Fork stir flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium sized bowl.
In a large bowl (or mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) cream sugar and shortening together. Beat in molasses and egg.
Slowly add flour mixture then beat well.
Gather dough into a small ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour or until fairly firm.
Take a portion of the dough ball and roll out with a rolling pin until about 1/8-1/4” thickness. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. Move to cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake for about 8 minutes or until the cookies have baked but not overly browned. Remove from the oven and leave on the pan for a few minutes until they firm up. Transfer with a spatula to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
This recipe made about 2 cookie sheets full of smaller gingerbread cookies (stars and hearts). Prepare Royal Icing and pipe to decorate using dragées (silver balls) or candied nonpareils (candy sprinkles)
Recipe by Just a Smidgen at https://justasmidgen.com/2011/11/08/petite-sucree-gingerbreads-and-the-iconic-red-starbucks-mug/