Joe Froggers Are New England’s Beloved Spice Cookie—Cozy Season Is the Perfect Time to Try Them

Meet the 200-year-old cookie that’s chewy and spiced with just a hint of rum.

Published on October 28, 2025

Credit:

Kelsey Hansen | Food Styling: Addelyn Evans

Never lose a BHG recipe again. Find a recipe you love on BHG.com? Click the heart icon to save it (and find it later) with MyRecipes.com.

As the story goes, Joe Froggers were created in a Massachusetts tavern by owner Lucretia Brown in the early 1800s, the name being a play on that of her husband and co-owner, Joe Brown. Legend suggests the “frogger” part of the name was perhaps inspired by the frogs in the mill pond near the tavern. This recipe first appeared in our publications in the 1975 Better Homes and Gardens Heritage Cook Book. When we recently retested it, all the tasters declared it to be the best molasses cookie recipe in our archives.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup salted butter, softened

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

  • 1 tsp. baking soda

  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 tsp. ground allspice

  • 1/4 tsp. salt

  • 1 cup molasses

  • 2 Tbsp. water

  • 2 Tbsp. rum or milk

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • Colored sugar (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl beat butter with a mixer on medium 30 seconds. Add next seven ingredients (through salt). Beat until combined, scraping bowl as needed. Beat in molasses, the water, and rum. Beat in flour. Divide dough in half.

  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough portion at a time to ¼-inch thickness. Use 4-inch round cookie cutters to cut out, rerolling scraps as needed. Place cutouts 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

  3. Bake until set, 7 to 9 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely. If you like, spread with Lemon Icing and sprinkle with colored sugar. 

How to Make Lemon Icing

In a small bowl combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp. softened salted butter, and ½ tsp. lemon zest. Stir in 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Stir in 1 to 2 Tbsp. milk until icing is smooth and drizzling consistency.