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A tray of iced hermit cookies showing the spiced texture and fruit distribution.

Hermit Cookies

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5 from 17 reviews

Description

These Hermit Cookies offer a sophisticated blend of cloves, cinnamon, and allspice balanced by the earthy notes of whole wheat pastry flour. Designed with precise hydration control and a mandatory chilling phase, they deliver a consistently chewy texture packed with currants and walnuts.

Ingredients

  • 180g (1 1/2 cups) Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
  • 113g (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter, room temperature (65°F)
  • 200g (1 cup) Natural Cane Sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 150g (1 cup) Currants
  • 115g (1 cup) Walnuts, chopped
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for icing)
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (for icing)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice twice in a medium bowl to ensure aeration.
  3. Cream the butter and sifted cane sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed for exactly three minutes until pale.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the emulsion, scraping down the bowl to ensure a homogeneous mixture.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to low and fold in the currants and chopped walnuts to coat them in the fat.
  6. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
  7. Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of sixty minutes to allow for starch hydration.
  8. Drop level tablespoon portions onto ungreased sheets, space 1.5 inches apart, and press to 0.5-inch thickness.
  9. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 190°F and the bottoms are golden brown.
  10. Cool completely on a wire rack before applying a smooth icing made from whisked powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla.

Notes

To ensure the most consistent texture, weigh all ingredients in grams to avoid hydration discrepancies caused by volume measuring. If your currants are particularly dry, soak them in the vanilla extract for ten minutes before mixing to keep the dough from losing moisture. Chilling the dough for up to 24 hours can further deepen the spice profile and improve the final crumb.

  • Prep Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

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Find it online: https://cookiesyum.com/hermit-cookies/