Beat butter and sugar in bowl until creamy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ginger and pepper in clean bowl. Stir into butter mixture. Divide dough in half; chill 2 hours.
Heat oven to 350°F.
Roll out half of dough between sheets of plastic wrap to 3/16- to 1/4-inch thickness. Chill 10 minutes. Remove top sheet. Cut shapes with 1-1/2-inch cutters. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheets. Reroll scraps; cut. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
Bake in 350°F oven for 11 to 12 minutes or until firm. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Decorate with Royal Icing.
For thin icing for base coat, beat together: confectioners' sugar, sifted; powdered egg whites; 8 tablespoons warm water until the consistency of honey, about 6 minutes. Divide among small bowls, tint with food coloring. For thick icing for piping, repeat as above, but using 6 tablespoons warm water; beat until texture resembles sour cream.
