In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

Beat in the room temperature egg until well combined. Then, add the molasses and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; stop once no dry streaks remain. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.

Divide the dough in half. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This chilling step is crucial for easy rolling and preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, unwrap one disk of dough. Roll it out to about 1/4-inch thickness. If the dough is too stiff, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes until pliable. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes.

Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Gather the dough scraps, gently re-roll, and cut out more cookies until all the dough from the first disk is used. Repeat with the second disk of dough.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies and desired crispness. Smaller cookies will bake faster. Cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. For chewier cookies, bake closer to 8 minutes; for crispier, closer to 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents breakage.

To make a simple icing, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, milk (or water), and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust the amount of liquid gradually until you reach your desired consistency (thick enough to pipe lines, but thin enough to flood surfaces if desired).

Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate with the prepared icing or any other desired decorations like sprinkles.