In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the molasses.
In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cloves, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients in three batches into the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition. Knead in the dough gently until smooth, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Lightly greased large baking sheets.
Preheat oven to 375 °F.
Form the dough into 1 ¼-inch balls and roll them in granulated sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes, or until set.
Let cool for 1-2 minutes on baking sheets then transfer cookies on racks to cool completely.
Notes
Recipe source: Canadian Christmas Cooking: The Classic Guide to Holiday Feasts.
Recipe by Salu Salo Recipes at https://salu-salo.com/old-fashioned-chewy-ginger-cookies/