Combine softened butter, brown sugar, and molasses; beat until creamy and well-combined using an electric or stand mixer.

Stir in the egg and vanilla extract until incorporated, noting that the mixture may appear slightly separated at this stage.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture on low speed until a smooth, cohesive dough forms.

Divide the sticky dough into two portions, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Once chilled, preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Generously flour a clean surface and lightly flour the dough before rolling it to approximately ¼” (.6cm) thickness with a rolling pin.

Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, then allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before decorating.

For the icing, combine sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a bowl, stirring until smooth and a thick, pipeable consistency is achieved, adding more milk or sugar as needed.

Transfer icing to a piping bag with a tip (e.g., Wilton #5) or a Ziploc bag with a snipped corner, then pipe onto cooled cookies and decorate with candies or sprinkles.

Allow the frosting to harden for about 30 minutes or longer if wetter, then store uneaten cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.