OATMEAL HERMIT BARS

In a little bit I will be taking these Oatmeal Hermit Bars to the volunteers at Hillcrest Platte County Thrift Shop. I don't think I have ever shared my treat before I heard from the volunteers, but I decided I didn't need their approval before sharing. Wayne and I tried them out last night and they were satisfied with our opinion. 

I found the recipe in my Amish Cooking cookbook. The recipe actually intended for you to make cookies, Oatmeal Hermits, but at the bottom of the page they gave the directions for making Bar Cookies. Since the Chiefs' football game was starting soon, I decided I didn't want to make cookies and thought the bars sounded perfect. The only change I made was substituting dried cranberries for the raisins.

UPDATE: If you read the comments below, you will find some favorable and some not so. I rechecked the recipe since we liked them as I shared them and the recipe is correct. Someone commented she had the recipe and it called for 2 eggs and 1/2 cup milk. The only Amish recipe similar that I could find called for 2 eggs but no milk. My suggestion to you might be if after mixing the ingredients together to make the bars you don't like the consistency, then add another egg and/or another 1/4 cup of milk.

Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.

OATMEAL HERMIT BARS/COOKIES

3     cups quick or old fashioned uncooked oats (I used old fashioned)
1     cup flour
1/2  teaspoon baking soda
1/2  teaspoon salt (optional)
1     teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon ground nutmeg
1     cup firmly packed brown sugar
1     cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2  cup chopped nuts
1     cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1     egg
1/4  cup milk
1     teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Add cranberries,

brown sugar, and nuts.

(I had to transfer the ingredients into a bigger bowl than my large batter bowl.)

Combine the egg, milk, and vanilla.

Add butter to dry ingredients.

Mix well. 














If making cookies, drop by rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire cooling racks. 

For Bars, Press dough into ungreased 15 x 10 - inch jelly roll pan.

Bake about 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely;

cut into bars.