Hermit Cookies are the right keep-at-residence baking venture! These previous-original favorites are stuffed with dates, walnuts, and complete grains. And so they’re decrease in sugar, so you may even have one for breakfast!

Just a few weeks in the past within the grocery checkout line, I observed a girl in entrance of me shopping for a bakery merchandise known as “Hermit Cookies.” I used to be instantly charmed by the identify, however I had no thought what they have been!

What Are Hermit Cookies?

Once I bought residence I regarded them these cookies, and realized they’re an OLD recipe, made in American within the 1800s and well-known for staying recent for a very long time.

I needed to attempt making a batch of my very own, Super Healthy Kids model!

And so they have been SO yummy: mushy, nutty, studded with chewy dates, and spiced with cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. They style like recent gingerbread, like coziness and hunkering down.

My youngsters beloved them too… and all of us bought an enormous kick out of the enjoyable identify. I’m calling these cookies the official cookies of social distancing!

Hermit Cookies Made Healthy

I made some adjustments to the traditional recipe for Hermit Cookies in order that I may increase the diet of those treats for my household. These cookies are made with:

• 100% complete wheat flour
• Half the sugar of typical cookies
• Coronary heart-wholesome walnuts and naturally-candy date items

Since these cookies will not be insanely candy, I’ve been serving them with a day snack and I even suppose they might work nicely as a breakfast cookie.

A Word About Espresso

Traditional Hermit Cookies have espresso within the batter, and I needed to maintain this distinctive factor of the recipe in our model. There’s just one/Four cup of espresso in the complete batch, so I’m not personally apprehensive about caffeine. My youngsters and I can’t truly detect any espresso taste within the cookies in any respect!

If you wish to keep away from caffeine, decaf works simply as nicely. And in case you’d relatively keep away from the espresso query altogether, you may sub in almond milk!

Storing Hermit Cookies

Regardless that the unique tales about Hermit Cookies say they final a very long time, I nonetheless opted to place a couple of of mine within the freezer (although it was arduous to half with them!)

They froze (after which defrosted) fantastically! I allow them to come again to room temperature on the counter for about 30 minutes earlier than having fun with.

• 1 1/2 cups white complete wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 giant egg
• 1/4 cup brewed espresso (can use decaf or substitute almond milk)

• Preheat oven to 350 levels F and line a light-weight-coloured baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

• In a medium mixing bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

• Stir dates and nuts into flour combination.

• In a separate bowl, whisk collectively melted butter with brown sugar, egg, and cooled espresso.

• Pour the moist elements into the bowl of dry elements and stir till nicely-mixed. Refrigerate dough for 10-20 minutes.

• As soon as dough is barely chilled (it solely must be chilled sufficient to deal with) roll it into balls concerning the measurement of a tablespoon, or barely bigger. Place twelve balls on the baking sheet two inches aside, and use your fingers to flatten them barely.

• Bake 8-10 minutes, or till cooked by means of and simply beginning to brown on high.

• Switch cookies to a cooling rack and proceed rolling balls till all of the dough is used up.