Hermit Cookies are a classic cookie that are filled with raisins, dates and a host of spices to offer the perfect treat for any occasion. They are a household favorite during the Christmas season and, I bet you didn’t know they even had their own holiday!
National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day
National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day is a very real event. Every year on November 15th, cookie fans all over the world celebrate this old-fashioned wonder. I don’t know about you, but in my book, that’s basically a license to eat hermit cookies all day long! Then again, who needs an excuse?!
How to Make Hermit Cookies
While there are certainly plenty of ingredients in these cookies, they are still surprisingly easy to make.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or alternatively, you can grease it, if desired).
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl, then beat in the egg, sour milk, and vanilla until fully combined.
- Now it’s time to whisk together the dry ingredients, then add them to the wet mixture.
- Stir in the raisins and dates then drop onto the cookie sheet by tablespoonful.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until brown. Remove and cool.
Hermit Cookie Tips
- If you want them flatter, slightly press them down after dropping them onto the cookie sheet.
- If you want your raisins to plump up a bit more, you can boil them in water, then drain them and set them aside before making these cookies.
- You can substitute chopped nuts instead of dates if desired
Storing or Freezing Hermit Cookies
These cookies are best kept in a Rubbermaid or similar container to ensure they don’t become stale. If you wish, they freeze beautifully as well. Just make sure you freeze them with parchment or wax paper between each layer to ensure they don’t stick to one another.
More Great Cookie Recipes
I hope you love these as much as we do!
Love,
Karlynn
Hermit Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup cold black coffee or sour milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Fruit Add-Ins
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped dates
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. You will have to bake in batches.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar. Beat in the egg completely, then add the coffee or sour milk and the vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, then on low-speed beat until the ingredients are combined completely.
- Stir in the raisins and dates by hand until mixed throughout the batter.
- Drop by tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet. If you want them flatter, slightly press them down.
- Bake in the oven until lightly browned and the edges are set. Remove and cool on the baking sheets completely.
Notes
- Coffee gives these a darker flavor and is my favorite way to make them instead of the sour milk
- These are best baked until the edges are browned and the middle just set. Overbaking them will make them hard.
- Storing them in a closed container between sheets of parchment makes sure they retain their soft texture.
Nutrition
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Pat says
Very tasty!
Suly says
This is a really good recipe – I tried it with both the coffee and buttermilk versions, equally excellent results though i personally prefer the coffee. Delicious soft cookie even better the next day. Highly recommend
Darlene says
Do you just chop the dates or cook them as you do for matrimonial cake ..thank you
Laurie Eagle says
Don’t hermit cookies have molasses in them?
Lois Popp says
I omitted the dates.
We made these when young and this recipe is identical. So good
Garry J. Applelgate says
My Mother made these for me all through my childhood. I can remember standing in the kitchen watching her make them and she added a “cup of cold black coffee” when she made them. Does anyone else know of this change in the recipe?
Janet Wetmore says
My grandmother made them all the time for us. Her cookie jar always had them and we loved them. It was always straight to the cookie jar when we went to Grandmas! She used about 1 cup to 1-1/2 cups of STRONG black cold coffee.
Eileen Bedwell says
What changes would you have to make to add a cup of coffee to this recipe? Asking for a friend!
Erin says
what is sour milk?
Ken says
You can make it with vinegar and milk. A small amount of vinegar 1 1/2 tsp to 1/2 cup milk. You just mix it and let it sit.
Eugenia McNeely says
Buttermilk
Jackie says
These turned out great for my first time making hermit cookies. In my oven it took 14 minutes to bake on a good quality cookie sheet. I did add walnuts and used cranberries instead of dates and a sprinkle of allspice.
Angel says
These were yummy. I didn’t have dates on hand so just used double the raisins. However, I really wish you had given a suggestion for the number of minutes to bake. I know ovens vary, but it was obnoxious to have to keep such an insanely close eye on the timing since I was unsure what would be a minimum “safe” baking time.
Elaine McKeown says
Can’t this recipe be doubled?
Eugenia McNeely says
I doubled it 😄
Earlyne Wiebe says
Hi! Just wanted to let you know that I just made the Hermit Cookies. Oh my! I’m trying not to eat them all at once. So delicious. Instead of sour milk I used sour cream. FYI to anyone. I love your recipes! Mmmgood ??
Karlynn Johnston says
So glad that you loved them!!
Sylvia Galli says
I baked them between 18-20 minutes.
Mark says
Hi there, Australia commenting…..what is sour milk? Buttermilk?
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
You can sour milk by adding in a tsp of vinegar. Buttermilk is quite thick compared to just a plain soured milk.
Eugenia McNeely says
I doubled it 😄
and Baked it on a cookie sheet !!
Eileen says
Hi there, you might want to change the instructions where you say to add the sour egg and vanilla. I think you mean sour milk. Love your blog!
Karlynn Johnston says
Fixed, thank you!
Kim says
Karlynn;
Hi,your hermit cookies look so good and tasty but the raisons raise my blood sugar and i was wondering if i can just leave them out of your recipe or if i can add mini chocolate chips in this cookie recipe.Can this hermit cookie recipe be frozen after i make the cookies?
Kim
Karlynn Johnston says
They are great frozen and you can sub in mini chocolate chips, they won’t be as chewy but the spices would be delicious with chocolate!
Kathleen Falls says
Very tasty hermit recipe…I will be making them again!😊
Cheryl A VanDuyn says
can you change the recipe to make it keto?