Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color – about 4 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses, mixing well.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix just until combined to avoid over-mixing the dough.
Place 1/2 cup of sugar into a small bowl. Roll the dough into small balls and coat them well with sugar. Place the coated dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Be careful not to overbake; these cookies are meant to be soft.
While the cookies cool, whip up the Cream Cheese Frosting. In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is thick and creamy.
Once the cookies have cooled, generously frost them with the cream cheese frosting.
For storage, cover the cookies and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to indulge in these delightful Frosted Molasses Ginger Cookies. Enjoy!