Down East Hermits Food

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:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; stir well to mix. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Beat in the egg until the mixture is smooth. Lower the speed and beat in half the flour mixture, then all the cold coffee. Scrape the bowl and beaters well, then beat in the remaining flour mixture. Stir in the raisins and walnuts. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour.
• About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake the cookies, set the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough 2 or 3 inches apart onto the prepared pans. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they spread and become firm. Slide the papers off the pans onto racks. After the cookies have cooled, detach them from the paper and store them between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

EASY HERMITS

Steps:

• In mixing bowl, beat margarine or butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds.
• Add half of flour, brown sugar, egg, milk, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Beat in remaining flour.
• Stir in raisins and nuts.
• Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart, onto greased cookie sheets.
• Bake in 375 degree oven about 10 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.
• Cool cookies on rack.

MINCEMEAT HERMITS

Steps:

• Sift flour, soda, salt, and spices.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add egg and beat until light.
• Add dry ingredients, mincemeat, and cream- mix well.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
• Bake in 400 degree oven, 10-12 minutes.
• Remove to racks to cool.

HERMITS (BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS 1969)

Steps:

• Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar.
• Add eggs and beat well.
• Sift dry ingredients; add to creamed ingredients alternately with buttermilk.
• Add nuts and fruits. (If you're using a stand mixer, go slowly; this will be hard on the motor.).
• Drop by heaping teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 about 10-12 minutes.