Nan's Recipes: Yankee Clippers

Yankee Clippers

This old New England recipe makes delicious soft spicy molasses cookies.
Covered tightly, they keep very well or can be frozen.


2 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon cardamon 10 tablespoons butter, room temp 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2/3 cup light molasses 1 egg, room temp 2 tablespoons dark rum 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups dried currants 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional	Sift dry ingredients (first 8 items) into medium bowl. Cream butter with brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in molasses, then egg, rum, cider vinegar and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients, then add currents and nuts. Optional: For easier handling, chill the dough for several hours. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment (or waxed paper). Dividing the dough in thirds, make three lengths of dough about 1/4" thick on the parchment. This can be messy especially if the dough hasn't been chilled. Use a spatula to shape and smooth the dough. Dough will spread when baking so if it looks too crowded, use two cookie sheets. Heat oven to 350. Bake until the cookies look done, about 15 minutes. Slide parchment onto counter, cool for 5 minutes, then slice the logs diagonally into 1" bars. For optional frosting, see below.

2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
10 tablespoons butter, room temp
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup light molasses
1 egg, room temp
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups dried currants
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Sift dry ingredients (first 8 items) into medium bowl.
Cream butter with brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in molasses, then egg, rum, cider vinegar and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients, then add currents and nuts.
Optional: For easier handling, chill the dough for several hours.
Line a large cookie sheet with parchment (or waxed paper). Dividing the dough in thirds, make three lengths of dough about 1/4" thick on the parchment. This can be messy especially if the dough hasn't been chilled. Use a spatula to shape and smooth the dough. Dough will spread when baking so if it looks too crowded, use two cookie sheets.
Heat oven to 350. Bake until the cookies look done, about 15 minutes. Slide parchment onto counter, cool for 5 minutes, then slice the logs diagonally into 1" bars.
For optional frosting, see below.


1 cup powdered sugar 3 tablespoons of cream or milk 2 teaspoons if dark rum pinch of salt	Blend together in a small bowl until smooth. Add more liquid if icing isn't thin enough to spread. This makes a small amount of icing, just enough to run an inch wide line down the middle of each of the three logs. To make enough icing to cover the cookies, double the ingredients. Milk or cream can be substituted for the rum.

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Yankee Clippers

This old New England recipe makes delicious soft spicy molasses cookies.Covered tightly, they keep very well or can be frozen.

1 cup powdered sugar 3 tablespoons of cream or milk 2 teaspoons if dark rum pinch of salt

This old New England recipe makes delicious soft spicy molasses cookies.
Covered tightly, they keep very well or can be frozen.

1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons of cream or milk
2 teaspoons if dark rum
pinch of salt