Using a hand or stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar together 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 about ½ cup at a time. Mix well.
Chill for at least half an hour or up to 48 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 on the middle oven rack, until the edges are set and golden. The center will appear slightly underdone. Let rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
How to measure flour: 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 until overflowing, then use the back of a knife to level off the excess flour. Better yet, use a scale to measure flour by gram weight. One cup of flour weighs 120 grams.
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.