Remember to leave some cookies and milk out for Captain America

tonight(Joke). Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Americans. Enjoy some history by making and eating a cookie from American colonial times.

Molasses-spice cookies date back to the Colonial era. Locals say Joe Froggers cookies are named after Joseph Brown, a free African American man who served in the American War of Independence and opened a tavern in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1/3 cup hot water
2 tablespoons rum or 1 teaspoon rum extract
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Sugar

1. In a large bowl, cream shortening, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, whisk molasses, hot water, and rum. In another bowl, whisk the flour, salt, ginger, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice; add to creamed mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beating after each addition. Refrigerate, covered, 4 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 375°. Shape dough into 1-1/2-in. balls and place 3 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten to 1/2-in. thickness with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

3. Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.
Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 238 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 277mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.