Lemony Ginger Drops

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon
• zest of
• 12 teaspoon salt
• 12 teaspoon ground ginger
• 12 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 14 teaspoon ground cloves
• 12 cup sugar
• 14 cup butter flavor shortening
• 12 cup molasses
• regular or unsulphured
• 12 cup hot water
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar (aka powdered sugar)", "12 teaspoon shredded and minced lemon, zest of", "1 tablespoon salted butter or 1 tablespoon margarine, at room temperature", "1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, strained", "1 tablespoon milk, approximately

Instructions

1. Adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 deg.
3. F.
4. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
5. In a medium-size bowl, with a whisk, combine the flour, baking soda, lemon zest, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until thoroughly mixed.
6. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat the sugar, shortening, molasses, water, and egg until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until blended.
8. Let stand for 5 minutes before dropping by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the drops about 2 inches apart.
9. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes until the edges are pale golden brown.
10. Reverse the baking sheets on the racks and from front to back once during baking.
11. With a wide turner, immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
12. While the cookies are cooling, make the icing.
13. In a small bowl, beat together the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, butter, and lemon juice.
14. Gradually add the milk until the mixture reaches a good spreading consistency.
15. With a small spatula or a butter spreader, spread thinly over the cooled cookies.
16. Let set until the icing hardens, about 1 hour.
17. Store in a tightly covered container, separating the layers with sheets of waxed paper.