Soft-Chewy Hermit Cookies with Molasses and Spice

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic New England flavor: deep molasses with warm cinnamon and cloves.
• Soft-chewy centers with lightly crisp edges for the perfect bite.
• Flexible finish: a delicate vanilla glaze or a shower of crunchy coarse sugar.
• Travel-friendly and great for gifting—these cookies keep beautifully.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 orange or lemon (optional, for zest in glaze)
• Dairy: Unsalted butter; milk or cream (for glaze)
• Pantry: All-purpose flour; light brown sugar; molasses; baking soda; baking powder; fine sea salt; ground cinnamon; ground ginger; ground cloves; ground allspice (optional); nutmeg (optional); pure vanilla extract; brewed coffee (optional); raisins; walnuts; confectioners’ sugar; turbinado/demerara sugar (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 2 3/4 cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (170 g) unsulphured molasses
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee or milk

Mix-Ins

• 1 cup (150 g) raisins
• 1 cup (100 g) chopped walnuts, lightly toasted if desired

Optional Coarse-Sugar Finish

• 3 tablespoons turbinado or demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Optional Vanilla (or Citrus) Glaze

• 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons milk or orange juice (as needed for drizzling consistency)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch fine sea salt
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep pans, plump raisins, and preheat

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; soak for 5 minutes to plump, then drain well and pat dry with a paper towel. If you like a deeper nutty flavor, toast the chopped walnuts on a dry sheet pan for 6–8 minutes, then cool.

Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and, if using, allspice and nutmeg. Set aside.

Step 3: Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and molasses

In a large bowl with a hand mixer (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle), beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Mix in the molasses, vanilla, and brewed coffee or milk until smooth.

Step 4: Combine and fold in mix-ins

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing on low until just combined. Fold in the raisins and walnuts by hand until evenly distributed. Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes to firm slightly; this helps the cookies bake thick and chewy.

Step 5: Scoop and top

Using a 1 1/2-tablespoon scoop (a #40), portion the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten each mound with damp fingertips. If you prefer a crunchy top, sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of turbinado sugar.

Step 6: Bake

Bake 10–12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Bake in two batches if needed.

Step 7: Glaze (optional)

Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and just enough milk or orange juice to make a thick, pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cookies once they are barely warm or fully cooled. Let the glaze set for about 20 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips

• Weigh your flour if possible; too much flour makes cookies dry. Aim for 330 g.
• Underbake slightly for a soft-chewy center; they firm up as they cool.
• Plump raisins for extra juiciness and to prevent scorching on the edges.
• Chilling the dough helps control spread and concentrates the spice aromas.
• For tidy glaze lines, transfer glaze to a zip-top bag, snip a tiny corner, and drizzle.

Variations

• Bar-Style Hermits: Divide dough into two logs (about 12 x 2 inches) on a parchment-lined sheet. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15–18 minutes until set. Cool slightly, slice into bars, then glaze.
• Cranberry-Pecan: Swap raisins for dried cranberries and walnuts for pecans. Add orange zest to the glaze for a bright finish.
• Maple Glaze: Use 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup in place of some milk; thin to drizzling consistency.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days; flavors deepen by day two. To freeze unbaked dough, scoop and freeze on a sheet until firm, then bag for up to 2 months; bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the time. Baked cookies (unglazed) freeze well for up to 2 months; thaw and glaze just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per cookie (1 of 30, with light glaze): 180 calories; 7 g fat (3 g saturated); 28 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 17 g sugars; 3 g protein; 95 mg sodium. Estimates only.