Lemon Wafers are delicate and flavorful treats that offer a delightful combination of sweetness and citrus zing. These wafer-thin cookies are enjoyed for their light and crisp texture, making them a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffee. The recipe you’ve shared embodies a vintage approach to baking, utilizing simple ingredients to create a memorable treat with a burst of lemony freshness.

Lemon Wafers are reminiscent of a time when home baking was a cherished tradition. The use of baker’s ammonia (ammonium carbonate) as a leavening agent in the recipe suggests its historical origin, as baker’s ammonia was commonly used in old-fashioned cookie recipes to create a light and crisp texture. The inclusion of lemon oil adds a burst of citrus flavor, reflecting the popularity of citrus-infused treats in historical baking.

These wafers likely harken back to the era before modern leavening agents like baking powder became commonplace. The recipe’s simplicity and reliance on basic ingredients highlight the resourcefulness of bakers in the past, using what was available to create delicious treats for their families.

Yield: This recipe yields approximately one hundred and eighty-six Lemon Wafers.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs
• 2 cupfuls sugar
• 2 cupfuls Crisco (shortening)
• 2 cupfuls milk
• 5 cents baker’s ammonia (ammonium carbonate)
• 5 cents oil of lemon
• Flour to make stiff dough
• 2 teaspoonfuls salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. The night before baking, cover the 5 cents worth of baker’s ammonia with milk and let it soak overnight. This allows the ammonia to dissolve and become activated, aiding in the leavening process.
2. The next morning, in a mixing bowl, combine the soaked baker’s ammonia milk mixture with 2 cupfuls of sugar and 2 cupfuls of Crisco.
3. Add 2 teaspoonfuls of salt to the mixture for flavor balance.
4. Incorporate the 2 eggs that have been well beaten into the mixture.
5. Add the 5 cents worth of oil of lemon to impart the lemon flavor. Adjust the amount according to your taste preference.
6. Gradually add enough flour to the mixture to create a stiff dough. The exact amount of flour needed may vary; add it gradually until the dough is workable.
7. Roll out the dough very thin on a floured surface. The thinness of the dough is key to achieving the crisp texture of the wafers.
8. Cut the rolled-out dough into squares or diamond shapes using a knife or cookie cutter.
9. Grease baking tins with Crisco to prevent the wafers from sticking during baking.
10. Carefully transfer the cut-out squares or diamonds onto the Criscoed baking tins.
11. Preheat your oven to a hot temperature, typically around 375°F (190°C).
12. Bake the wafers in the preheated oven for approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as they can quickly go from golden to overdone.
13. Once the wafers are golden brown and crispy, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on wire racks.
14. Once completely cooled, the Lemon Wafers are ready to be enjoyed.

Lemon Wafers are a testament to the ingenuity of traditional baking methods, producing delicate treats that capture the essence of simpler times. With their lemony flavor and delicate texture, these wafers offer a glimpse into the sweet pleasures of bygone eras.