Ingredients
Cookies:
1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 1 cup hot water
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
Butter Cream Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
Food coloring
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the egg, molasses, shortening, sugar, and baking soda dissolved in hot water. In a seperate bowl mix the flour, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir until thouroughly mixed. Drop dough by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake until the cookies puff up and are done in the middle (test with a toothpick as you would for cake). When done, transfer cookies to baking rack to cool a little before frosting.
Frosting: Melt the butter and mix everything but the milk and food coloring together. Add just enough milk to make the right consistency of frosting, then stir in food coloring to the desired color.
