Cream the shortening and the brown sugar. Stir in the egg and molasses and mix well.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture and mix well. Cover and chill dough for at least 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

Roll dough into balls the size of large walnuts. Roll balls in sugar and place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for one minute before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.