My friend Ginny, who now has this incredible view in her backyard,
has been baking this hermit recipe for many years. It's the perfect bar cookie for fall, with the molasses and spice flavors. Ginny wrote out the recipe for me some time ago:
In case the scan isn't so easy to read, I'll type it out here too.
HERMIT COOKIE RECIPE
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup sugar (Ginny's recipe says 1 1/2 cups, but I found 1 cup to be more than enough)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each of cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg (measure generously)
1 cup raisins if desired (may also use half raisins and half chopped dates)
Mix together eggs, oil, molasses, and sugar in a medium bowl. Sift together flour, baking soda, and spices. Stir in along with the raisins if you are using them. Spread in a 14x10-inch pan and bake 20 minutes at 350º, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cut into squares while still warm.
When I baked these, I used a 9x13-inch pan and baked the hermits for 25 minutes. It worked perfectly.
Of course, since my pan was smaller, my hermits turned out thicker. Ginny's hermits are fairly thin and quite chewy. Mine were thicker and more cake-like, but still very good. I don't own a 14x10 pan and in fact, couldn't fit another pan into the cabinet if I wanted to, so used the 13x9 and found that it worked admirably.
I hope that you and your family will enjoy these deliciously old-fashioned bars if you try the recipe!
I have been looking for a good recipe for Hermits for some time. My paternal grandmother baked them often and I loved them. My own grands are stuck on chocolate chip, but I am trying to get them out of that rut. These bar cookies are much easier to bake and far more nutritious. I don’t see the point of leaving out the raisins. My grandmother fed the neighborhood children during the Depression on these cookies and glasses of milk after school. There are some who credit her with keeping them from hunger. I just love the story.
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolutely wonderful story about your grandmother!!
DeleteI think you'll like these hermits, especially if you use the larger pan as Ginny does. I actually prefer them that way, thinner but more chewy.
My mother's hermit recipe was good, and many people loved them, but they dried out quickly and were never my favorite. I like Ginny's much better!😊
I agree these sound very Fall-like! They really do seem nutritious too.
ReplyDeleteLots of minerals and vitamins in molasses! 😊 These cookies are a nice treat in the fall, especially with apple cider or hot cocoa.🍵
DeleteMy husband's aunt almost always brings Hermit cookies when she comes to visit. I will have to try this recipe.
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope you like these, Nikki! They are so very easy to make!
DeleteHermits are fantastic and quite healthy, especially with molasses. They were my favorite cookie as a child. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Mary! I hope that you enjoy these as much as the ones from your childhood!
DeleteI've never heard of Hermits before but they look like they'd be yummy. Thank you for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Tori! I hope that you enjoy these if you try them!
DeleteI know that I'd love these because I love chewy and spicy. Thank you for sharing Ginny's recipe with us, and that incredible view!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Kitty! I hope that you enjoy the bars if you try making them. Ginny is a dear friend and I wish she still lived in our state, but her new home in Vermont definitely has an amazing view and I can see why she and her hubby fell in love with it!
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