Drömmar: Dream Cookies
Drömmar means “dreams” in Swedish and these cookies truly live up to their dreamy name. They are light, crumbly, easy to make, and totally addictive.
Swedish Dreams
Drömmar: Dream Cookies have been a Swedish tradition since the early 20th century. People love them because they’re simple yet delicious. These cookies are famous for their delicate, crispy texture that melts in your mouth.
While they’re often enjoyed during Christmas, you can actually have drömmar any time of the year. Swedes especially love them during fika, which is like their version of tea time. The most common flavor is vanilla, but what gives them their special texture is baking ammonia.
Baking Ammonia
Baking ammonia, also known as hartshorn or hjorthornssalt in Swedish, is an old-school leavening agent used in baking. It’s a white powder that smells like ammonia. It’s not the same as baking powder or baking soda because it reacts differently when heated.
Back before modern baking powder was widely available, baking ammonia was used a lot in baking. It releases carbon dioxide gas when heated, which helps dough rise and gives baked goods a light and crispy texture.
In many Western countries, baking ammonia isn’t as popular anymore, but it’s still an important ingredient in traditional Scandinavian recipes, like drömmar. During baking, all the ammonia evaporates, so you won’t taste it or find any residue.
When you use baking ammonia in recipes, you have to be careful because it has a strong smell. Make sure to bake the cookies all the way through so that all the ammonia evaporates. And when you open the oven, be ready for some smelly steam. It’s not great, but it goes away quickly and doesn’t stick to the cookies if they’re baked properly.
If you don’t have any baking ammonia or you prefer to use something else, you can use baking powder instead. Just keep in mind that the texture and taste might be a little different.
Drömmar: Dream Cookies are super popular in Sweden, and they’re seriously delicious. Give them a try this Christmas season and experience the dreamy goodness for yourself!
Drömmar: Dream Cookies
Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking ammonia hjorthornssalt
- 150 g butter
- 100 g neutral oil e.g., canola or vegetable oil
- 200 g sugar
- 10 g vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 140°C (280°F).
- In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract). Mix them together until well combined.
- Add the flour and baking ammonia to the bowl. Mix everything together until a dough forms.
- Portion the dough into cookies, using approximately 18g (about 1 tablespoon) of dough for each cookie. You can shape them into rounds or press them down with a fork for a decorative pattern.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them to allow for spreading.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 17 minutes, or until they are lightly golden around the edges.
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
- Eat and enjoy!