APPLE HERMIT COOKIES
Hermits are a favourite cookie at our house: spicy cookies filled with chopped raisins, fruit and nuts. Adding chopped apple to this spicy mix is a sure winner! Researchers say that the earliest published recipe for Hermits originated in 1877 in Portland, Maine. Many food historians believe that they are so named because they resemble a hermit’s brown sack-cloth robe.
What kind of apple to use? We had some Ambrosia apples in the fridge. They are sweet, crisp and juicy…a great eating apple. But, the apple flavour was totally overpowered by the spices. Next, I tried the Granny Smith apples that were also in the crisper in the fridge… Much better! Now the tangy apple flavour shone through.
Note to self: when baking something with a lot of spices, a good tangy, tart baking apples is definitely the one to use.
Enjoy these very tasty cookies soon. Quick and easy to prepare. They didn’t last long at our house.
Measure these first:
2 cups sifted pastry flour
¾ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon each nutmeg and allspice
8 tablespoons shortening
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup raisins
1 cup chopped apple
½ cup coconut
½ cup walnuts
Preparation:
Preheat oven: 350°F.
Grease cookie sheets.
Chop apple and walnuts.
Method:
- Sift dry ingredients – flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice – together to blend. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar.
- Add beaten eggs, mixing well.
- Add dry ingredients, chopped fruit and nuts. Mix well to combine.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until golden – 12 to 15 minutes.
Yield: about 4 dozen.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sifted pastry flour
- ¾ teaspoon soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon each nutmeg and allspice
- 8 tablespoons shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped apple
- ½ cup coconut
- ½ cup walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven: 350°F.
- Grease cookie sheets.
- Chop apple and walnuts.
- Sift dry ingredients - flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice – together to blend. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar.
- Add beaten eggs, mixing well.
- Add dry ingredients, chopped fruit and nuts. Mix well to combine.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until golden – 12 to 15 minutes.
Category: Cookies & Squares