Best Down East Hermits Recipes

HERMITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour 3 baking sheets.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt together in a large bowl.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar together in another bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add the molasses and beat until smooth. While mixing slowly, add the flour mixture to make a sticky batter, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the raisins, cranberries, walnuts and ginger.
• Divide dough into 6 pieces and with slightly damp hands, shape each piece into a 1-inch wide log. Place 2 logs on each of the prepared cookie sheets, leaving plenty of space between each log, since the cookies spread considerably when baked. Brush with egg. Bake cookies, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until dark golden but still soft, about 15 minutes, Cool completely.
• Cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch wide bar cookies. Serve, or store hermits covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

DOWN EAST HERMITS

Steps:

• Mix together thoroughly--shortening, brown sugar, and eggs.
• Blend in the cold coffee.
• Mix in the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
• Add in the raisins and walnuts--mix well.
• Chill 1 hour.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until set--just until when touched lightly with fingertip, almost no print remains.
• Do not overbake.

HERMITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cover raisins with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes; drain and set aside. , Whisk together next 6 ingredients. In another bowl, combine molasses, butter, egg white and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in walnuts and raisins (batter will be wet)., Divide batter in half; spread each half (wetting hands, if necessary) into a 12x2-in. rectangle 2 in. apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until edges are lightly browned and set, 10-15 minutes., Transfer rectangles to a cutting board; with a serrated knife, cut diagonally into 1-1/2-in. bars. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

MOLASSES HERMITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
• Grease 9 x 13 pan.
• Dust raisins and nuts in 1/4 cup flour.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add salt, eggs and molasses.
• Sift flour and the rest of the dry ingredients into creamed mixture and mix well.
• Add nuts and raisins and stir.
• Spread batter in pan.
• Bake 15-20 minutes.
• Cut into squares.

GRANDMA'S HERMITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and shortening with brown sugar.
• Add eggs; mix well.
• Add dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk; mix well.
• Stir in raisins and nuts.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet.
• Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until golden in color.
• Cool on wire rack.