Chewy Hermit Bars
Think of the most delicious hermit bar you ever ate, the moistest, chewiest, nicely spiced bar, with a crisp shiny top and dense center. Okay? This bar beats that one, we guarantee it. If you count molasses cookies, spice cake, or gingerbread—any of the old-fashioned, dark and spicy baked goods with their long international history—among your favorites, you’ll love these bars.
Ingredients
For the hermit bars
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, plus more for the pan
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (2 oz) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 5 cups cake flour
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 cups raisins, packed
For the glaze
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Make the hermit bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 10- by 15-inch (25- by 38-cm) jelly roll pan, a 14-inch (35-cm) round deep-dish pizza pan, or similar-sized pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the shortening, sugar, and butter, beating at medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the molasses, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and baking soda. Mix for 1 minute, then stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in half the flour. Once it’s mixed in, add the water, then the other half of the flour. When the batter is mixed completely, add the raisins and stir until combined. Spread or press the batter in the prepared pan.
- Bake the hermits until the edges are light brown, 15 to 20 minutes. They’ll puff up in the oven and the top will get shiny. As soon as you see this, pull the pan from the oven. The top will fall back down and the interior of the cookies will have an almost fudgy consistency. (If you leave them in the oven longer, you’ll get a product that’s more like a cake-type brownie, and it won’t be as moist and irresistible.) Remove the hermits from the oven and cool them in the pan on a rack before glazing.
Make the glaze
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth; the glaze will be quite thin. Using a pastry brush, brush glaze on top of the hermits before cutting into bars.
Notes
- Substitutions--Use dried currants or cranberries instead of raisins.
- Storage--Keep hermit bars in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing--The hermit bars can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- Slicing--Use a pizza cutter to make evenly sliced bars.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g