Joe Froggers

(from a Boston Globe food section article on regional recipes and recipes from specific towns, sometime in the summer of 2013)

According to that article, this is what's called a "community" recipe. It went around from baker to baker in the '60s via a Globe readers' forum called "Confidential Chat", and similar recipes can be found in old cookbooks.

Joe Froggers, as the story goes, were made by a freed slave named Joe who lived at the edge of a frog pond in Marblehead in the 1800s. Fishermen liked to take them on board. Old versions, it is said, contained dark rum (use 1/4 cup in place of the same amount of water, if you like), sea water, and shortening and were rolled out into large rounds. Later bakers made them with butter. Refrigerate the batter for several hours or overnight to firm it up. Rather than rolling, drop the batter onto baking sheets, and press lightly with a plate so cookies flatten in the oven.

You can buy Joe Froggers at some bakeries, including the Bake Shoppe at the Publick House in Sturbridge.

• 3 1/2 C flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 1 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t ground cloves
• 1/2 t ground nutmeg
• 1/4 t ground allspice
• 1/2 C water
• 1 C molasses
• 1/2 C (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1 C sugar
• Extra sugar (for sprinkling)

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.

In another bowl blend the water with the molasses

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, if you have one (or use the whisk), beat the butter and sugar until blended. Add the flour mixture alternately with the molasses mixture, beginning and ending with flour, just until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. Make sure the bottom of the batter is well mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Set the oven at 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

Drop the batter into 1/4-cup mounds on the baking sheets, setting 6 to a sheet. Sprinkle generously with sugar. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a plate.

Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes or until they are just firm to the touch. Transfer the parchment to wire racks to cool. Remove the cookies and reuse the parchment to bake more rounds. Store with waxed or parchment paper between the layers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe makes about 2 dozen large cookies.

     Globe byline: Sheryl Julian