• In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the egg, molasses, and white vinegar; beat well.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground ginger.
• Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.

Chill the dough

• Divide the dough into 2 flat discs, cover each with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to chill. The dough can be left in the fridge to chill for up to 2 days.
• After chilling, remove one disc and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Add more flour as needed to the dough and rolling pin. Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes. Remove the dough scraps and use a spatula to transfer the shapes to a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.
• Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes. Then move to a cooling rack. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. However, because the dough has been out of the fridge and has been warmed by your hands, place your next set of cut out cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking to ensure they keep their shape.
• Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting them.

Buttercream Frosting

• Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl, beat using an electric mixer for 90 seconds.
• Gradually add the powdered sugar, I usually do 2 cups at a time, and add the vanilla and almond extracts, beat again. Taste the frosting to see if you want it sweeter. I liked the way mine turned out with 4 cups of powdered sugar. If the frosting is too thick add 1 tbsp of milk or heavy cream, beat until creamy.
• Decide how many colors you want and divide the frosting into bowls accordingly. Add a small amount of gel food coloring to each bowl, using a spoon or spatula to mix until the color is even.
• Use piping bags fit with small round tips to pipe the frosting on or use spreaders to spread on the frosting. Add sprinkles if desired. Allow the frosting to harden for several hours or overnight. I usually place my cookies on baking sheets and cover with lids or tent with tin foil.

Royal Icing

• In a medium to small sized mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients (minus the gel food coloring) and mix with a spatula or mixer until smooth. Add more milk or water, 1 tsp at a time, if the frosting is too thick. Divide into bowls and add gel food coloring. Transfer to piping bags or squeeze bottles to easily decorate the cookies.