Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, add the sugar for rolling.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and golden yellow sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the egg and molasses. Beat until smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour mixture. Briefly beat the dough together until most of the flour is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Beat for a few more seconds until the flour is fully incorporated.
Use a cookie scoop (or spoon) to create evenly portioned cookies. Use your hands to roll each portion into a smooth ball.
Roll each dough ball in sugar and arrange them on the parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are just set.
After removing the cookies from the oven, bang the baking sheet on the counter to collapse the cookies and encourage spreading. This will also help create that lovely crinkled effect.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. The cookies will continue cooking while they cool on the baking sheet.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.For thick cookies: Go ahead and chill the dough for 30 minutes after shaping but before rolling in sugar. This will prevent the cookies from spreading as much and will give you thicker, denser cookies. They'll still be somewhat crinkled, but not nearly as much as you see here.For warm climates: If you're baking these cookies in warm weather (above 75°F/24°C), they may be impossible to shape without chilling the dough. If you're having trouble shaping the dough into balls, place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes before attempting to shape.