Hermits

 Ingredients

¾ cup butter

1 ½ cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon mace

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup raisins (rinsed & drained)

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Cream butter & sugar
2. Beat in eggs, add vanilla
3. Sift flour, baking powder, soda & spices
4. Reserve 1/3 cup of flour mixture and toss with raisins, dates & nuts (this will keep them from sinking to bottom of cookies)
5. Add remaining flour mixture to batter and blend
6. Add fruit mixture to batter and blend
7. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet
8. Bake at 365 degrees for 10 minutes.
9. Do NOT overcook – they should be soft & chewy

Yield: 5 dozen