In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until no streaks remain. Set aside.

In a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once or twice. The mixture should look pale and almost whipped.

Beat in the molasses until fully combined, about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat just until incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed. The batter will look slightly curdled - this is normal.

Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until no dry flour remains and a soft, sticky dough forms, about 30 seconds. Do not overmix.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into balls between your palms. Roll each ball generously in granulated sugar to coat completely. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2.5 inches apart (these spread significantly).

Bake at 350F until the cookies are deeply crackled across the surface, the edges look set, and the centers no longer appear wet, 10-12 minutes. The cookies should look slightly underdone in the very center - they will crisp as they cool. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. They will crisp fully after 20-30 minutes.