• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, pepper, and salt until combined, set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a bowl using a hand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.,
• With the mixer on low, slowly add the molasses and milk to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until combined. Turn off mixture and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl if needed.
• Add the flour mixture and turn the mixer on low, mixing until combined.
• Turn the dough onto a work surface; divide it in half. Place one portion on a sheet of parchment paper, pat it into a disc and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick between the 2 sheets of parchment paper. Leaving the dough sandwiched between the parchment layers, stack on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight. Alternatively, place in the freezer and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat.
• Remove 1 dough sheet from the fridge; place on the work surface. Peel off the top parchment sheet and gently lay it back in place. Flip the dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. This is important or the dough may stick to the parchment after cutting out shapes.
• Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes, transferring shapes to prepared baking sheets with a wide metal spatula, spacing them 3/4 inch apart; set the scraps aside. When cookie sheet is full, place in the fridge until you are ready to put it in the oven.
• Repeat with the remaining dough until baking sheets are full. Bake the cookies until set in the centers, 8 to 11 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheets 2 minutes, then remove the cookies with a wide metal spatula to a wire rack; cool to room temperature.

Make Royal Icing

• Use a fine mesh sieve to sift the powdered sugar and the meringue powder. Add 4 tablespoons of water and mix with a whisk or electric mixer. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Fill pastry bags fitted with tips or plastic squeeze bottles and decorate cooled cookies with icing.