Cream softened butter and light brown sugar in a large bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until combined. Add the egg, molasses, vinegar, and vanilla extract, mixing on medium-low speed until fully incorporated.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and all the gingerbread spices until well mixed.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture, mixing on low speed just until a soft cookie dough forms.

Cover the bowl and chill the cookie dough for a minimum of 3 hours, or up to overnight; if chilled overnight, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften for easier rolling.

Once ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Divide the dough in half and roll each portion to ¼-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.

Cut out cookies using your preferred shapes and place them on lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart, ensuring similarly sized cookies are on the same sheet.

Bake medium-sized cookies for 8-10 minutes, large cookies for 12-14 minutes, and smaller cookies for 6-8 minutes; cookies are done when they spring back slightly when touched, but avoid overbaking.

Cool the baked cookies on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely prior to decorating.