Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk the flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar with electric beaters until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the egg, water, and molasses, and beat until smooth.
Place the raw sugar in a small bowl. Using 1 tablespoon at a time, roll the dough into balls and coat in sugar. Arrange on a baking sheet 1 inch apart, and press down slightly with your fingertips.
Bake for 12 minutes (they’ll still be soft when you pull them out) and let cool for 5 minutes on the pan on a cooling rack. Remove from the pan and place directly on the cooling rack to finish cooling.
NOTE: These will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days – though I highly doubt they’ll last that long!
