Lemony Ginger Drops

Total Time: 8 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour, all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon, zest of
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter flavor shortening
• 1/2 cup molasses, regular or unsulphured
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar (aka powdered sugar)
• 1/2 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

Recipe

• 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.