Old Fashioned Hermit Cookies (easy bar cookie recipe)
This hermit cookie recipe creates a soft and spicy bar cookie made with brown sugar, molasses and gingerbread spices. These simple old fashioned hermit cookies are an old fashioned New England classic. Make them dairy free, egg free and vegan with gluten free option.
Servings: 32
Calories: 106kcal
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Cookie sheets, parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125ml) molasses (I used original or dark)
- ½ cup (95g) organic shortening
- ½ cup (100g) cane sugar
- ½ cup (100g) coconut sugar (or regular brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup applesauce or pureed apple
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour or gluten free baking flour
- 2 cup (270g) whole wheat flour or gluten free baking flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Additional spices
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ginger
Mix-ins
- 2 cups (400g) raisins
- ⅓ cup (78ml) brewed coffee, warm
Instructions
Prep
- Gather and measure ingredients. Line baking pans with parchment paper.
- Marinate raisins. Make or brew ⅓ cup of strong coffee. Add the raisins to it and set the mixture aside to cool and marinate.⅓ cup (78ml) brewed coffee, warm, 2 cups (400g) raisins
Mix the cookies
- To a bowl, add wet ingredients and sugars. Mix with a spoon or mixer.½ cup (95g) organic shortening, ½ cup (100g) cane sugar, ⅓ cup applesauce, ½ cup (100g) coconut sugar
- Stir in the molasses, then add dry ingredients. Again, mix with a spoon or mixer.½ cup (125ml) molasses
- Add the coffee from raisins. Drain the raisins, and reserve the coffee. If needed, add enough water to the coffee to make sure the level of liquid reaches ⅓ cup. Then add the coffee to the batter and mix the batter again, just enough to work the liquid into the batter.⅓ cup (78ml) brewed coffee, warm
- Fold in the raisins.2 cups (400g) raisins
- Chill the batter. Cover the batter in the bowl with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-minutes to 1 hour.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
Bake the cookies
- Split the dough into two halves. Form two logs and lay them on the parchment lined pans.
- Bake the logs for 18-20 minutes at 350 F. The cookie logs are done when a few cracks appear on top.
- Cool for 10 minutes and then slice each log at an angle, at 2-3 inches wide intervals.
Store Hermits
- They stay soft and stay fresh covered and at room temperature for a week. Then refrigerate or freeze in a container as you would other cookies.
Video
Notes
Make gluten-free cookies. To make hermit cookie recipe that is gluten free, use all gluten-free all purpose baking flour.
Shortening. You can use butter - plant-based butter or regular butter- instead of shortening but the cookie will be much softer and might break apart.
Applesauce. You can use 1 egg instead of ⅓ cup applesauce
Shortening. You can use butter - plant-based butter or regular butter- instead of shortening but the cookie will be much softer and might break apart.
Applesauce. You can use 1 egg instead of ⅓ cup applesauce
Nutrition
Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 11mg
