Make the Cookie Dough: Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until creamed. Add the brown sugar and mix until well creamed together, about 1 minute. Add the molasses and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients, and mix until a dough forms. Add 1-2 tsp of milk if your dough is a bit crumbly.

Roll and Chill: Divide the dough into two halves, and roll each one out to ⅜" thickness between sheets of parchment paper. Place the rolled dough, still sandwiched in parchment paper, on a baking sheet and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Chill for 1-2 hours in the fridge or shorter in the freezer, until completely chilled and firm.

Cut out Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Cut shapes out of the chilled dough and place cookies a couple of inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. If the cookies are no longer firm and cold to the touch from working with the dough, pop the pan back in the fridge or freezer for 5 to 15 minutes to re-chill.

Bake: Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes. The cookies should appear just set, and will look a tad puffy. Let them cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Decorate: Decorate by dipping the cooled cookies in glaze, dusting them with powdered sugar, or piping them with royal icing.

Make Royal Icing: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, starting with 4 tablespoons of water, and mix on high speed with an electric mixer for about 1 and ½ minutes. Adjust the thickness as needed.

Serve + Store: Enjoy cookies once decorated! Store cooled, set cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 4-6 days, or in the fridge for 6-8.