Constitution Island Cookies
Submitted by: SARAH WARBURTON for New River Valley, VA
In the mid-1970’s my dad was at West Point and my mother worked as a docent at the Warner House on Constitution Island on the grounds of the United States Army Garrison. According to Wikipedia, “The island is best known for the Great Chain, a heavy chain placed by the Continental Army across the river from the island to the mainland of West Point...to prevent British naval vessels from navigating the river during the American Revolutionary War.”
The island’s other claim to fame is the Warner family, who retreated there after 1878. Susan and Anna Warner were popular novelists and Anna penned the words to "Jesus Loves Me." The Warner House is a National Historic Landmark, but I was too young to care about the history. I remember Mama’s long docent dress and the Warner House dining room which featured a table set with fake food. My favorite was the dinner roll. When opened, a little fake mouse jumped out and all the kids screamed!
When I was six, we moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia, but this recipe for the “Constitution Island Cookies” (served by the docents to school groups) is still our family’s favorite spice cookie. Mama writes, “I chaired the Little American program which ferried student groups across the Hudson River from West Point in an Army J-boat. We served the cookies and lemonade on the way back to dock.”
Constitution Island Cookies
Preparation Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 minutes
No. of Servings: 15
Ingredients:
3/4 c soft butter
3/4 c crisco
2 1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c dark molasses
4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp each ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves
Instructions:
Mix together the butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, and molasses. Sift in dry ingredients. Then knead together with your hands, stir, or mix (but it may break your mixer). Chill it for an hour (otherwise too soft). Form into 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly.
Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes or until starting to get brown around edges. Don’t overcook, because they’re best when chewy (I think). Makes about 100 cookies. These freeze well.