Joe Froggers © 1958

These big, soft, fat molasses cookies, known as Joe Froggers in New England, Bolivars in New York, are a happy inheritance from the gay nineties.
Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Sift together and set aside.
5 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Cream until softened
3/4 cup shortening
Add gradually, creaming until fluffy after each addition
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Mix together
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup water
Alternately blend dry ingredients in fourths, molasses mixture in thirds, into creamed mixture, blending well after each addition. Finally blend until well mixed. Chill dough 1 1/2 hrs.

Remove amount of dough needed for single rolling. Roll 1/2 in. thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with 3-in. cookie cutter.

Using a pancake turner, place cookies about 2 in. apart on cookie sheets.
Bake at 375ºF about 10 min. Remove cookies to cooling rack.
About 2 doz. large cookies

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How did the cookie get its name?
Named for Revolutionary War patriot, Joseph Brown, these large cookies were said to be the size of the frogs in "Black Joe's" Pond. Marblehead's early fishermen used to take the cookies with them on long voyages to the Grand Banks as a standard part of the ship's provisions. The ingredients of rum and seawater acted as preservatives. They are now a cherished Marblehead tradition with "original recipes" circulating rapidly for historic authenication by native Marbleheaders. The cookies were first made in the 1800's by Lucretia Brown, Joseph's wife. While today the cookies are mostly round, in the beginning they were described as "lily pad" shaped.

The Lunch Box Cookbook