1. Heat the shortening until melted, then remove and let it cool down slightly.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cooled-down melted shortening, sugar, molasses, and egg.
3. It should be cold enough not to cook the egg. Beat the mixture well with a hand whisk.
4. It might look strange at first, as the shortening will separate, but keep whisking until it blends smoothly. No need for an electric beater, it will eventually come together
5. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and spices.
6. Mix until everything is combined with the wet ingredients.
7. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour (or longer if possible).
8. Roll the dough into hazelnut-sized balls.
9. Use a large flat dish, fill with sugar, and roll each ball in sugar until completely covered.
10.  Use two glasses, one in the freezer and the second glass to lightly flatten each ball with the bottom of a chilled glass.
11. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
12. Bake the cookies for 8–10 minutes.

Note: Cookies will still be soft to the touch when you take them out of the oven, but they will harden as they get cold.

Enjoy your crispy, delicious cookies.  They are the absolute best, trust me, we have tried many and this is a keeper, and we will not bake another ginger cookie in the future.