The Best Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, Kosher salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until it's very light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Then, mix in the molasses until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Sift the the flour-cocoa mixture into to the wet ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl and ensure there are no dry spots. If you're adding chocolate chips, fold them into the dough. Then, cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Once the dough is chilled and you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Evenly pour the Turbinado sugar on a plate.

Using a #40 scoop (2 Tablespoons), scoop the dough into about 20 balls. Using your palms, shape each portion of dough into a smooth ball. Then, roll each ball in the Turbinado sugar. Place the cookie dough balls at least 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans. Refrigerate any cookie dough balls that don't fit on the sheet pans.

Bake the cookies on the middle rack for 10-11 minutes, flipping the pan halfway through, until the edges are set and the centers are still a bit shiny. (They may look raw in the center but they'll finish cooking as they cool). Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!