Old-Fashioned Hermit Cookies
Soft, chewy, and full of old-fashioned spice, these hermit cookies blend molasses, warm aromatics, and a mix of regular and golden raisins for a deeply comforting holiday treat. They freeze beautifully and taste even better the next day.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups 250 g plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 egg white lightly beaten (for brushing)
- 1 cup total raisins: ½ cup regular + ½ cup golden
- (Optional) Turbinado Sugar sprinkled over brushed on egg whites
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and all the spices.
- In a large bowl, stir the melted butter and dark brown sugar until smooth. Add the egg, yolk, and molasses, mixing until well combined.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and gently fold together. Stir in the regular and golden raisins (and nuts, if using).
- Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into two logs, each about 10–14 inches long. Place them on the sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the tops are set and lightly springy.
- Let cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then slice into bars while still warm.
- Cool completely before storing. The flavor deepens beautifully by the next day.
Notes
- Hermit cookies deepen in flavor after resting overnight.
- Chill the dough: It keeps the logs from spreading and makes shaping easier.
- Raisin mix:
Using both regular and golden raisins adds brightness and chew, but either one works. - Cut the logs while still warm for clean, neat bars.
- Both the dough and baked cookies freeze beautifully—perfect for holiday prep.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!