A memory: A tin, originally used to package factory-made cookies or biscuits; now holding a treat from Gram’s kitchen. Sometimes it’s her applesauce cake, it might be oatmeal thumbprint cookies, or – my favorite – her hermits. Chewy gingerbread bar cookies with a sprinkling of crunchy sugar on top; some bites have raisins, adding to the sweetness. Best when dunked in a cup of cold milk, the tin of hermits doesn’t last two days before it’s empty and returned to Gram, with a smiley-faced “please fill me!” note inside.
A challenge: I have been looking for Gram’s hermits recipe for-EVER! Well, off-and-on for several years, heating up a year ago when I posted my “In Search of Grammy’s Hermit Recipe” post, even trekking to a vintage cookbook store in New York, hoping to spy something familiar among the classic tomes at Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks.
I was starting to accept that I must have thrown out the recipe in a pile of papers during a move or a mad cleaning fit. I emailed my sister, pleading “do you have it??!” She sent one back, suggesting it might not be Gram’s, but maybe we could modify it until it matched our memory.
One last effort at going thru every. single. piece. of. paper. on my cookbook shelves and binders (I won’t post a photo, it would scare you). And guess what?!?! I found it! Granted, it was in J’s hand-writing (the best we can figure is that she set him down with a stack of my favorite recipes 20 years ago, and he copied them), but it’s her recipe!
Gram’s Hermits
- 1/2 plus 1/3 cup shortening (yes, I bought Crisco!)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 cup raisins
- Mix all ingredients, press into 11 x 17″ jellyroll pan
- Sprinkle additional brown sugar on top.
- Bake 9-11 minutes at 375′. Cool completely, and cut.
I asked my sister’s permission before posting this recipe, since it’s the closest thing we have to a family legacy. She said “Share away; that’s what recipes are for, especially the oldies but goodies.”
You might have noticed the “I <3 Adriana” widget over in my left-hand sidebar; it just so happens that Adriana Trigiani is interested in family recipes (and fashion, but I’ve got even less in that department!). Her memoir, Don’t Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from My Grandmothers is a wonderful peek at wisdom passed down through the generations (my review).
Ms. Trigiani is running a contest for book bloggers attending Book Expo America (BEA) in May; check out the details at this link. Did I mention the prizes? Five bloggers will win lunch with Adriana Trigiani and an abbreviated version of her Greenwich Village walking tour (the setting for several of her books, including Very Valentine and Brava, Valentine).
There are even more Weekend Cooking links at this round-up, hosted by Beth Fish Reads. You may find cookbook reviews, kitchen tips and tricks, or other family recipes.
Yay!!! I’m so happy you fond *the* recipe. The quest is over and you now have this back-up right here online. I can’t wait to try these because I adore anything ginger.
Oh, so awesome that you found it! I remember when you were just frantic looking for it. I had a bit of a lost recipe scare this week as well, when I couldn’t find the recipe for my banana chocolate chip bread. I eventually found it, but it was an unpleasant hour that I was tearing up the house looking for it.
What a relief that you found the recipe
These cookies look delicious; we are a huge cookie house, much preferred over cakes and pies for dessert.
Good luck with the contest; hope you are one of the lucky bloggers!
I <3 ginger so I plan to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing! BTW, most of my grandma's recipes have Crisco on the ingredients list…and they taste so good
How cruel of you to make me want to make and eat these for breakfast.
The hermits look delicious… I’m so relieved for you that you found the recipe. Grandmas and their cooking surely are the best. I’m going to make them but will likely leave out the raisins unless you think it would ruin them.
I have never had a hermit.
are they usually a drop cookie rather than a bar?
all the ingredients..molasses, ginger, raisins..sound so good.
These were my mom’s favorites, and don’t think I’ve had one since she passed away over 20 years ago. I think I just might try this recipe. Thanks Dawn.
Yay, I love chewy gingerbread bars! except without the raisins of course… Can’t wait to try these!
Hooray for finding the recipe! Enjoy your hermits!
They look so good, and how great that you found the recipe! So funny, we had a tin, too, my grandma was instructed to fill every week. Makes me smile thinking about it. A blue tin from butter cookies. ah, thanks for the smile! Enjoy your cookies!
What a treasure for you to have found!! Your hermits sound delicious – what did your kids think of them?
Good luck in the contest. The bars look very good. My family would turn their backs on them because of the raisins.
Yum yum yum! I want these right now
I’m so glad you found the recipe and that you are sharing with us. I am definitely going to try them. Good luck on the contest. I hope both you and Candace win because I know you’ll tell us all about the lunch and the walk. That way we win too. (I remember all your BEA posts from last year. They were so complete, I felt as if I’d been able to go too.)
This is a great story. I love how it was found amongst everything else on your cookbook shelf. My cookbook area is a mess as well. So wonderful you found the recipe though and I will have to make this just to try out the oldie but goodie-s.
Another recipe for something I’ve never heard of! So glad you finally found the recipe!
Feel free to visit my W C
I’m not a big fan of the raisin but boy those sure look good. YUM!
How cool that you finally found this!!!
great idea to press the dough into a jelly roll pan and then cut once cooked. I will have to try that.
Fantastic that you found the recipe. I do wonder why they are called hermits though?
Yay you for finding this recipe again (and sharing it with us)! Yum, I adore sweets that are flavored with warm spices. Bookmarking for future reference
I will add it to my family recipe book — thanks!
Awesome! I love finding old family recipes. I’m still on the hunt for a few my mother had. I’m afraid, though, that I’ve reached a dead end and will never find them. These sound delicious!
[...] Weekend Cooking: Gram’s Hermits (at last!) [...]
[...] I thought lard and Crisco were interchangeable (and, although it pained me to do so, I actually bought a tub of Crisco a few years ago, when I had finally tracked down my grandmother’s recipe for hermits — [...]