Giant Decorated Gingerbread Man Cookie

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

COMBINE sugar and molasses in a large saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring sugar and molasses to a boil.

REMOVE from heat and stir in baking soda. Add shortening to mixture, stirring until melted. Stir in egg. Mix in flour, spice and salt until crumbly dough forms.

TRANSFER the other half of the dough to a work surface lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Knead the dough until smooth. Cover dough with another sheet of parchment paper and roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out the cookie shape using a paring knife. Remove the scraps, leaving the cookie on the parchment paper.

SLIDE the parchment paper with cookie onto a cookie sheet. Trim so that no parchment hangs over edges of cookie sheet.

BAKE 14 to 18 minutes or until just starting to brown around the edges. Slide parchment with cookie onto a wire rack and cool completely.

REPEAT rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough and scraps. Cool cookies completely before decorating.

SPOON white frosting into a pastry bag made of parchment paper. Snip tip of bag if needed to pipe a thin outline on each cookie. Add food coloring to remaining frosting, if desired and spoon into another pastry bag made of parchment paper. Decorate with frosting or and candies as desired.