Joe Froggers (Cookies From Skeeter)
Submitted by brianjwood on August 25, 2002 at 6:05 am

DESCRIPTION
Joe Froggers (Cookies from Skeeter)

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Cookies Brownies Bars

INSTRUCTIONS
I got this recipe from Skeeter, a friend on another forum. As ever, the story of the origins adds savour to the recipe!
Cheers, brian
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Joe Froggers (Cookies)

3/4C hot water
1/4C plus 1 tablespoon dark rum
1C(2 sticks) butter
2C sugar
2tsp baking soda
2C unsulphured dark molasses
6-7C flour
1tbsp salt
1-1/2tsp ginger
1tsp cloves
1tsp allspice
1/2tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Combine hot water and rum in small bowl. In large bowl,
cream together butter and sugar. In a third bowl,
combine soda and molasses. In a fourth bowl, combine 6
cups flour with salt and spices. Blend water and rum into
creamed mixture in large bowl. Add molasses and dry
ingredients alternately; blend. (If dough is too stiff, add a
little water; if not stiff enough, add more flour.) Divide
dough into three balls, cover with plastic wrap, and chill
thoroughly. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle
board with remaining flour. Roll out dough and cut with
2-inch cookie cutter or rim of glass. Bake on greased
cookie sheet 10 minutes.
This recipe and the legend* behind it are a part of the
history of Marblehead, Massachusetts. Be sure to use
the specified ingredients -- no substitutions. Avoid too
much rolling out .
* The Legend of Joe Froggers: A couple known as Aunt
Crease and Black Joe lived at the edge of a pond in
Marblehead, Massachusetts. Joe had fought in the
Revolution as a young man. On election night, they
would open their house, which on occasion was also a
local tavern, and serve grog. Joe would play the fiddle
and Aunt Crease would cook.One of her specialties was a molasses cookie the size of
a modern-day salad plate. She made them for fishermen, who found they stored well in barrels during long sea voyages. In the early 1800s, the election took place at the end of May, a time when frogs were peeping in the pond, and by association the cookies were called Joe's Froggers. Over time the possessive was dropped, and the name today is Joe Froggers.
Makes 8 dozen cookies
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