#252 - Hermit Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups dark brown Domino's sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups Sun Maid raisins
1 cup chopped dates

Cook raisins in water--boil water, then cook them for 5 minutes. Drain the raisins. In a mixer, combine butter/margarine, sugar, eggs and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flour--use a spoon and mix these dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk to the mixer and blend. Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the mixer and mix. By hand with a wooden spoon, add the dates, nuts and raisins to the batter and stir until well mixed. Drop heaping teasponsful on a greased cookie sheet about 2" apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Test with your finger--if you lightly touch a cookie and it gets dinged, put them back in a minute or two longer.