Hermit Cookies
Hello! Happy Friday!
Have you ever had Hermit Cookies before? I have asked this to everyone I have encountered for the past 48 hours and I have gotten a resounding “no”. So in case you are also unfamiliar, they are a molasses, spice cookie that almost always have raisins and sometimes nuts. You can make them as drop cookies or as bars like I did here.
For some reason that I can’t quite figure out, I have fond childhood memories associated with hermit cookies. It really doesn’t make much sense because these are chocolate-less cookies and especially when I was younger dessert was not dessert if it didn’t have chocolate! It could be because these were one of the rare cookies we ever bought from the store (my mom’s cookies are always better than store bought)… or maybe it’s that thick coating of pearl sugar on top 🙂 … Most likely it’s because I’m pretty sure I ate them for breakfast at one point in my life… and maybe this morning 🙂 Yep that is probably it! A cookies that seems passable for breakfast food. I mean they DO have raisins and walnuts – that’s fruit and protein right there!
They are simple to make with just a few ingredients. I substituted coconut oil for some of the shortening which I think makes them all the moister. The molasses and spices – cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg – give them a dense and rich flavor. Molasses is something I rarely bake or cook with, I think it smells terrible, but I love it’s flavor in baked goods! And – FUN FACT: Elephants love molasses! Who knew!? My jar of Grandma’s Molasses taught me that 🙂
Hermit Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup pearl sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease a 9″ by 13″ baking pan
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, coconut oil, butter and sugar on high until fluffy
- Add spices, sea salt, baking soda and vanilla extract, beat
- Slowly add flour mixing on low until combined
- Slowly pour in molasses, mix until dough starts to form a ball
- Fold in walnuts and raisins
- Press dough into a smooth, even layer to fill the baking pan
- Sprinkle with generous coating of pearl sugar
- Bake for 12-14 minutes
Have a great weekend!
I can not thank you enough! My grandmother used to buy this cookie when I was young at a bakery that has been in business for 100 years, this was my favorite cookie, I did not know how they were made, but you gave me the exact recipe! Thank you so very much now I can make my own.
★★★★★
Mark, I’m so glad! They were a favorite of mine too growing up and now I can’t find them anywhere! Talking about them is making me want to go make a batch right now!