Make a flax "egg" by stirring together 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water. Let rest for 5 minutes before using
Using a hand mixer, cream together the sugar, vegan butter, and molasses in a medium mixing bowl until smooth and cohesive. Add vanilla and flax egg, stirring until just combined.
Slowly mix in dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, salt. Mix with your stand mixer or wooden spoon until a cohesive cookie dough forms.
Cover the mixing bowl and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Fill a small bowl with ½ cup granulated sugar. Use a tablespoon to scoop out cookie dough. Use clean hands to roll each cookie dough scoop into roughly ping-pong sized balls. Coat cookie dough ball in sugar. Place cookie dough at least 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. After removing from the oven let cool on a cooling rack. Store cookies in a closed container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Video
Notes
Butter: Coconut oil also works, but it should be completely room temperature. It should be soft enough to easily cream into the sugar, but not completely melted. If your butter or oil is too hard/cold, pop it in the microwave for just 5 seconds at a time, until softened enough that it indents when pressed gently.
Flour: For best results, use the spoon and level method to measure out the flour. Use a spoon to fill a one-cup measure until overflowing. Wipe off excess flour using the back of a knife. Don't shake or pat down the flour.
Chill time: While it is not required, chilling the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes yields fluffier cookies. The cookies are more likely to spread and flatten if not chilled.
Freezing instructions: Let cookies cool to room temp before freezing. Freeze cookies in a freezer bag or freezer containers (these are my favorite kind) for up to 3 months.