In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer, until creamy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place some sugar in a small bowl. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of the dough in the sugar until well coated. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until edges are set and tops are cracked, but still very soft. Let cool on the baking sheet for a 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.