Hearty Loaded Hermit Bars
This Hearty Loaded Hermit Bar recipe scales up the traditional New England treat by packing it with a dense, textured mix of dates, sultanas, cranberries, crunchy nuts, and healthy seeds.
Ingredients
The Wet Base
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar (for a deeper, richer molasses flavor)
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 2 Tbsp milk (to be absorbed into the flour and oats; keeps the bars beautifully chewy.)
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
The Dry Blend
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (adds a nutty flavor and dense texture)
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (gives a rustic, hearty chew)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (keeps the bars from getting too crumbly)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
The Hearty Mix-ins (1¾ cups total loaded elements)
- ⅓ cup chopped Medjool dates
- ⅓ cup sultana (golden) raisins
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ¼ cup mixed seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or chia seeds)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang for easy removal.
- Cream Base: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and dark brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses until completely smooth.
- Whisk Dry: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Combine: Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a thick dough forms.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Dump in the chopped dates, sultanas, cranberries, chopped nuts, and seeds. Fold them thoroughly into the dough until evenly distributed.
- Let the Batter Rest for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, before putting it in the oven. (This gives the oats time to soften and absorb the liquids.)
- Bake: Press the thick dough evenly into your prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes. (Check them at the 20 minute mark; whole wheat can dry out quickly if overcooked.) The center should feel set but slightly soft to the touch, and a toothpick inserted should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Slice: Let them cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment paper. Slice into bars or squares.
