Hermit Cookies
Hermit cookies may be shy, but this sweet little raisin and spice cookie definitely deserves its place among your favorite treats!
Here’s another in my series of cookies that are not the prettiest cookies on the block, but pack a sweet and perfect taste that will make it really hard to keep your hand out of that cookie jar.
Hermits are soft, sweet spice cookies that are packed with raisins and walnuts and deliciousness. Why are they called hermits? I have no idea (and if YOU do, please tell me?)…what I do know is that I love them. Love. Them.
They are also the simplest thing in the world to make. Shortening (yes, you need to use shortening), sugar and eggs, flour, baking soda and spice, and a generous amount of walnuts and raisins all get mixed together, and then you drop the batter in generous teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet.
12 minutes later you have warm and wonderful cookies that are like a little baby spice cakes in cookie form.
It’s enough to make you hide away with the whole jar of them and a pot of tea all by yourself, eating them one by one with no social contact whatsoever.
Hey, wait a minute…
Hermit Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Total Time: 51 minutes
- Yield: About 30 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, all the spices and the salt.
- Put shortening, both sugars and eggs in a mixer and beat at high speed until well combined.
- Add flour on low speed, and then stir in raisins and nuts.
- Drop generous teaspoonfuls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake until lightly golden, about 12-14 minutes. Cool on rack.
Ok. So my search for the perfect cookie has ended. Finally! I love the spice…and the raisins…and the pecans…what more could you ask for…
Hi Niecy and hurray! They are some of my faves too. :)
These made the whole house smell like Christmas, which is just my favorite! Delightful!
I agree – just like Christmas!!!
Hey Chari – I appreciate the feedback! I will cut it back to 1.5 teaspoons the next time I make these and see how that works. Happy New Year!
Hi Donna! I appreciate the feedback…they are definitely on the crispier side. But I’m glad you tried them!
Mine spread out a lot but they were yummy!
Hi Mary! Maybe add in another 1/4 cup or so of flour next time and that could help. Glad you liked them! :)
Could you use this batter for cupcakes. My mom made chpcakes and she called them hermits they had the same ingredients and they were a favorite thanka
Hi Jane! I think this batter would be pretty dense for a cupcake – if you tried it this way, I think they would be more like muffin consistency, and you would need to bake them for about double the time. But that’s just a guess as I haven’t tried it that way!
Hi there,
We don’t have shortening in the UK. Is it OK to use butter?
Salk
Butter can be substituted for shortening in equal amounts. However, cookies made with all butter will spread more and have a darker color. You might want to try chilling the dough and keeping the oven temperature slightly higher than usual.
Making some hermits right now! Sounds like a perfect snow storm cookie!
Hurray and I couldn’t agree more!
I would gladly hermit-ize myself if it meant I could eat a whole batch of these!
Today is a GREAT day to hermitize! What with all the SNOW and all…
I am anxious to try this recipe because I have fond memories of them from my past. However, I wish to add that a more healthful solid shortening is made by “Spectrum” that is non-hydrogenated. And, of course to be found at markets that offer natural/organic products.
Thanks Rosina – I will have to keep an eye out for that version!
Funny you should post this recipe today – I was just talking to my daughter about hermits last night. She was telling me how she has been eating oatmeal for breakfast to be healthy, but generally doesn’t like things baked with oats (my hermit recipe contains rolled oats and was originally found on a Quaker Oats box many years ago). This recipe uses butter or margarine instead of shortening (I have even begun using coconut oil recently). I also like to use white raisins instead of dark. I like them best right after they’ve been baked, when they’re sltill slightly crispy and chewy. The spice flavor develops quite nicely as they sit, but as you noted, they usually don’t last long enough for that to happen! http://www.ehow.com/how_5146_make-oatmeal-hermits.html
Ooh, I will definitely have to try the oatmeal version – I am a BIG oatmeal fan! And right there with you on the golden raisins. :)
Oh, thank you, Kate! I used to love hermit cookies as a kid, but haven’t thought about them in years. Good one to make on a very snowy day! Question – What do you use for shortening? Crisco, butter or something else?
I use good old Crisco shortening – the kind in the blue can. Stay warm on this snowy day!
Yes, I always heard that hermits have good keeping qualities – they can be hidden away, like a hermit or recluse. This recipe looks delicious!
I will never know, since mine never ever last long enough to find out! :)
I would definitely eat these with a cup of coffee!
Coffee, tea or hot chocolate! All perfect with a hermit. :)
Not at all my kind of cookie – allergic to walnuts, don’t like raisins or cloves, but figuring out the name grabbed me. LOL! The best explanation I saw was that they are best if left alone for a while, like a hermit. So, I guess these are meant to be aged a bit to what? Mellow or soften? My mom made some Danish cookies that would break your teeth when fresh but were perfect after about a month’s rest in a cookie jar. Heh. Maybe those should have been called hermits. ;)
Ha! I think you are right.