Prep your baking sheets. Line two sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla until smooth. If using orange zest, add it now.

Combine wet and dry. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing on low just until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.

Chill briefly. Cover the bowl and chill for 30–45 minutes to make scooping easier and promote thicker cookies.

Shape and sugar-coat. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions (about 30 g each). Roll into balls, then roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat.

Bake. Arrange on trays, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops show light cracks. The centers should still look slightly soft.

Cool. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. They’ll firm up as they cool but stay soft inside.

Optional glaze. For a gentle finish, whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1–2 teaspoons milk and a drop of vanilla. Drizzle after the cookies cool.