1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2. Add the butter, syrup and sugar into a saucepan and melt over a low heat. Remove from the heat when melted.
3. Sieve in the flour, ground spices and bicarbonate of soda into the melted ingredients to make a dough. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to a 5mm thickness.
4. Use a butter knife to cut the dough into a ghost shape. Place them on the baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them completely cool.
5. Add the icing sugar and a little boiling water into a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Fill a small piping bag with the icing and carefully cover the gingerbread with the icing. Make a smaller batch of icing with icing sugar and a little boiling water and add a drop of black food colouring to make a black icing for the eyes and mouth.
6. Allow the icing to set then serve once cool.