In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with the packed brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract, and mix until fully combined.

Chill the dough by dividing it into two discs, wrapping in plastic wrap, and refrigerating for at least 120 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut out gingerbread men shapes.

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until the edges are firm and the centers are soft. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Decorate the cooled cookies with royal icing, colored sugar, or chocolate chips as desired.