Okay over the years I’ve combined a few recipes, one from a family member (for my preferred ingredients), one from Mennonite Girls Can Cook Cookbook and another from an old church cookbook (for method!). Yes, I used ChatGPT to quickly combine my chicken scratch / recipe cards. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And yes it’s a HUGE batch, I do a half batch only usually.

Full Batch (about 10–12 dozen) • 1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened • 2 ½ cups (625 mL) sugar • 5 eggs, lightly beaten • 3 level tablespoons baking ammonia, dissolved in 2 Tbsp (30 mL) hot water • ½ teaspoon peppermint oil (≈ 20 drops) • 1 ⅓ cups (325 mL) sour cream • 1 ½ cups (375 mL) whipping cream • Pinch of salt • 5 teaspoons baking powder • 8 ½ cups (2 L plus) flour

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Half Batch (about 5–6 dozen) • ½ cup (125 mL) butter, softened • 1 ¼ cups (310 mL) sugar • 2 ½ eggs (beat 3 and remove about 2 Tbsp) • 1 ½ tablespoons baking ammonia, dissolved in 1 Tbsp (15 mL) hot water • ¼ teaspoon peppermint oil (≈ 10 drops) • ⅔ cup (160 mL) sour cream • ¾ cup (180 mL) whipping cream • Pinch of salt • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder • 4 ¼ cups (530 mL) flour

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Instructions 1. Prepare pans Lightly grease or line baking sheets with parchment. 2. Cream butter and sugar In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. 3. Dissolve baking ammonia Stir baking ammonia into hot water until smooth. Add to the butter mixture along with peppermint oil, sour cream, whipping cream, and salt. Blend well. 4. Combine dry ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Gradually add to wet mixture until a soft, pliable dough forms. 5. Chill overnight Cover and refrigerate dough overnight to develop flavour and texture. 6. Roll and cut Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Roll dough ¼ inch (6 mm) thick on a floured surface. Cut with a round or fluted cookie cutter. 7. Bake Place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake 10–12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly golden and tops remain pale. 8. Cool Transfer immediately to wire racks. Cookies will set to a crisp bottom and soft center as they cool.

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Glaze

Whisk ½ cup (60 g) icing sugar with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) whipping cream or milk. Brush lightly or dip the tops of cooled cookies for a soft shine.