. This was a cookie I had always enjoyed at Aunt Helen's. With the substitution, mine lived up to the wonderful memories of hers. I will be adapting this recipe to other flavorings as well. Thanks a million.

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  18. I haven't made these cookies in years and am really looking forward to them. If you can't find baker's ammonia at a grocery store, try a compounding pharmacist.

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  19. Is it possible to overwork this dough? I just made some and they are really not what I expected. I thought they'd have a more sugar cookie texture, but finer and melt in your mouth. The first batch just came out and I tried one, and it's kind of a weird, chewy cake-y texture. blech. I didn't let it sit over night...just a few hours. I wonder if that makes a difference?

    If that's what these are like, then they are not my faves!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous,
      Sorry that you are disappointed. Yes they are chewy and cake like in texture, definitely not a sugar cookie. However adding peppermint to a sugar cookie is a good idea, I have never tried that.

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