Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses, mixing well.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl: flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Add to creamed mixture a little bit at a time. Mix well.
Chill for at least half an hour or up to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Shape dough into 1.5 inch balls (about the size of a ping pong ball) and roll in granulated sugar. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet 3 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheets to cool.
Notes
For the most consistent results, use the “spoon and level” method for measuring out flour. Simply use a spoon to add flour to your cup measure until overflowing, then use the back of a knife to level off the excess flour.
Freezing instructions: Let cookies cool to room temp. Place in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Vegan options: I recommend checking out my vegan gingerbread cookies recipe which is very similar. It uses coconut oil and an egg substitute.