In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
In another large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
Beat in the egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla (it may look curdled - keep going).
Gradually beat in the flour mixture until a dough forms.
Gather the dough and transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap. Top with a second sheet of plastic wrap. Roll out the dough until 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until cold.
Once cold, cut out shapes with a cookie cutter and place on a cookie tray. Gather up the scraps and repeat until dough is gone. (If the dough sticks too much, refrigerate until cold.)
Freeze the cookie tray for at least 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until the edges are firm. Cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack or baking sheet to finish cooling completely.
Decorate the cookies with the colored icing of your choice. Let the icing harden before serving.
Notes
Pro Tip: If you don't have cookie cutters you can cut the dough with an inverted drinking glass