Bran Hermits

Hermit cookies are an old New England classic, and this version folds bran into the dough for a heartier, slightly nutty bite. The spice blend here is what sets hermits apart from other cookies: cinnamon, cloves, mace, and nutmeg working together for a warm, aromatic flavor that fills the kitchen while they bake.

These are rolled cookies, not drop cookies. Chilling the dough firms it up enough to roll out to a quarter-inch thickness and cut with a cutter. Skip the chill and the dough will stick to everything and spread too thin in the oven. Roll on a lightly floured board and keep the cutter floured between cuts for clean edges.

The hot oven and short bake time gives these a slight crispness on the outside while the center stays chewy. Pull them at ten minutes while they still look slightly underdone. They firm up on the sheet.

Kitchen Tips

• Chill is not optional: The dough needs to firm up before rolling. Thirty minutes in the fridge is usually enough.
• Quarter-inch thickness: Thinner and they’ll be crispy crackers. Thicker and the centers won’t cook through in the short bake time.
• Mace is worth finding: It’s the outer shell of nutmeg with a warmer, more floral flavor. If you can’t find it, increase the nutmeg slightly.
• Store in a tin: Hermits actually improve after a day as the spices mellow and the raisins soften.

Variations

• Molasses hermits: Replace the white sugar with brown sugar and add a tablespoon of molasses for a darker, chewier cookie.
• Add chopped walnuts: A half cup of chopped walnuts adds crunch and pairs naturally with the warm spices.