Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 2 cookie sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set these aside.

In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Set this mixture aside for coating the cookies.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, salt, ground ginger, ground cloves, and nutmeg. Set it aside.

In a stand mixer, cream the softened butter, light brown sugar, and the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes).

Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix until well combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until everything is fully combined with no dry patches.

Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to scoop one heaping tablespoon of dough. Roll it into a ball and coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place the coated dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each for spreading. Repeat until all dough is used.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, ensuring the edges are just set.

Sprinkle the tops with any remaining cinnamon sugar mixture right out of the oven.

Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.