Whisk the dry ingredients. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar. In a larger bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add molasses, egg, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. The mixture may look slightly separated—this is fine.

Combine wet and dry. Add the flour mixture in two batches. Mix just until a soft dough forms and no streaks of flour remain.

Chill the dough. Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour. This makes rolling easier and helps cookies hold their shape.

Prep the air fryer. Preheat to 325°F (160°C) for 3–5 minutes. Line the basket with a parchment liner or a piece of parchment trimmed to fit. Lightly spritz with cooking spray if your liner isn’t nonstick.

Roll the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll to about ¼ inch thick for softer cookies or ⅛ inch for crisper ones. Dip cutters in flour to prevent sticking, then cut shapes or rounds.

Load the basket. Transfer cutouts to the lined basket, leaving a little space between each. Work in small batches so nothing overlaps.

Air fry. Cook at 325°F (160°C) for 5–7 minutes. They’re done when the edges are set and slightly darker, and the centers look dry but still soft. Smaller or thinner cookies may finish in 4–5 minutes.

Cool. Let cookies rest in the basket for 2 minutes, then move to a rack. They firm up as they cool.

Make quick icing. Stir powdered sugar with a splash of milk or water to form a thick, pipeable glaze. Add a few drops of lemon juice or vanilla. Adjust with more liquid or sugar as needed.

Decorate. Once cookies are completely cool, pipe outlines, add dots, or flood with glaze. Let icing set 30–60 minutes.

Bake the rest. Repeat with remaining dough. Keep the unused dough chilled for clean cuts and sharp edges.