Start by letting your butter come to room temperature – I usually take it out about an hour before baking. You want it soft enough that your finger leaves an indent when you press it, but not so soft it’s melting.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. You’ll notice the color getting a bit lighter – that’s exactly what you want. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the egg, molasses, and vegetable oil. Mix until everything’s well combined and looks glossy. Don’t worry if it looks a bit separated at first – it’ll come together as you mix.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt. The spices tend to clump, so I like to use a whisk to break them up and distribute them evenly.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough will be pretty sticky – that’s normal! It should look dark and feel soft but workable.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you can. This step is crucial – chilling helps the flour absorb the liquid and makes the dough easier to handle.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Put your granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate shallow bowls.

Using slightly damp hands (this helps prevent sticking), roll the chilled dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball first in the granulated sugar (this helps the powdered sugar stick better), then generously in the powdered sugar. Really coat them well – this is what gives you those pretty cracks.

Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. They’ll spread as they bake.

Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Look for cookies that are puffed up and crackled, with edges that are just set but centers that still look slightly soft. Don’t overbake – they’ll continue firming up as they cool.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they’re quite delicate when hot), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.