Gingerbread Cookies

Whisk all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg, molasses and vanilla extract. Mix in spiced flour on low speed until a soft dough forms. Divide in two, flatten into discs, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 175 C and line 2 sheet pans. Roll gingerbread dough on a floured counter to 6 mm thick and cut out shapes, re-rolling the scraps once. Set 2 cm apart on the pans.

Bake cut cookies one pan at a time until the edges are firm and the centres just set, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then on a rack.

Stir powdered sugar with milk to a thick, pipeable icing and decorate the cooled baked cookies. Let it set for 1 hour.