These cookies are similar to the legendary Joe Froggers that were originally made in Marblehead, Massachusetts, by a woman named Lucretia, the wife of an African American tavern owner known as Black Joe. If packed in an airtight tin, they reputedly can withstand all sorts of inclement weather at sea, remaining edible. I can’t vouch for that claim, as I’ve never had any last that long in my kitchen.
MAKES ABOUT 24 COOKIES
Combine the butter and 1 cup of the sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, beat together until creamy. Add the molasses and water and stir with the spoon until well mixed. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and all of the spices and stir to mix. Add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and stir just until you have a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Liberally butter 2 cookie sheets. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough ¼ inch thick. Cut out the cookies with a 4-inch round cookie cutter. Arrange the cutouts on the prepared cookie sheets and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Place 1 sheet in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Bake and cool the second sheet of cookies the same way. The cooled cookies can be stacked and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for a month or more, if they last that long.