Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Cream softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg, then stir in molasses and vanilla extract.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined and a soft dough forms.

Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Cut out gingerbread men shapes using a cookie cutter and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges are firm and lightly browned; let cool on the sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While cookies cool, prepare the royal icing by whisking powdered sugar with milk or water until smooth and desired consistency is reached.

Once cookies are completely cool, decorate them with the royal icing as desired, using a piping bag or small spoon.