The 130-Year Old Cookie That Will Add a Little Spice to Your Holiday Baking

With the holiday season in full swing, I wanted to try something new for my upcoming gatherings with friends and family. While sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies are a solid choice year-round, I thought a spiced treat that would speak to the season in a more direct way. So, when I stumbled across a recipe for 1894 hermit cookies, I knew I had to give them a try.

I have a soft spot for a vintage baked good, so I grabbed up all of my ingredients and jumped in the kitchen to see if these were as delicious as promised.

Get the recipe: 130-Year-Old Hermit Cookies

What Are Hermit Cookies?

Hermit cookies first appeared in 1894, capturing hearts with their rich, spiced flavor and chewy texture. These bar cookies, which are thought to have originated in New England, are made with molasses, brown sugar, a mix of warm spices and raisins or currants to add a delightful chewiness. And that charming name? It was inspired by the cookie's long shelf life—they can be tucked away and enjoyed for days.

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Ingredients For the 130-Year-Old Hermit Cookies

To make hermit cookies, you'll need: butter, brown sugar, eggs, chopped raisins, baking soda, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and flour.

How to Make the 130-Year-Old Hermit Cookies

Preheat your oven to 375°. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and baking powder dissolved in milk. Gradually incorporate the flour and spices, mixing until the dough is well blended.

Next, roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thick on a floured surface and cut it into squares. (As you can see from the photo above, there was no rolling my cookie dough. More on that in a bit.) Place the squares on a baking sheet and bake for 6-7 minutes, or until the centers set. Let the cookies cool slightly before serving.

Related: The 150-Year-Old Cookie Recipe That's Wildly Simple

What I Thought About the 130-Year-Old Hermit Cookies

I followed this recipe exactly and everything seemed to be going smoothly until it came time to roll out the dough. The consistency was more like cake batter than cookie dough, making it impossible to roll out. Instead, I poured the dough into a sheet pan and baked it at 375° as directed. I also had to bake for more than 6-7 minutes, with my time being closer to 20-25 minutes.

Unfortunately, the result was more like a cake than cookies, with a spongy texture. I’m not sure if the issue lies in the recipe’s instructions or if it needs adjustments to improve the consistency, but this wasn’t the best cookie-making experience for me. I’d recommend clarifying or refining the process for better results.

While the cookies didn't come out with the crunch I expected, I will say that they were quite delicious. The spice level was perfect, making these more like a thin gingerbread versus a cookie. Due to the cake-like texture, I think adding a bit of buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting would've really taken them up a notch. If I make these again, I'll do a little more hermit cookie research to see where things might have gone wrong.

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