Got an idea for a holiday? Send it to us

Submit Now

National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day

National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day – November 15, 2024

National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day is celebrated on November 15 every year. Did you know that it has been more than 200 years since the first Hermit cookie was made? Hermit cookies are cookies made with exotic spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, mixed with raisins and currants. Emerging from America, the recipe has been a favorite among people of all age groups, especially people who don’t like food items that are too sweet. National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day was created to give credit to this delicious recipe.

History of National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day

The origin of cookies is an interesting story. It is said that the first cookies were the result of an accident when bakers from Persia (modern-day Iran) were testing the temperature of their oven. The bakers had taken small amounts of cake batter and placed them in the oven in small round forms, and voila! The cookie was born. The Persians were also among the first ones to harvest sugar, hence the massive success of the sweet cookies. Cookies quickly spread to different parts of the world, including America and a few European and Asian countries.

New varieties of cookies emerged once they reached America. Jumbles, Plunkett’s, and Crybabies became immensely popular. Among these types of cookies that became famous was the hermit cookie. The hermit cookie was made by adding exotic spices, which were exported from the Indian subcontinent, like cinnamon and cloves. In 1880, the Champlain Valley Book of recipes was published by the women of the Trinity Church, Plattsburgh, New York, which mentioned the recipe of hermit cookies in it. In the same year, Miss Parloa from Boston, Massachusetts, published her book “Miss Parloa’s New Cookbook,” and it contained the recipes for the cookie and hermit cookie separately. In Miss Parloa’s original version of the recipe, eggs and sugar were not used.

In 1896, Fannie Farmer included her version of the recipe in her cookbook, “Boston Cooking-School Cook Book,” which included spices such as cinnamon, mace nutmeg, and cloves. In 1936, raisins, currants, and other dried fruits were added to the recipe. The spicy hermit cookies recipe is a classic recipe that has been passed on through generations. The National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day was created to recognize this delicious recipe that is a favorite of all.

Why are they called ‘hermit’ cookies?

Some say that hermit cookies got their name because of how long they can be stored. Some also believe that this name evolved because the ingredients are simple spices that a hermit living in a forest would use.

What is the name of the oldest-known cookie?

One of the first known cookies are Pizzelles, which originated in Italy. It is said that they were made for the Festival of Snakes, celebrated in Abruzzo, Italy.

Are hermit cookies similar to gingerbread cookies?

Hermit cookies are similar to gingerbread cookies in the sense that both recipes require the use of spices. Ginger, molasses, and raisins are used in both gingerbread and hermit cookies.

How to Celebrate National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day

  1. Bake spicy hermit cookies

    What better way to celebrate National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day than to bake your own spicy hermit cookie? Put your cooking skills to the test, and challenge yourself to make delicious spicy hermit cookies that you can enjoy with friends and family.

  2. Share it on social media

    Let everyone know that you're celebrating this day. Take pictures of you baking hermit cookies (yes, even the embarrassing ones and bloopers!) and share them on social media. You can also write articles on the history of the hermit cookie recipe and post them online.

  3. Read more hermit cookie history

    Use this day to improve your knowledge. Read more about the stories of how the hermit cookie came into existence and how, even after centuries, the recipe manages to fascinate the taste buds of millions worldwide.

5 Facts About Cookies That Will Blow Your Mind

  1. The choco-chip cookie was an accident

    The chocolate-chip cookie was made by Ruth Graves Wakefield in 1930 when she realized she didn't have baker's chocolate and used chocolate pieces instead.

  2. The biggest cookie was 100 feet wide

    The biggest cookie ever created was 100 feet wide and weighed 40,000 pounds.

  3. The Dutch invented cookie cutters

    The first-known cookie cutters were made by the Dutch in the 1700s.

  4. ‘Cookie’ comes from a Dutch word

    The word 'cookie' comes from the Dutch word 'koekje.'

  5. Cookies have associated beliefs

    It is said that women from England used to eat the 'gingerbread man' cookies to increase their chances of finding a good partner.

Why We Love National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day

  1. We enjoy hermit cookies

    Regular cookies are something we have often, but not spicy hermit cookies. This day allows us to relish these tasty treats and do something different from our monotonous daily routine.

  2. You can cook for others

    When you bake spicy hermit cookies on this day, not only are you putting your cooking skills to the test, but you are also doing something to make your close ones happy. It is a perfect day to invite friends over a plate of freshly baked spicy hermit cookies!

  3. We improve our knowledge

    You could learn more about the origins of the hermit cookie and cookies in general. Some of the cookie recipes were discovered by accident and many such fascinating stories surface the more you dig deeper into their history.

YearDateDay
2024November 15Friday
2025November 15Saturday
2026November 15Sunday
2027November 15Monday
2028November 15Wednesday

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday!
Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.