Place the whole spices in a spice (or clean coffee) grinder and grind until fine. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or in large bowl with hand mixer), cream the butter with the ground spices, including the cinnamon, at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix just until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the egg and orange zest and mix until well-blended, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the flour is absorbed and the dough starts to come together, about 30 seconds.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until the dough forms a smooth mass. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a log approximately 8 inches long. Roll tightly in plastic wrap, and then tightly in heavy duty foil. At this point you can either chill for at least 2 hours or place the dough in the freezer.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, pre-heat the oven to 375 F. Slice the dough into rounds as thin as you can, approximately 1/8-inch thick. Place them on a silicone or parchment lined cookie sheet about an inch apart.

Bake until cookies are golden around the edges and on the bottoms, about 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets on racks--they will not be crispy when they first come out of the oven. Store in airtight containers.