In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until fully incorporated.
Mix in the molasses and vanilla extract until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking process with the second disk of dough.