Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and brown sugar.  Cream until smooth. 

Add in the molasses, vanilla and egg.  Mix thoroughly.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.  Whisk to combine.  

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Mix well - scraping the sides, and mixing again. 

Chill the bowl in the freezer while making the icing. 

For the soft-bite icing - In the bowl of the stand mixer, combine the 2 c powdered sugar, meringue powder and 1 t vanilla.  Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for about 30 seconds.  Add in 3 teaspoons worth of water as the mixer is going.  Allow to mix until combined.  Increase the speed to medium for another 2-3 minutes. The icing will be very stiff.  Transfer to another bowl and cover with a damp paper towel. 

Using the same mixing bowl, combine the other 2 cups of powdered sugar, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons of water and the other teaspoon of vanilla.  Mix on low speed until combined with the whisk attachment.  

Combine the two icing mixtures into one bowl and whisk until smooth.  Add in additional water if needed to thin the mixture.   Using a spatula, scoop a bit of icing up and allow it to drop back into the bowl.  The icing should re-incorporate back into itself and settle within about a 12-15 second count.  Too thin of icing will need a bit more powder sugar and too thick of icing will need another dash of water.  Continue to test if needed until desired consistency is achieved.  Thin icing spreads nicely but can run over the edges of the cookie.  Thick icing will not move - it is good for lettering and flowers.  

Transfer the icing to a piping bag.  Set aside.  

Remove the dough from the freezer.  Roll the dough out to about ½-⅝ of an inch thick on a lightly floured work surface.  

Cut out desired shapes and carefully transfer to your parchment lined baking sheets - there should be minimal spread, so about an inch apart is sufficient.  

Save the dough scraps and reroll until the dough is too small to cut any more cookies. 

Bake the cut out cookies in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.  Overbaking will lead to crisper cookies and not chewy.  

Allow to cool before decorating. 

When ready to decorate, cut a small hole in the tip of the piping bag.  

Pipe the eyes, a “U” shaped mouth, stitches on both arms and both legs.  Use three small dots to create the bond for the buttons and then place the round sprinkles.  

Icing will set at room temp after about an hour.  Then they can be stacked.  

Storage:  Cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.