Method

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly so the leavening agent and spices are evenly distributed. Set the bowl aside while preparing the wet ingredients.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed for approximately 2–3 minutes. The mixture should look creamy and evenly blended. It will be slightly darker and denser than a typical butter and granulated sugar mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Pour the molasses into the butter mixture: Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, scraping the bowl as needed. The mixture should be smooth, thick, and dark brown. If it looks slightly separated at first, continue mixing briefly until the ingredients come together.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed after each addition. Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour remains. The dough should be thick, soft, and slightly sticky but cohesive enough to gather together. Avoid adding extra flour at this stage unless the mixture is unusually wet.
• Divide the dough into two equal portions: Shape each portion into a flat disk approximately 1 inch thick. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until firm enough to roll without sticking excessively. If the dough becomes very hard after a longer chilling period, let it stand at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before rolling.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour a clean work surface and rolling pin.
• Remove one dough disk from the refrigerator, leaving the second disk chilled. Roll the dough to an even thickness of approximately ¼ inch. Use a small amount of flour to prevent sticking, but avoid working too much additional flour into the dough. If the dough cracks around the edges, let it soften for another minute or two before continuing.
• Press a 3- to 4-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter firmly into the dough. Transfer the cutouts to the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 1½ inches between cookies. Gather the scraps, press them together, and reroll once or twice as needed. Repeat with the second disk of dough. If the cutouts become noticeably soft during shaping, refrigerate the baking sheets for 10 minutes before baking. This helps preserve the details.
• Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges appear set and the centers no longer look wet. For softer gingerbread men, remove them when the centers are just set. For slightly crisper cookies, bake for another minute. If baking both sheets simultaneously, rotate the sheets and switch their rack positions halfway through baking. Bake the remaining cookies in additional batches if needed.
• Allow the baked cookies to rest on their baking sheets for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer them to wire cooling racks and let them cool completely for approximately 25 more minutes. The cookies will become firmer as they cool. Decorating them while warm can cause the icing to melt and spread.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until smooth and free of lumps. The icing should be thick enough to hold a piped line without immediately spreading. If it is too thick, add milk a few drops at a time. If it becomes too thin, whisk in a little additional powdered sugar. Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or use a resealable plastic bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
• Pipe faces, buttons, cuffs, outlines, or other simple designs onto the completely cooled gingerbread men. If using optional sprinkles or mini chocolate chips, gently press them into the icing while it is still wet. For neat details, work on one cookie at a time rather than piping every cookie before adding decorations.
• Arrange the decorated cookies in a single layer on a clean wire rack or parchment-lined surface. Let the icing dry at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Thicker decorations may require additional drying time. Once the icing is completely set, the cookies can be served, stacked with parchment between layers, or packaged for gifting.