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Gingerbread Muffins

Gingerbread Muffins with warm spices and a cracked domed top, baked until a toothpick comes out clean. Finish with a quick cream cheese glaze for a lightly tangy drizzle and sparkle of crystallized-style ginger flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1.5 tsp ginger
  • 0.5 tsp cloves
  • 0.5 tsp allspice
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.333 cup molasses
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.75 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners if desired. Set it aside so the tins are ready when the batter is mixed.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, black pepper, and salt in a bowl until evenly speckled. Stop when no dry clumps remain.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, molasses, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until glossy and smooth. The mixture should look uniform with no streaks of egg or molasses.
Combine and bake
  1. Fold wet into dry until just combined, stopping as soon as you no longer see dry flour. Divide batter into the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
  2. Bake at 375F for 18-20 minutes until the tops are deeply golden-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. A cracked, domed appearance should form as they rise.
Glaze and cool
  1. Cool muffins for 5 minutes in the pan. In a small bowl, stir powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla until smooth and drizzle-ready, then drizzle over warm muffins.

Notes

Pro tip: For tender crumb, mix wet into dry only until the flour disappears—overmixing can toughen the muffins. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months (glaze after thawing for best texture). Dietary swap: use lactose-free butter and lactose-free cream cheese/milk to keep the glaze creamy.