The Fox Viewer

1. Begin by whisking together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for later use.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.

3. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture, beating until the ingredients are smoothly incorporated.

4. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. If needed, adjust the consistency by adding a touch more flour until it reaches the desired texture.

5. Divide the dough into two equal portions, shaping each portion into a flattened disk. Wrap them securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the dough firms up.

6. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use gingerbread men cookie cutters to cut out shapes, transferring them onto the prepared baking sheets with some space between each cookie.

8. Gather any remaining dough scraps, re-roll them, and repeat the cutting process until all the dough is utilised.

9. Bake the gingerbread men in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set and turn a light golden brown.

10. Once baked, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

11. Once the cookies are fully cooled, unleash your creativity by decorating them with royal icing, sprinkles, coloured sugar, or any other festive embellishments of your choice.

12. Allow the icing to set completely before storing the gingerbread men in an airtight container at room temperature.