Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In your mixer, cream the sugar and butter together for 4-5 minutes until nice and fluffy.
Beat in the egg for another minute or two.
Beat in the molasses and vanilla until well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and black pepper.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined, scraping down the sides as necessary. This is a very soft dough.
Place the 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small cereal sized bowl.
Use a medium cookie scoop to grab a ball of dough and dump it straight from the cookie scoop in to the sugar, shake the bowl, then toss it around gently with your fingertips to make a ball completely covered in sugar. Place the ball on the baking sheet.
Repeat with all the dough – it, placing the balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. This will make about 24 balls.
Bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes.
Remove from oven, let sit for 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to cooling rack until cool.