Nantucket Ginger Cookies

Cookies are one of my favorite things to bake, especially simple cookies with one or two main flavors that shine. Today’s cookie is brought to you by June Platt’s New England Cook Book, published in 1971 and bought for 33 cents by yours truly in 2012. Because let’s be honest, I have an addiction to used cookbooks. Sure, I love brand new cookbooks as well, but there’s something about used cookbooks that delights all my senses: the smell of the book is different, the pages feel different. Depending on the age of the book and the author, most older books don’t have any food photography at all, while some of a few small illustrations here and there.

June Platt’s New England Cook Book starts of the best way a New England cookbook could start. “This Book is Dedicated to: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut.” How perfect is that! It’s become one of my favorite cookbooks because the recipes are so simple, yet packed with flavors. Recipes for the classic Chowder to the not so classic Dandelion Wine can be found in this book, with instructions that are quick and to the point. Below I’m sharing her recipe for Nantucket Ginger Cookies. What makes them Nantucket? We’ll have to ask June Platt herself, since I have no clue!

Nantucket Ginger Cookies

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup 1 stick butter
• ⅔ cup light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup molasses
• ⅓ cup water
• 2 scant cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Cream the butter and sugar together; stir in the molasses and water.
• Sift together the flour, soda, and ginger. Sift again into the first mixure.
• Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto well-buttered cookie sheets. Bake 11 or twelve minutes in the preheated oven. Loosen immediately from the pan, using a spatula, but wait until cookies have slightly cooled before transferring them to a cookie rack.
• Store, when cold, in a tightly covered container.

Servings: 2 1/2 dozen cookies