In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Make sure everything is evenly combined...you don’t want streaks of spice or clumps of baking soda hiding in there. Set the bowl aside for now.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes, until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and slightly pale in colour. Stop halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything mixes evenly.

Crack in the egg and pour in the vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture looks smooth and slightly thickened - it should look glossy and evenly combined. Then add the molasses and mix again on low speed until fully incorporated. The batter will darken and become rich and shiny, with a deep caramel smell. If it looks a little separated at first, just keep mixing. It will come together beautifully once the flour is added.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two or three additions. Stir gently between each addition...just until you no longer see streaks of flour. The dough will feel soft and sticky, which is exactly right.

Cover the bowl with cling film (plastic wrap) or a clean tea towel and place it in the fridge for 30–60 minutes. This step makes the dough easier to handle and helps the flavours deepen. If you skip chilling, the cookies may spread too much in the oven. When you’re ready to bake, take the dough out and let it sit for a few minutes to soften slightly...it should be cool and firm but easy to scoop.

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line your baking trays with parchment paper.

Pour the granulated sugar into a small bowl for coating the dough balls. Scoop a small amount of dough (size 40 cookie scoop or a heaped tablespoon) and roll it between your palms to form a smooth ball. Roll each ball in the sugar until completely coated...the more even the coating, the better the crackly finish. Place the dough balls on your lined trays, leaving a few inches of space between each one to allow for spreading.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, or until the tops are cracked, and the edges are just starting to set. The centres should still look slightly soft — that’s how you get that perfect chewy texture once they cool. Avoid overbaking, as they’ll firm up as they rest.

Leave the cookies on the tray for 2–3 minutes before moving them. They’ll be very soft straight out of the oven. Transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, they’ll have crisp edges, soft middles, and that rich old-fashioned flavour that never disappoints.