Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves together in a medium bowl until evenly combined.

Beat the softened butter and brown sugar in a separate large bowl until light, smooth, and creamy. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla, then beat until fully blended.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until a firm dough forms. Avoid overmixing, which can make rolled cookies tough.

Divide the dough into two portions and flatten each portion into a disk. Wrap the disks and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll one dough disk on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Cut Mickey Mouse shapes with a cookie cutter and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. If the shapes become soft, chill the cut cookies for about 10 minutes before baking.

Bake each tray for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Do not overbake if you want a tender center.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before decorating.

Use prepared icing to outline the ears and face, or decorate the cookies in Mickey-inspired black, red, white, and yellow colors. Allow the icing to set before stacking or serving.