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1
Combine 5 1/4 cups flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in medium bowl; whisk to blend well.
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2
Using electric mixer, beat butter and shortening in large bowl to blend.
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3
Add 1 cup sugar, molasses, and lemon peel and beat until smooth.
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4
Beat in egg and buttermilk.
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5
Stir 2 teaspoons water and baking soda in small cup to blend; beat into butter mixture.
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6
Beat in flour mixture in 2 additions.
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7
Stir in more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until slightly firm dough forms.
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8
Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
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9
Shape each into disk.
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10
Wrap disks and chill until firm enough to roll, at least 2 hours.
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11
(Can be made 2 days ahead.
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12
Keep refrigerated.
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13
Soften slightly before rolling out.)
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14
Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper to 16x12-inch rectangle, occasionally lifting paper to smooth out wrinkles.
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15
Using 4- to 5-inch cutters, cut out boy and girl gingerbread people.
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16
Pull away excess dough around cutouts; flatten, wrap, and chill excess dough.
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17
Slide rimless baking sheet or inverted baking sheet under waxed paper with cutouts and chill until firm.
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18
Repeat with remaining dough disks, refrigerating cutouts on waxed paper on baking sheets.
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19
Roll out excess dough and make more cookies, using all of dough.
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20
(Cutout cookies can be made 1 day ahead.
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21
Cover; keep chilled.)
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22
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F.
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23
Using thin metal spatula, lift chilled cookies off waxed paper and transfer to baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart.
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24
Bake until darker at edges and just firm to touch in center, about 12 minutes.
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25
Cool on sheet 5 minutes.
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26
Transfer to rack; cool completely.
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27
Bake remaining cookies, 1 sheet at a time.
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28
Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl.
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29
Mix in lemon juice and corn syrup.
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30
Mix in enough water by teaspoonfuls to form smooth icing soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold shape.
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31
Divide into 3 or 4 portions and tint with food coloring, if desired.
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32
Spoon icing into pastry bag (or bags if using more than 1 color) fitted with small (1/16- to 1/8-inch) plain tip.
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33
Arrange cookies on work surface.
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34
Pipe icing onto cookies in desired patterns.
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35
Apply decorations as desired.
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36
Let cookies stand until icing is dry.
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37
(Can be made 3 days ahead.
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38
Store cookies airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)
