Iced Spiced Hermits | Baking with Dorie

It’s never too late to find a classic cookie that you instantly like. Hermits are New England natives which have been around since the late 1800s. I know nothing about the hermits until I baked them following Dorie’s recipe from Baking with Dorie. The iced spiced hermits are loaded with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. They often also got some dried fruits — raisins, dates, figs, cranberries or currants.

It’s the holiday season. The markets are filled with Christmas and Hanukkah cookies, fruitcakes and panettone. Naturally we’re motivated to join in the fun and bake some holiday goodies. Since I’ve been traveling so much, I’m happy to make just a selective few festive and delicious cookies. Not the 12-day of holiday baking I did last year. The iced spiced hermits are my newfound favorite chewy cookies, more like a dense cake than a crispy cookie. However, when they are freshly made, they are as crispy as the biscotti.

Making the spiced hermits follows fairly much like that of a traditional cookie. The steps are similar. Start by creaming butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer, until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. At a low speed, beat in the molasses. Then gradually add the egg. Finally, add the flour mixture (including the spices) and the dried fruits until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out, wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.

(A baking tip: to ensure a crispy bottom of the cookie like the top. Put the shaped dough in a preheat baking sheet.)

There are a few notable differences. When the molasses and the egg are mixed in the creamed butter, the dough becomes somewhat light and fluffy, resembling a whipped peanut butter. The texture of the final dough is heavier with the added flour. However, the aroma of the spices are remarkable and prominent; it’s intoxicating. The scent of warm spices wafts through the kitchen — a sign that holiday baking is underway!

Print Recipe

Iced Spiced Hermits

Serves: Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

• FOR THE COOKIES
• 2 cups (272g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons, 4 ounces, 113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) brown sugar (light or dark)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) unsulfured molasses
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (80g) moist, plump raisins, or dates, figs, cranberries, currants
• FOR THE ICING
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• ABOUT 2 tablespoons milk, lemon juice, brandy, rum or water

Instructions

1

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.

2

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and egg and continue to beat, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary. Gradually add the flour and spices mixture until just combined. Stir in the raisins.

3

Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

4

While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment.

5

Once dough is chilled, shape it into a ball and cut in half. Shape each half into a log 12 inches long and arrange on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 3 inches between the logs. Press down lightly on the tops of the logs. Flatten the dough with your hands and shape the logs a slightly squared-off shape.

6

Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes, or until the edges are just barely crisp. Remove from the oven to cool.

7

In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth but not too runny. Drizzle over the logs while they are slightly warm.

8

Allow the icing to harden before cutting into bars.

Notes

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking with Dorie