Ginger Creams

I don't know about you, but there is something about the cold weather, combined with the holidays approaching, that makes me want a little taste of my childhood.
Every time I bake a batch of these cookies, it takes me back to the kitchen of the home where I was born and raised.
I remember as a child, coming in from a long day of sledding and snow fort building to wonderful smells filling our home, and I can still hear my mom telling us to take the broom that was on the front porch and sweep the snow off of one another and put our snowy clothes by the wood stove to dry.
I only remember my mom baking these in the winter, though I'm sure she made them all year round, because they were my little brother's favorite, and even though there were 7 kids, she always made sure that we each got our favorite treats on a regular basis.
I adapted this recipe from the one my mom handed down to me many moons ago.
Let's get baking :)

Ingredients:
1/3 C shortening (I use a combination of butter and coconut oil, myself)
1/2 C sugar
1 egg, room temp
1/2 C molasses
1/2 C hot water ( not super hot, but hot enough to make the shortening blend easily)
1 C (125g) white rice flour
1 C (120g) tapioca starch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon

For icing:
1 C powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 -2 TBLS cream 

Preheat your oven to 400*F

1. Mix the sugar, shortening, egg and molasses together. Add the hot water and mix until well combined.
2. Sift together all of the dry ingredients, and add to the wet mixture. Mix well. 
3. Place in fridge to firm up a bit (about 45 minutes). It will still be gooey, but not runny.
4. Drop the dough by teaspoons about 2" apart onto a lightly greased, or parchment lined cookie sheet. Insulated sheets work best for me.

5. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until they don't leave a dent when you poke it with your finger. Remove to a cooling rack.

6. While cookies are cooling, combine your icing ingredients, adding just enough cream to get it to a spreading consistency.

7. When your cookies are completely cooled, ice them and pour yourself a big glass of milk.