• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the vegan gingerbread cookies:

• Add the sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until it's light and fluffy. Add the molasses, milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
• Add the flour, spices and baking soda and mix until combined. If you pinch the dough between two fingers, it should stick together without crumbling. If the dough is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons more milk and mix through. If your dough is too wet, add 1-2 tablespoons more flour and mix.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough so it is about 6mm (¼ inch) thick. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes. Carefully place each cookie on a lined baking tray leaving 1-inch between each of them. You may need to use a flat spatula to transfer them,
• Collect the excess dough, roll it out and cut out more shapes from the dough. Repeat until you have no more dough.
• Bake the cookies in the oven. For soft cookies that are 4-inches tall, bake them for 12-14 minutes. For crunchy cookies, bake them for around 14-16 minutes. Adjust the baking time for smaller cookies. The cookies are done when they have slightly puffed up and the edges look set.

Decorate the cookies:

• Add the icing ingredients to a bowl and mix until it forms a thick paste. If you hold a spoon of icing above the, it should drip down in thick ribbons and keep shape for 5-10 seconds. Add a little more sugar to thicken and a little more liquid to thin the frosting.
• Use a fine-tipped piping bag to decorate your gingerbread cookies as desired. Allow the icing to dry at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
• Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for 1 week or freezer for up to 1 month. Allow the cookies to come back to room temperature before enjoying them.