Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Prepare the Dough:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
• Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
• Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.

Prepare the Rolling Mixture:

• In a small bowl, mix together sugar, cinnamon, and optional cardamom.

Shape and Roll:

• Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls.
• Roll each ball in the spiced sugar mixture to coat completely.

Bake the Cookies:

• Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain slightly soft.

Cool & Enjoy:

• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.