Hermit cookies are a scratch cookies recipe that is easy to make and dates back well over 100+ years. This spice cookie is part of American history and baking in the North Eastern states. Grab a piece of history and try this bake and you won't be disappointed. This is a classic recipe from the old days when life was simple and baking was a daily activity. I know my husband's Grandmother baked almost daily as a routine.
Hermit Cookies is the first recipe from the Aunt Lou Archives we attempted. The results were successful!
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Hermit Cookies have a curious name as well as past. According to my research, they make their first appearance in a cookbook published in 1880 by the ladies of Trinity Church called Champlain Valley Book of Recipes.
History of hermit cookies:
Other books followed with variations of the hermit cookie. It is believed that hermit cookies were originally a plain cookie with spices, nuts, raisins or currants added to them. Initially though, nuts did not feature into the old fashioned cookie recipe. The use of nuts came in the 1900's. At this time, other dried fruits such as apricots, and citrons(candied lemons) began to feature in recipes.
The various cookbooks show slight changes in the ingredients used, mostly due to availability and regional taste. For example, recipes from Vermont are partial to white sugar, while those of the Champlain Valley have brown sugar.
Plain cookie vs Spice cookie
Hermit-like cookies appear in multiple cookbooks, mostly published by women's groups, between 1880 and 1935. They all use a basic recipe and to that add the spices, dried fruits and nuts in different proportions. The two basic cookies are called Plain Cookies and Richer Cookies. The main difference is that the Richer Cookie had an additional egg. These recipes were published by a Mrs. Lincoln in her Boston Cooking School Cook Book.
As far as the origin or reason for the name, no one really knows. My research points to the color of the cookie and its association with the cloth sack carried by a hermit. Interesting!!!!
Regardless of their curious name or provenance, hermit cookies are really tasty. The name alone can spark a conversation.
If you love old-fashioned cookie recipes, especially chocolate, try my Chocolate Drop Cookies. They're also from the family vault.
Step by step photos:
- Gather all the ingredients and have them chopped measured and ready to go. Set out the eggs and sour cream to come to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Mix together the spices, dates and nuts in a bowl and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Beat the Crisco or vegetable shortening along with the brown and white sugar until fluffy.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl.
- Once the flour is fulled integrated add the sour cream.
- Add in the beaten egg.
- Slowly fold in the nut and spice mixture to the cookie dough.
- Scoop 1 Tbsp balls of the dough onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and place them about 2 inches apart. I like to use a cookie scoop
for this. - Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until just brown around the edges.
Frequently asked questions:
- How long can I freeze these hermit cookies? You can freeze them in an airtight container with freezer paper between layers of cookies. Completely cool them before storing. They will store nicely for up to 3-4 weeks. This is a great cookie to make in advance for Christmas.
- Do I have to refrigerate the cookies? No, you do not. You can store these in an airtight container or cookie jar at room temperature for about a week.
- Can I store the cookie dough in the refrigerator? Yes, cover the dough in a bowl and place plastic wrap in top to prevent it from drying out. Store the dough in the refrigerator for about 2 days. You can then remove the dough, scoop, drop and bake. You may need to add a little extra baking time with chilled dough.
- Can I freeze the dough and bake later? Yes, it is best to scoop them as single dough balls onto a tray lined with parchment paper. Freeze the balls on the tray for about an hour until solid. Store them in zip tops bags for about 3 months. Be sure to expel as much air from the bag as possible and write the date on the bag. You will need to add extra baking time to bake them from a frozen state.
Other cookie recipes:
If you want to checkout some other interesting and unusual cookie recipes here are a few to try to bookmark for later. Pistachio rosewater cookies are a Middle Eastern style shortbread cookies that have a nice exotic flavor. Polvorones de limón are a Spanish style shortbread cookie with a nice crunch! Tinginys are a no-bake cookie from Lithuania made with digestive biscuit and a chocolate mix that are so tasty and fun to make with kids! Irish butter cookies will absolutely melt in your mouth and you need to make these for Saint Patrick's Day! If you make any of these I would love to hear from you! Leave me a comment below.
Aunt Lou's Feather Cake is a cross between pound cake and birthday cake. Top it with fresh fruit or a drizzle of honey. It's delicious!
Aunt Lou's Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake is one of the best cake recipes we have ever found. Yes! We found it in an old recipe tin at my mother-in-law's house.
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Aunt Lou’s Hermit Cookies Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour all purpose
- 1 cup Crisco
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 8 oz. sour cream room temperature
- 2 eggs beaten, room temperature
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- ½ tsp. cloves ground
- ½ tsp. ginger ground
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup dates chopped
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, mix the spices. Add the nuts and dates. Set aside.
- Cream together the Crisco, white sugar and brown sugar with a stand mixer's beater blade until fluffy.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and pinch of salt in a large bowl.
- Slowly beat in the flour until it is thoroughly mixed.
- Beat in the sour cream slowly.
- Add the eggs and mix thoroughly.
- Fold in the spice/nut mixture with the beater blade on slow speed.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop 1 Tbsp. balls.
- Bake at 350°F for 10-12 min until just brown on the edges. Makes 36 cookies.
Notes
- How long can I freeze these hermit cookies? You can freeze them in an airtight container with freezer paper between layers of cookies. Completely cool them before storing. They will store nicely for up to 3-4 weeks. This is a great cookie to make in advance for Christmas.
- Do I have to refrigerate the cookies? No, you do not. You can store these in an airtight container or cookie jar at room temperature for about a week.
- Can I store the cookie dough in the refrigerator? Yes, cover the dough in a bowl and place plastic wrap in top to prevent it from drying out. Store the dough in the refrigerator for about 2 days. You can then remove the dough, scoop, drop and bake. You may need to add a little extra baking time with chilled dough.
- Can I freeze the dough and bake later? Yes, it is best to scoop them as single dough balls onto a tray lined with parchment paper. Freeze the balls on the tray for about an hour until solid. Store them in zip tops bags for about 3 months. Be sure to expel as much air from the bag as possible and write the date on the bag. You will need to add extra baking time to bake them from a frozen state.
Angela Yargus
These are awesome. I am 79, and I remember my mother cooking many of these "old time" favorites. I never took up cooking...I had five children to feed! Now, I want to re-create some of these for my grown children so they can share with their children...start another of our "family traditions"!
Analida
Angela: I am so glad you liked them. These are very tasty indeed. We have a section on our blog called Aunt Lou's Archives and we are starting to post these old time recipes which came from my husband's great grandmother's sister Aunt Lou. We have another recipe in the blog called Feather Cake and $200 Cake. We had great fun trying to figure out the process since instructions were not included, only ingredients, 🙂
Thanks again for visiting my blog. I really appreciate it. It's so nice you want to start a tradition with your children and grandchildren.
Take care,
Analida
Jeannie
Hi. I am not sure if I can ask questions considering this was posted so long ago. But if I can get a couple of answers I would really appreciate it.
1. The list of ingredients has 8 oz sour cream...the directions don't say when to add the sour cream.
2. The directions say to add the eggs after adding the flour. Is that the correct order?
Thank you for responding if possible.
Jeannie
Analida
Hi Jeannie: Thanks for your questions.
I would add the sour cream right after the flour.
The eggs would follow.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I will update the site right away.
Jeannie
An addition to my above questions. I made this recipe & it turned out great!
I combined all dry ingredients
I added the eggs after creaming the crisco & sugars.
I added the sour cream after adding the eggs
I added the dry to the wet
Then added the dates & nuts
Cooked at 350....test by touching the top
Turned out tasty & perfect!
Analida
Jeannie, I am so happy that the hermit cookies turned out great. I think I need to make them again for my holiday table.
🙂 Thanks also for sharing your method with me.
Pam Greer
I love old fashioned recipes like this, thank you so much for sharing so that I can make them now too! My grandmother baked almost every day and we always had fresh bread and fresh cookies.
Analida
Thanks Pam! My husband's Grandmother baked nearly every day too.
Marta
What a great story! I've never heard of Hermit cookies and I'm from the Northeast! I love learning about historic recipes- especially when they taste as amazing as these do.
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
What a truly interesting cookie. I've never heard of this type but man it sounds scrumptious! Sometimes simple ingredients is best! Pinning for later!
Kay
Love the use of spices in these cookies, I will pick up all I need in my next shop 😉
ElÇitraK
I am in the mood for making cookies these days. Love your recipe and would love to try it soon. Thank you for step by step picture also it helps a lot.
Leslie
Any recipe that sticks around longer than one generation is a keeper FOR SURE! I rarely turn down a cookie! 🙂
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
This Hermit Cookies recipe looks soooooo deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right now!
Marisa F. Stewart
I love cookies with a family history. Spice cookies always seem to be part of the past. These cookies sounded so good that I had to try out the recipe. I can see why the cookies remained within the family. They are delicious. I made one batch and it won't be the last.
Analida
Thanks Marisa! I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Sam
These cookies look awesome! They would go so well with a hot cup of tea. I wish I could have some right now!