DD and my mom use to always make gingerbread men at Christmas when she was little, so from her kids cookbook Alpha-Bakery pg 17
½ cup sugar
½ cup shortening
½ cup dark molasses
¼ cup water
¾ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
2 ½ cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
Raisins or currants
Directions
Beat sugar, shortening, molasses and water in a large bowl on low speed until blended. Beat on medium speed 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients except raisins.
Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1-2 hours.
Heat oven to 375
Sprinkle a clothe-covered surface lightly with flour; turn dough onto surface. Roll dough with a rolling pin until ¼ inch thick. Cut with a gingerbread kid cutter. Lift cookies carefully with a large spatula onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Decorate with raisins.
Bake until set, 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool 3 minutes, then carefully remove form cookie sheet with a spatula. Cool on wire rack; decorate with frosting if you wish.
