Hermit Cookies

Another memory of Tim Hortons popped into my head over the holidays. When I first started there, they used to sell Hermit cookies. Now, many of you probably won’t know what I am talking about because that was so long ago, or you haven’t been to Tim Hortons before, or when they did sell them you were too young to even think about liking Hermit cookies. I loved them, and this was before I even knew I had a thing about dates.

Now, these cookies are not really healthy, so don’t go eating the whole batch. However, you can feel good that they have almost  3 cups of fruits/nuts in the 24 cookies.

As a side note, this is my first time ever using a powdered egg-replacer. Even before I knew about chia and flax eggs, I never bought the stuff. However, I felt like I needed to try it and see what it was all about. What are your thoughts on egg-replacer? I think for some products, like my lemon loaf, that it is hard not to notice the chia (it actually looks like poppy seeds!), so if you are trying to make it look the most like non-vegan food, you may opt for an egg-replacer.

MAKES 24 COOKIES

INGREDIENTS
– 1 tablespoon powdered egg-replacer
– 1/4 cup water
– 1 cup organic cane sugar
– 1/2 cup non-dairy butter (I used Earth Balance – soy-free)
– 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
– 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
– 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or pinch of ground ginger)
– 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
– 1 cup pitted medjool dates, coarsely chopped
– 1/2 cup cranberries or raisins
– 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
– 2-4 tablespoons maple flakes (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare your “eggs” by adding 1/4 cup of water to 1 tablespoon of egg-replacer. Set aside. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350F.
2. In a mixer, cream your butter and sugar on high for 1 minute until fluffy and well combined.
3. Add in the “eggs” and vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Mix together your dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Fold into the wet ingredients.
5. Fold in your add-ins.
6. Scoop out your cookies using a cookie scope or tablespoon onto a greased or lined cookie sheet. Make sure they are at least 1-2 inches apart. If you are using maple flakes, sprinkle a bit onto each top.
7. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the edges have set but the middle still looks undercooked.