Glaze
Mix all ingredients until smooth in a glass bowl and set aside.
Cookies
On a medium heat, add the molasses and shortening to a pot. Simmer molasses and shortening for 2-5 minutes (do not scorch). Whisk vigorously in the beginning to help emulsify the two together. It will look like nothing is happening, but suddenly the mixture will coat a spoon and run off in a cohesive, sticky sauce.
Meanwhile, in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.
In a glass measuring cup, dissolve baking soda in hot water and add to creamed mixture. Stir on low to combine.
Blend cloves, cinnamon, salt and ginger into creamed mixture.
Add hot molasses mixture and beat again until incorporated.
Beat in flour, slowly at first and then notice how the extremely full and wet bowl soaks up all the flour and becomes a very sticky dough. Remove to the table where you’ll be cutting.
Spray the counter with nonstick spray and remove 1/3 of the dough. Usingn a rolling pin, roll the dough about 1/2″ thick and using a very small cookie cutter (you can use bigger, but small is our favorite way) cut out little gingerbread men while the dough is still hot. See NOTES!
Bake at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes, depending on cookie size. Very small men need 5 minutes while a 3-4″ needs 7-8 and a regular sized cookie needs 10 minutes.
Remove the pan quickly to the counter by the glaze and immediately dip each hot cookie completely in the glaze.
Drain cookies on cooling rack until dry.
Store in an airtight container or freezer bag. To freeze, press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Cookies are good for up to 2 months in the freezer when properly stored. .
Notes
Tips:
The dough will seem too sticky to roll but don’t add flour. It will roll out fine.
Use cooking spray on the counter and rolling pin and not flour to roll it out.
Keep the dough warm at all times. If it cools down, warm it up in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
Dunk them in the glaze right when the come out of the oven even though they are hot. If they’ve baked enough you can remove them, if they are still too soft you won’t be able to pick them up as they will need to bake a little longer to avoid squishing them.
Rotate the glazed cookies after a few minutes so they don’t stick to the cooling rack.
Cookies will keep for up to a month in an airtight container.
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