In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and packed light brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, large egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is well combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until a stiff dough forms and is just combined.

Divide the dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of chilled dough to approximately 1/4-inch thickness.

Using gingerbread men cookie cutters, cut out shapes and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Gather and re-roll any dough scraps to cut additional cookies.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookie edges are firm but the centers remain slightly soft. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the gingerbread men cookies are completely cooled, you can decorate them with royal icing or other desired festive decorations.