Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves or allspice, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until evenly mixed.

In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.

Mix in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined. The mixture may look slightly thick and glossy.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Stir just until a soft dough forms, taking care not to overmix.

Divide the dough into two portions, flatten each into a disk, wrap well, and chill until firm.

Lightly flour the work surface and roll the dough to an even thickness. Cut out shapes using holiday cookie cutters, then transfer them to lined baking sheets.

Bake until the edges are set and lightly browned. Avoid overbaking for softer cookies.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet briefly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Stir powdered sugar with a small amount of milk, water, or lemon juice until smooth.

Spoon the icing into a piping bag or small zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Decorate cookies as desired and add sprinkles or candies while the icing is wet.

Allow the decorated cookies to stand at room temperature until the icing is firm before stacking or packaging.