Similar in taste to a gingerbread cookie, these hermit cookies are soft and chewy and made with ginger, molasses, and raisins.
Credit must be given where credit is due: Hermit Cookie bars are my husband’s specialty.
A Boston Massachusetts native, when he was growing up he would find these cookies in a local bakery and purchase them by the bag for a couple of dollars.
Many people ask where these hermit cookies came from. As far as he could tell, they originated in New England back in the 1800’s.
Dense and moist, hermits age very well and were given to sailors in tins to last on long expeditions. Sweet, chewy, spicy (from the ginger), buttery and perfectly balanced with the right amount of salt, a chef friend of ours describes hermits as “sweet crack.”
Once the dough is prepared, you spread it in a well-floured baking sheet using well-floured hands. Why do you need to flour your hands? Because this moist and soft dough is extra sticky!
The more flour on your hands, the easier it will be to spread out on the pan. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t reach each edge, just push it out about 1/2-inch thick. It doesn’t need to be a perfect rectangle.
Once baked, I liked to slice them into squares but you could also use cookie cutters to cut them into cute shapes. A fantastic edible holiday gift, these babies will stay moist and delicious for weeks – if you can avoid eating them all first!
Whip up a batch of these soft and chewy hermit bar cookies for your next cookie swap, classroom party, hostess gift or holiday open house!
What are your favorite holiday cookies? I’d love to hear from you.
No forks required.
New England Hermit Cookie Bars
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks softened - preferably unsalted
- 2/3 cup dark molasses
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups raisins
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease (I typically will use Crisco which is preferred or Pam Baking spray) and flour one standard jelly roll pan ( 9x13 cookie sheet) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves.
- With the mixer on medium, beat together brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in molasses then egg and mix until well combined.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Use a spoon to stir in raisins.
- Scrape edges of the bowl with a plastic spatula to get the mixture together in a ball then scrape out onto a cookie sheet.
- Flour hands then carefully press dough into even layer on the floured cookie sheet.
- Bake 17-19 minutes depending on oven. Remove when toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before slicing into bars.
Recipe Video:
Chef's Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
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lorraine shicko
I grew up in the South end of Hartford, CT and hermits were always in the house…Dad always bought them at a local bakery on Franklin Ave. Later in life when my Mom and I lived close by (because Dad had passed on) Mom and I went grocery shopping together and we found hermits at a local Big “Y” and Mom scooped them up….when my son visited from Virginia he absolutely LOVED our hermits and just lately he said that he was not going to visit again without me making those “hermit cookies”(I since have moved to SC where hermits aren’t even heard of and Italian grinders with my homemade peppers)…so here I am searching for a hermit recipe…and VOILA!…i found you!…I will try your recipe and let you know….sounds so good and bring back so many wonderful childhood memories!
Thanks!!!!!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh this makes me so happy Lorraine! I just passed your note along to my husband as well. Be sure to make these – I can assure you that you will love them! Let us know!
sharon stephens
What size pan should i use?
Liz DellaCroce
We like to use a 9 x 13 baking (cookie) sheet!
Julie
Loved this recipe! I grew up in Danvers so I love knowing these came from Saugus/Lynn native! Really nice and moist.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh that’s so cool!! Rich used to take me to Hilltop on Route 1 when we were dating. :)
Jeanette Devevo
These were great! Best recipe for hermits. Have gone through many others. This’ one of my favorite cookies–from Em’s Bake Shop in Avon Connecticut when I was a kid. Now your recipe is the one I will always use.
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
Maine Grammy Linda
LOVE these bars! Flavor is PERFECT!!! Only problem I had was using wrong size pan (my idea of standard jelly roll pan is different) and had to bake way longer than stated. The correct size must be what I consider a large cookie sheet (12×17). Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh I’m so glad to hear it!!!
Suzeraine
Every autumn my grandfather would drive down from NY to FL for a month long visit with all sorts of goodies in his car. One of those goodies was Freihoffer’s Hermit cookies. I don’t think Freihoffer’s exists any more, and I haven’t seen any sort of hermit cookie in YEARS. But I had a hankerin’ and went looking on the internet…
Made these and they brought back so many memories! Even my kid who doesn’t like raisins liked these – they were gone in about 4 days, which says a lot around here. Superb recipe! Thanks so much!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh this makes me so happy!!! I love this story!
Dave H.
Hermit cookies were always a huge favorite in and around my childhood city of Portland, Maine. This recipe is not only easy, it is the best I’ve come across to replicate that ole time taste!
Thank-you!
Liz DellaCroce
YES!! Aren’t they the best?!?
Judy
Dear girl thank you so much for this recipe. My mother loved Hermits they are big in the New England area where I live. I baked these for a bake sale at work and people were scooping up five and six of them at a time !!!!!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh that makes me so happy!!!!! So glad to hear Judy!
MJ Paley
Great recipe! Just what I’ve been searching for. Rich in flavor and moist and chewy. Thanks!!! This is definitely a Keeper!
Liz DellaCroce
Aren’t they so good??
Audrey
On wow!!! These are delicious!! I make these every Christmas and signed up just to comment. Thank you for the recipe!
Audrey
I also added about two tablespoons of instant coffee. The coffee didn’t change the texture and made them extra yummy.
Liz DellaCroce
Great idea!!!!!!!
Dave H.
Another trick is to allow the raisins to soak in coffee. Gives a little extra flavor and moisture.
Liz DellaCroce
That’s a great idea!! I’m going to tell my husband!
Liz DellaCroce
So glad you like them Audrey!!
Julie Belanger
HERMITS – CHEWY MOLASSES COOKIE BARS
Wow! Lovely recipe. Cooking time was bang on for 19 minutes with a gas oven. I cut them up into squares and left them on the counter overnight. Chewy and delicious! I added walnuts.
They just may become a Canadian Thank`s Giving tradition in my home.
.jb
Liz DellaCroce
So glad you enjoy them!!
Kathy
Have you made these as a cookie? Making to give away and a cookie would be easier to package. When I made these this summer it took much longer to bake than called for, the insides were still very gooey at 17 min. so want to do cookies to be on the safe side. Otherwise they were AWESOME, I loved them. Just not sure how long to bake for. thanks!
Liz DellaCroce
You know I’ve only ever made them as a bar! I’m glad you liked the flavor!
Maria Moore
Salted or unsalted butter?
Liz DellaCroce
Unsalted!
Melissa @ Bless this Mess
These look so tasty and I can’t get over the name. I can’t wait to try them!
Liz DellaCroce
Did you make them yet?!
Caroline @ Caroline Kaufman Nutrition
I made these bars and they were perfect! I grew up eating them in Boston and they hit the exact same notes I was looking for. 5-stars, thank you!
Liz DellaCroce
So happy to hear it!!
Polly
As a child I loved Nelson’s Bakery’s hermits in Maplewood,(Malden) MA and have not found a comparable recipe until now. Thank you for renewing wonderful memories!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh I’m so thrilled to hear that! My husband is from Saugus/Lynn area!!
Liz DellaCroce
Wow small world!!!
carolyn thurston larkin
I grew up in Maplewood Square and loved Nelson’s Bakery. I have been searching for the recipe for those wonderful coffee rolls that were frosted and sprinkled with walnuts. If you know of that recipe could you please respond back to me. I have so many fond memories of Maplewood Square and growing up there.
Liz DellaCroce
Hi Carolyn – We don’t know a recipe for those but they sound delicious!! I hope you try these hermits – they are so good!
Polly Vraneza
Hi Carolyh, I would love to share my Swedish nut roll recipe with you. Could be communicate by email? Don’t know how to do this, but hope we can figure it. Out!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips
I have to make these for my husband. He would love them!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh man they are the best!!! Let me know if he likes them!!
Melissa
I made these today and they came out wonderfully. I had to cook mine for about 25 minutes. Thanks for a great recipe, it’s nice to see something different out in the blog world.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh I’m so thrilled to hear it!! They are the best! I’ll be sure to let my husband know!
Gina
Have you tried making these with gluten free flour?
Gina
I think I will try it. Been using Bob’s AP GF flour too for converting things, have had a lot of luck with cookies and bars.
Liz DellaCroce
Let me know how it turns out!!