Margie S 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.

MOM'S HERMITS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl, cream together the Crisco, white sugar, and light brown sugar. Add beaten eggs and set aside.
• 2. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
• 3. Add dry mixture to creamed mixture and mix well.
• 4. Mix in coffee and molasses.
• 5. Stir in raisins and nuts.
• 6. Use a small ice cream scoop to make cookies or drop by tablespoons on greased cookie sheet.
• 7. Mix 1 egg white with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush top of cookies with eggwash.
• 8. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

HERMIT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and ginger in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Beat the butter, brown sugar and molasses together in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, eggs and orange zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until incorporated. Add the spiced flour mixture and beat until the dough just comes together. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and refrigerate on a plate or baking sheet until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the top and lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Arrange the chilled dough balls about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the tops of the hermits are no longer glossy and the edges are firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze: While the cookies cool, mix the confectioners' sugar, egg whites and vanilla seeds in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and shiny.
• Transfer the glaze to a piping bag and pipe stripes onto the cooled hermits. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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.

BETTY CROCKER'S HERMITS

Steps:

• Prepare coffee, set aside to chill (just needs to come to room temperature).
• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with the egg. Now, add in the cold coffee - mixture will look a bit brown and foamy, that's okay.
• In a a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Slowly combine the flour mixture with the wet ingredients above. Now stir in the raisins and walnuts.
• Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (preferably several hours) - this step is key!
• Once the dough is ready, drop spoonfuls (a bit more than a tablespoon) onto a high-rimmed pan (helps keep them dense- it you like lighter, more spread out cookies do it on a no-rim pan).
• Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.