Chef John's Gingersnap Cookies

1 . Stage

Whisk 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves, black pepper, and cayenne together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly mixed.

2 . Stage

Cream together butter and 2/3 cup sugar in a separate bowl until pale yellow and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add candied ginger, molasses, vanilla, and egg. Whisk mixture until well blended. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir just until the flour disappears. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

3 . Stage

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour 1/2 cup white sugar into a shallow dish for rolling cookies.

4 . Stage

Scoop out about 1 1/2 teaspoons dough with a small scoop or teaspoon. Form dough into balls and roll in white sugar. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Slightly flatten cookies to about 1/4-inch thick; sprinkle with a pinch more sugar.

5 . Stage

Bake in batches in the preheated oven until cookies are your desired crispiness or chewiness, 10 to 15 minutes. Chef John