In a small bowl add 1/2 cup sugar and the 2 TBS orange zest, stir together, set aside for later

Stir the baking soda into the hot water, set aside

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper

In a large mixing bowl cream together shortening and 3/4 cup sugar

Add orange extract to the creamed shortening and sugar

Mix in the ginger, cinnamon, cream of tarter, salt, and molasses

Stir in the vinegar

Stir in the hot water and baking soda - the vinegar will cause this to bubble up for a minute

Mix in 3 cups of flour

Mix in 1/2 cup of flour at a time until the dough holds form and you can roll it into a ball

Take 1 TBS of cookie dough and roll into a 1 inch ball

Now you can choose to roll your cookie dough ball in the orange zest sugar, coating completely

or roll your cookie dough ball in the finely chopped pecans

Set on cookie sheet

Continue until all the dough has been rolled into balls and dipped in orange zest or pecans

Flatten each cookie ball with a spoon so it looks like a small thumbprint

Bake for 8 minutes

Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes

Remove to cooling rack until completely cooled

Store in an airtight container