With a standing mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add in the molasses and the egg, and beat the dough until well combined.
Add in flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Mix until combined well combined.
Chill dough for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll dough into about 1 1/2" balls (about the size of a walnut), and roll in granulated sugar. Place each cookie about 2" apart on the baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies begin to puff up and crack. Let the cookies cool on the baking trays until they set (the cookies will flatten a bit--this is totally normal).
Sprinkle with extra sugar, if desired. Let the cookies finish cooling a wire rack.