Eating Well's Hermits

Hermits are one of the oldest American cookies, and this version lightens the classic by swapping much of the butter for apple butter and canola oil. The result is a chewy, deeply spiced bar that’s moist without being heavy.

Molasses and brown sugar together create that signature hermit flavor: dark, complex, almost gingerbread-like. The apple butter adds moisture and a subtle fruitiness that you can’t quite identify but definitely miss if it’s gone. Four warm spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves) pile on, and with raisins studded throughout, each bite is dense with flavor.

These bake as a single slab in a 9×13 pan, then get cut into bars. This method is faster than drop cookies and gives you softer, chewier results since the center of the slab stays moister than individual cookies would.

Press the center lightly after 20 minutes. When it springs back instead of leaving a dent, they’re done. Overbaking turns hermits dry and crumbly, and they should be just barely set.

Chef Tips

• Use full-flavored molasses (not blackstrap). Blackstrap is too bitter and overpowers the brown sugar and spices.
• Beat the wet ingredients until truly smooth before adding the flour. Lumps of unmixed molasses create dark, bitter pockets.
• Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting. Warm hermits tear apart instead of slicing cleanly.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature. The molasses keeps them moist for up to a week.

Variations

• Add chopped walnuts or pecans with the raisins for crunch.
• Swap raisins for dried cranberries or chopped dried figs.
• Drizzle a thin lemon glaze over the cooled bars for a sweet-tart contrast.