---
title: "Hjorthornssalt: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "Hjorthornssalt is baker's ammonia, a leavening that makes Swedish cookies very crisp and light. How to use it, and what to use instead abroad."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/hjorthornssalt"
---

# Hjorthornssalt

Hjorthornssalt is baker's ammonia, a leavening that makes Swedish cookies very crisp and light. How to use it, and what to use instead abroad.

Also called Baker's ammonia, Hartshorn, Ammonium bicarbonate, Hirschhornsalz.

_Hjorthornssalt_ is baker's ammonia, also called hartshorn, an old-fashioned [leavening](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/leavening). The name means "deer antler salt", because it was once made from antlers. Today it is ammonium bicarbonate, sold as small white crystals or powder. In the oven it breaks down completely into gas, which gives cookies a very light, crisp, airy texture you cannot get with baking powder.

## How to use it

1. Measure it carefully, usually ½ to 1 [teaspoon](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tsk) (_tsk_) for a batch of cookies.
2. Crush any lumps, then mix it with the flour or dissolve it in a little of the liquid.
3. Bake the cookies as the recipe says. Open a window or turn on the fan. It gives off a sharp ammonia smell while baking.

The smell escapes from small, thin, dry baked goods as they bake, leaving no taste behind. It stays in thick, moist ones.

The most famous Swedish cookie made with it is _drömmar_, "dreams". They are pale, light, crisp and crumbly. It is also used in some ginger cookies and crisp rusks for [fika](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fika).

## Substitutes

Outside Scandinavia, look for baker's ammonia in specialist baking shops or Greek, German and Scandinavian stores. If you cannot find it:

* Use [baking powder](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/baking-powder) in the same amount. The cookies will rise and taste fine, but they will be softer and less crisp.
* Some bakers use half [baking soda](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/baking-soda) and half baking powder. Too much soda can taste soapy, so do not go higher than the recipe amount in total.

## How to store it

Keep it in a tightly closed jar in a cool, dry place. It slowly turns to gas when exposed to air and moisture, losing strength and smelling strongly. If it no longer smells sharp, replace it.

## Common mistakes

* **Using it in cakes, bread or soft cookies.** The ammonia cannot escape and the food tastes of it.
* **Tasting the raw dough.** It tastes unpleasant and is not meant to be eaten unbaked.
* **Breathing in close to the open oven.** Stand back when you open the door.

## Related terms

* [LeaveningLeavening is what makes dough and batter rise, such as yeast, baking soda, baking powder, steam or whipped air. Here is how each works and when to use it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/leavening)
* [Baking powderBaking powder is a mix of baking soda, a dry acid and starch that makes cakes and muffins rise. Here is how much to use and how to test if it is fresh.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/baking-powder)
* [Baking sodaBaking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a strong leavening that needs an acid to work. In the UK it is bicarbonate of soda, in Ireland bread soda.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/baking-soda)
* [TskTsk, short for tesked, is the Swedish teaspoon and holds exactly 5 ml. It equals 5 krm or a third of a msk, and swaps one for one with a US teaspoon.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tsk)
* [FikaFika is the Swedish break for coffee and something sweet, such as a cinnamon bun, shared with others. See what is served and how to do it at home.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fika)

[More in nordic ingredients](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/nordic-ingredients)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)