I have a dear friend, Esther, who loves Hermit Cookies. Esther is 95 years old and doesn’t bake at all anymore. I found this Old Fashioned Hermit Cookies recipe in my mother’s collection of recipes and decided it to make it for Esther. She absolutely loves them. They are not sweet and actually seem to improve with age! They also freeze well. I will make her a batch and have her put half in the freezer to enjoy later! Don’t you just love the old fashioned recipes?
Old Fashioned Hermit Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup shortening (I used butter)
3 eggs, divided
2/3 cup molasses
4 ¼ cups pastry flour
Dash salt
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder
2 cups raisin
Directions:
Cream the sugar and shortening together. Add 2 eggs and molasses; this will look lumpy. Add dry ingredients and blend until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add the raisins. The dough will be stiff, like play dough.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each ball into a long rope about the thickness of a quarter. Place 2 ropes each on 2 greased cookie sheets, and flatten slightly with your fingers. Beat 1 egg in a bowl and brush it on the cookies. Bake at 350 for ten minutes or until done. Cut the cookies while warm in 2 inch pieces and let cool.
Makes about 24 cookies.
Nancy on the Home Front 
Good morning, Nancy. The cookies look really good! It appears that they are chewy – are they? I just adore chewy cookies! The method of making these is unique to me as I have never cut cookies after they have been baked (except for biscotti, before their second bake) so these are very interesting. Thank you!
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Vickie,
Yes chewy and delicious!
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I’ve never heard of these before. Thanks for sharing at My Flagstaff Home.
Jennifer
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Jennifer,
I’m not so crazy about raisins in cookies but these have become real favorites!
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Interesting name: do you know the origin of these cookies? It just seems like with a name like”Hermit Cookies”, there should be a great story to go with!
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Carol,
Sadly I do not know the origin of these cookies, just a recipe I found in my mother’s recipe box!
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wow, never heard of these, but they look and sound awesome. Thanks Stopping by from #FullPlateThursday
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Karen,
These cookies are rapidly becoming a family favorite!
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Your Hermit Cookies look delicious! Thank you so much for sharing with us for our 5th Anniversary of Full Plate Thursday! Hope you have a fantastic week and hope to see you again real soon!
Miz Helen
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Hi, I’ve never heard of these either but they look really tast, thanks for sharing found you at Thursday Favorites!
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You’re welcome Katie!
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Oooo, these look good! I love “not-too-sweet” desserts!
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Idlewildalaska, These cookies are so good you can’t eat just one! 🙂
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This look good! The color reminds me almost like a ginger bread. Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday – Link Party! Hope to see you again tomorrow! Pinned!
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Elaine,
These hermit cookies are very similar to a gingerbread man, just a little more chewy!
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