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Home » Muffins & Bread » Gingerbread Muffins

Gingerbread Muffins

Published: Nov 29, 2021 by Allison · 9 Comments

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Tender gingerbread muffins loaded with brown sugar, rich molasses, and warm spices. A fresh lemon icing is drizzled on top adding a burst of freshness. Enjoy old fashioned flavors that are perfect for the holiday season.

Gingerbread muffins topped with white icing next to two cinnamon sticks.

These Gingerbread Muffins are extra moist and flavorful with a classic flavor that will put you in the mood for the holidays! This easy recipe comes together by hand (no mixer needed) in a matter of minutes.

Jump to:
  • Recipe overview
  • Why you’ll love this recipe
  • Icing variations
  • More holiday recipes
  • Recipe

Recipe overview

  • Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl.
  • Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
  • Scoop into a greased or lined muffin tin.
  • Bake and cool.
  • Drizzle with lemon icing.
Muffin batter in a bowl for making gingerbread muffins.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Ease: These muffins come together by and with a whisk and a rubber spatula. No need to get out your mixer.

Flavor: The classic flavors of molasses, ginger, brown sugar, and cinnamon,

Versatility: Serve these muffins for breakfast, snack or dessert. You can make them plain or stir in some fresh fruit; we use diced pears or cranberries.

Half of a gingerbread muffin on top of a white muffin tin.

Icing variations

A fresh lemon icing adds a bright flavor that cuts the richness of the molasses. If you’d prefer to top these with another flavor of icing, you can omit the lemon juice and replace it with milk and add any of the following:

  • A few pinches of cinnamon
  • A couple drops of maple or vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon finely grated orange zest

More holiday recipes

  • Christmas cookies on a plate with red and green sprinkles and candies
    Christmas Cookies
  • Homemade Hot Chocolate
    Homemade Hot Chocolate
  • Stack of gingerbread cookie bars filled with white chocolate chips.
    Gingerbread Cookie Bars with White Chocolate Chips
  • Sticky toffee pudding cake on a white plate topped with whipped cream.
    Sticky Toffee Pudding

Recipe

Gingerbread muffins topped with white icing next to two cinnamon sticks.

Gingerbread Muffins

These tender gingerbread muffins are loaded with brown sugar, rich molasses, and warm spices. A fresh lemon icing is drizzled on top adding a burst of fresh flavor. Enjoy old fashioned flavors that are perfect for the holiday season.
4.60 from 5 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 274kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Muffins:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • ¼ cup applesauce
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablspoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top, optional

Lemon icing (optional):

  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Muffins:

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
  • In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar, molasses, oil, and applesauce. Whisk in egg, milk, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain, be careful not to overmix.
  • Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups (I use an ice cream scoop). If desired, sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little granulated sugar.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove each muffin and place directly on the rack to cool completely.

Icing:

  • Whisk all ingredients until smooth. Adjust to your desired consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more lemon juice to thin. Drizzle icing over cooled muffins.

Notes

Icing:
If you’d prefer to top these with another flavor icing, you can omit the lemon juice and replace it with milk and add any of the following:
  • A few pinches of cinnamon
  • A couple drops of maple or vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Adding fruit (optional):
Before the dry ingredients are fully mixed into the wet ingredients, you can stir in 1 ripe-firm peeled chopped pear or 1 cup fresh cranberries to the batter.
Recipe updated November 2021. Original recipe HERE.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

Recipe updated November 2021. Original recipe HERE.

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Comments

  1. Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes)

    December 06, 2014 at 11:03 am

    I love the addition of pear to the gingerbread. Great flavors!

    Reply
  2. June

    March 14, 2019 at 5:55 pm

    3 stars
    Can I make these without the pear?

    Reply
  3. Kylie

    October 27, 2019 at 6:09 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! These were so tasty and so soft and fluffy. I used extra pear, 2 standard size Bartlett pears. Even my two year old nephew liked them.

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      October 28, 2019 at 10:55 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Marilyn Sallee

    October 28, 2019 at 1:30 pm

    Did not understand 1 inch large pear. I just put 1 cup

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      October 28, 2019 at 1:46 pm

      Hi, Marilyn, I apologize for the confusion. The word “inch” was referring to chopping the pear pieces into 1/4-inch pieces. I appreciate you pointing this out, I just corrected it. Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Julie

    November 12, 2021 at 9:24 am

    5 stars
    These muffins are absolutely delicious, everyone in the family has requested more!

    Reply
    • Allison

      November 14, 2021 at 11:00 am

      That’s great to hear. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Blair

    February 02, 2022 at 10:15 pm

    5 stars
    For those of you who are curious to try this recipe; do, and 𝕕𝕠 𝕟𝕠𝕥 forget the lemon-icing! These muffins are delicious.

    Reply

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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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