Warm up your mornings with these Gingerbread Muffins! Sweet, spiced, and tender, they’re everything you love about the holidays in muffin form.
Start your day off with a breakfast that embodies the holidays with these Gingerbread Muffins! Ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg bring these muffins to life and fill your kitchen with all your favorite holiday flavors. They’re perfect for breakfast, as a snack, or any time of the day!
We’re huge fans of all things gingerbread. If you like these muffins then you have to try our Gingerbread Pancakes and Gingerbread Waffles.
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
Spices – You’ll need cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. I’d highly recommend using all four of these to get that wonderful robust flavor that gingerbread has.
Turbinado Sugar – The golden, chunky sugar sprinkled on top adds a delightful crunch and sparkle. It’s often sold in the bulk section, so grab just what you need for this recipe.
Molasses – I recommend using light or dark molasses rather than blackstrap. Blackstrap molasses is overpowering, salty, and bitter, because it doesn’t have as much sugar as normal molasses.
For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Vegan Muffins – Replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water), use coconut oil or vegetable oil, and substitute cashew milk with any plant-based milk like almond or oat milk.
How to Make Gingerbread Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). Line a standard-size muffin tin with 12 liners, and set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, oil, and applesauce. Mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
Step 3: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Gradually alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk. Mix just until combined.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin (I used a large cookie/ice cream scoop) – fill ¾ of the way full. Sprinkle with sugar if desired (omit if you plan on glazing them).
Step 5: Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius), then turn the oven down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and bake for an additional 5–7 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: For the glaze: in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Step 7: Dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze and swirl for 30 seconds or so to remove any excess glaze. Allow to harden/set for 10 minutes before serving.
FAQs
These gingerbread muffins are delicious on their own, but you can also serve them warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of maple syrup. They’re perfect alongside a cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa for a cozy breakfast or snack.
Yes, this recipe works well for mini muffins. Adjust the baking time to 8–10 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
Storage Information
STORE your Bakery Style Muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. If glazed, the glaze helps keep the tops from drying out. For longer storage, refrigerate them to extend freshness by an additional 2 days.
To FREEZE, let the muffins cool completely, then wrap each individually in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Holiday Desserts to Try
Gingerbread Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar - packed
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup canola oil - OR vegetable OR coconut oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp kosher sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup cashew milk - we like Almond Breeze*
- turbinado sugar - for sprinkling on the top
For the Maple Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp cashew milk - we like Almond Breeze*
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). Line a standard-size muffin tin with 12 liners, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, oil, and applesauce. Mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Gradually alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk. Mix just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin (I used a large cookie/ice cream scoop) – fill ¾ of the way full. Sprinkle with sugar if desired (omit if you plan on glazing them).
- Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius), then turn the oven down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and bake for an additional 5–7 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the glaze: in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze and swirl for 30 seconds or so to remove any excess glaze. Allow to harden/set for 10 minutes before serving.
Tasted amazing! Really love having these with my morning coffee.
I followed the recipe to a T but my muffins sunk. Any idea how that must’ve happened?
Maybe they were undercooked? Or your leavening agents weren’t fresh? It’s hard to tell without seeing a picture of them.
I made these for my daughter’s pre-school class. I thought they tasted amazing and her teacher said they were very much enjoyed by all. Thank you!
Made these today! The recipe made 12 large muffins, but I had to cook them about 6 minutes longer than it said. They’re really good, but I wish they were about more gingery. Next time I make these I’m gonna add more spices. Otherwise they’re great! Thanks for the recipe 🙂