1/2 c. butter or shortening
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp. molasses
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 c. confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

Set the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Grease the cookie sheets. Get a large mixing bowl. Measure the shortening and put it in the bowl. Measure the sugar and pour it over the shortening. Cream them together. Get a cup and break the egg into it. Add the egg to the creamed mixture. Beat it with a mixing bowl. Measure the molasses and pour it in. Stir everything together. Stir well. Set the mixing bowl aside. Measure the flour, the baking soda, the salt and the 3 spices into sifter. Sift them into a bowl. Pour the sifted ingredients onto the molasses mixture. Stir until all the flour is mixed in.

Use an eating spoon to scoop out a spoonful of batter and push it off onto the cookie sheet. Leave plenty of room around each cookie. Put them into the oven. Don't open the door for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes look at the cookies; if they are not firm let them stay in the oven 2 more minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven and lift them off the sheet with a spatula. Set them on a wire rack to cool.

Get a cereal bowl and a serving platter. Pour the powdered sugar into the bowl. Take a warm cookie and put it on the sugar. Flip it around until it is covered with fluffy sweet sugar. Set it on the serving platter. Do this to all the cookies. Then pass them around.