Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In another bowl, mix together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
With the mixer set to low speed, add dry ingredients gradually to the wet ingredients in 2 batches, mixing slowly until the dough forms.Do not overmix.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disc shape. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper
On a lightly floured surface, roll out cookie dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut into gingerbread men using a cookie cutter. Gather and roll out scraps as necessary. Use a spatula to carefully transfer cut-out cookies to the prepared baking tray, planing them 1-inch apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool fully.
To make the icing, add the confectioner’s sugar, milk, and light corn syrup to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Divide icing amongst bowls and color as desired. Transfer to piping bags or squeeze bottles and decorate as desired.
Notes
Make sure that you have chilled the dough until it is easy to handle. If you are finding the dough has become sticky and difficult to work with as you cut your cookies, place it back in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to firm up again.
Do not overmix the dough for these gingerbread men cookies. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix on low just until combined.
To freeze dough: This gingerbread men cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Storage: Allow icing to fully harden before stacking or storing the cookies. This will take several hours. Cookies will keep for 5 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
To freeze baked cookies: Freeze undecorated gingerbread cookies in individual bags or between sheets of waxed paper so that they do not stick together. Although if you are trying to save them to decorate on another day, the easiest t option is to freeze the dough instead, then bake and decorate.