November 15th is National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day #SpicyHermitCookieDay. As much as I love Cookies, sweets and desserts I’ve never heard of #HermitCookies. Have you? I’ve included a recipe below so we can make Hermit Cookies for my family. If you make them let me know what you thought of them and why.
National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day is celebrated on November 15th every year. Did you know that it has been more than 200 years since the first Hermit Cookie was made? Isn’t that crazy to know its been that long and I’ve never heard of them.
Hermit Cookies are Cookies made with exotic Spices including Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Cloves, mixed with Raisins and Currants. Emerging from America, the recipe has been a favorite among people of all age groups, especially people who don’t like food items that are too sweet. National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day was created to give credit to these Cookies.
The origin of hermit Cookies is an interesting story. It is said that the first Hermit Cookies were the result of an accident when bakers from Persia (modern-day Iran) were testing the temperature of their oven. The bakers had taken small amounts of Cake Batter and placed them in the oven in small round forms, and Herman Cookies were created.
The Persians were also among the first ones to harvest Sugar, hence the massive success of the sweet Cookies. Cookies quickly spread to different parts of the world, including America and a few European and Asian Countries.
New varieties of Cookies emerged once they reached America. Jumbles, Plunkett’s, and Crybabies became immensely popular. Among these types of Cookies that became famous was the Hermit Cookie. The Hermit Cookie was made by adding exotic Spices, which were exported from the Indian subcontinent, like Cinnamon and Cloves.
In 1880, the Champlain Valley Book of recipes was published by the women of the Trinity Church, Plattsburgh, New York, which mentioned the recipe of Hermit Cookies in it. In the same year, Miss Parloa from Boston, Massachusetts, published her book “Miss Parloa’s New Cookbook,” and it contained the recipes for the Cookie and Hermit Cookie separately. In Miss Parloa’s original version of the recipe, Eggs and Sugar were not used.
In 1896, Fannie Farmer included her version of the recipe in her cookbook, “Boston Cooking-School Cook Book,” which included Spices like Cinnamon, Mace Nutmeg, and Cloves. In 1936, Raisins, Currants, and other dried Fruits were added to the recipe. The spicy Hermit Cookies recipe is a classic recipe that has been passed on through generations. The National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day was created to recognize this delicious recipe that is a favorite of all.
How to Celebrate National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day
- There is no better way to celebrate National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day than to prepare your own Spicy Hermit Cookie. Put your cooking skills to the test, and challenge yourself to make delicious Spicy Hermit Cookies that you can enjoy with friends and family.
- Let everyone know that you’re celebrating National Spicy Hermit Day and take pictures of you baking Hermit Cookies and share the pictures on Social Media.
- Write articles on the history of the Hermit Cookie recipe and post them online.
- Use National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day to improve your knowledge. Read more about the stories of how the Hermit Cookie came into existence and how, even after Centuries, the recipe manages to fascinate the taste buds of millions worldwide.
Facts About Cookies
- The Choco-Chip cookie was an accident which was made by Ruth Graves Wakefield in 1930 when she realized she didn’t have baker’s Chocolate and used Chocolate pieces instead.
- The biggest Cookie ever created was 100 feet wide and weighed 40,000 pounds.
- The first-known Cookie Cutters were made by the Dutch in the 1700s.
- The word ‘Cookie’ comes from the Dutch word ‘Koekje.’
- It is said that women from England used to eat the ‘Gingerbread Man’ Cookies to increase their chances of finding a good partner.
Why People Love National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day
Regular Cookies are something we have often, but not Spicy Hermit Cookies but National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day allows us to relish these tasty treats and allows us to have something different from our monotonous daily routine.
When you prepare Spicy Hermit Cookies on National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day, not only are you putting your cooking skills to the test, but you are also doing something to make your close ones happy. People Love National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day is a perfect day to invite friends over a plate of freshly baked Spicy Hermit Cookies!
Old-Fashioned Hermit Cookies
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time;10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Servings; 24 servings
Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup (85g) toasted chopped walnuts
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (213g) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
1 1/2 cups (225g) chopped dates
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.Arrange racks in the bottom and top third of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- . Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment—mix for about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until fully combined and the mixture becomes fluffy again, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk and beat on low speed until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until no dry spots of flour remain. Add the chopped dates and walnuts and fold until evenly distributed through the dough.
- Use a medium cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop about 2-tablespoon portions. Evenly space 12 cookies on each baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
- Place a pan on each rack in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through. The cookies should puff slightly, their centers should be set, and the edges should be golden brown.
- Wait at least 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- The cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
