Preparation Steps

• In the bowl of a stand mixer or using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the molasses, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix again.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing after each addition. Mix in the milk.
• Form the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and flatten each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about ¼-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes, then transfer the cut-outs to the prepared baking sheets, re-rolling the dough scraps as necessary.
• Bake, one sheet at a time, for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just set but the middles are still soft.
• Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.