In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, ground cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla. Continue mixing until the ingredients are well mixed.

Pour in the flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until mixed and no flour streaks remain. The dough will have a slightly sticky or tacky texture, but it will firm up and be easier to handle once it chills.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to chill.

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop and portion out the dough into evenly sized balls. Roll the balls into the granulated sugar and place onto the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the cookies just begin to crack and are slightly underdone in the center. They’ll continue to crack as they cool. Allow the cookies to set on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature. See post for tips and storage instructions.