Ginger Vanilla Bean Creme Cookies

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cream shortening, sugar, egg, molasses and water together until well combined.

Sift the flour, ginger, salt, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves in a separate bowl, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until smooth and combined.

Chill this mixture for 1 hour. Then drop the chilled batter by tablespoonfulls 2″ apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

While cookies are cooling, make the icing. Cream the butter, confectioner’s sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Spread or pipe icing onto tops of cooled cookies.