In a large bowl, blend together the molasses, brown sugar, and softened butter. Beat the ingredients with an electric mixer until the texture is smooth and creamy. Add in the cold water and continue to blend until smooth.

In a separate bowl; slowly sift together the flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt. Add in the flour mixture to the molasses mixture, blending until well combined and the dough is softened.

Divide the dough into three equal parts. Shape each section into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap or tightly covered in parchment paper. Place the dough into the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.

While the dough is chilling; preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a shallow baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. Set aside.

Working the dough in small batches; place one section of chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, gently roll the dough out to roughly a 1/4-inch thick. Cut out cookies with the gingerbread men cookie cutters. Place the cutout cookie dough shapes 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining dough, until all the dough has been cut out.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-13 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Be sure not to overbake. Upon removing the baking sheet from the oven, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Once the cookies are completely cooled, decorate with your favorite icing.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer at high speed until foamy.

Gradually add in the sugar and almond extract. Beat at high speed until the icing has thickened. If the icing is too thick, add a small amount of milk. If the icing is too thin, stir in a small amount of additional confectioners sugar until desired consistency is achieved.

Store leftover icing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.