Hermits

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee, cold or milk
• 1 1/4 cups dark raisins
• 3 ounces (about 2/3 cup) coarsely chopped walnut pieces
• 3 or 4 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans, covered with parchment or foil

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; stir well to mix. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Beat in the egg until the mixture is smooth. Lower the speed and beat in half the flour mixture, then all the cold coffee. Scrape the bowl and beaters well, then beat in the remaining flour mixture. Stir in the raisins and walnuts. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour.

About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake the cookies, set the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough 2 or 3 inches apart onto the prepared pans. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they spread and become firm. Slide the papers off the pans onto racks. After the cookies have cooled, detach them from the paper and store them between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.