Ellen's Molasses Cookies

Grandma collected recipes from friends and relatives. This recipe she marked as Ellen's - and is in gram's usual shorthand of just a list of ingredients.

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
2 cups molasses
1 cup hot water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
6 cups flour
4 tsp. soda