Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined. (It will be thick and sticky.) REFRIGERATE the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. (This makes the dough easier to handle.) The dough can be chilled for up to 2-3 days.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350℉, line half sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and place some granulated sugar in a bowl.
Use a medium, #40 scoop (about 1.5 Tablespoons) to scoop the cookie dough into balls. Roll gently with your hands, then roll the dough in the sugar until coated on all sides. Place the cookies onto the prepared trays about 3-inches apart (8 cookies per tray.)
Bake pumpkin gingersnap cookies at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies look cracked on top and set at the edges. They will be puffy, but deflate some upon cooling.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
TIP: Work quickly so the dough doesn’t warm up and get too soft and sticky. Roll and coat all of the cookies with sugar and refrigerate the prepared dough balls while other cookies bake.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months.
To freeze the cookie dough, roll the cookies into balls and place on a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 30-60 minutes or until firm. Transfer the balls to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, separating any layers with parchment paper. Do not coat in sugar. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, roll cookies in sugar, then bake. You may want to thaw the cookie dough slightly (10-15 minutes at room temperature) so the sugar will adhere better. Or bake them from frozen for a few extra minutes, without rolling in sugar.