- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and baking powder.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the brown sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves, and then the eggs. With the mixer still on, drizzle in the maple syrup and beat until blended. Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 batches.
- Divide the dough in half and pat into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F) and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough 1 cm (½ in.) thick.
- Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Reroll the dough scraps and cut out more cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on their size, until the tops are dry and the edges just start to darken; rotate the pans halfway through baking.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer to racks to cool completely. Decorate with powdered sugar or icing and serve! The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
These cookies freeze well for a simple, effective way to enjoy them long after the holidays!