Christmas Gingerbread Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set aside some parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in the egg.

Stir in the molasses and vanilla extract to the butter mixture.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.

Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with your favorite cookie cutters.

Place the cut cookies onto your prepared baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges start to darken.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. The icing should be thick, but pourable. Add more milk as needed.

Once the cookies are cool, decorate them with the icing, and add sprinkles or other garnishes, if desired. Enjoy your homemade Christmas gingerbread cookies!