I know—I just admitted I “don’t really love gingerbread…”
And now here we are.
Muffins. Gingerbread muffins. Hello, hypocrite.
To be clear: I’m not a fan of traditional gingerbread cookies, especially when they’re crisp. But once or twice a season I crave that cozy holiday flavor—think gingerbread lattes or warm-spiced baked goods—just to feel festive.
When muffins are hot from the oven and softened butter melts into every crumb, creating that comforting, buttery breakfast you could happily eat every day in December, I suddenly want gingerbread. Or at least the scent of it. Weird? Maybe. But it works.
I’m doing nostalgic things lately—I’m about to have a baby and everything feels uncertain—so I keep reaching for flavors that smell and taste like childhood. If that resonates with you, you know what I mean.
Last night we put up our Christmas tree, and this was the first year we waited until after Thanksgiving. In past years I’ve been that overexcited person who gets the tree up in early November, but this year we held off and now I’m determined to make up for every missed moment of holiday lounging and cozy naps on the couch.
I also have a little blogging tradition: every year I usually share an eggnog-spiked recipe the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year I broke that pattern because eggnog didn’t feel right for the moment—except in a latte—and I didn’t want to put out something I wouldn’t love. Instead, gingerbread seemed like the next best choice. Don’t worry—an eggnog-based, boozy recipe is coming in a few weeks and I’m very excited about it.
Muffins felt more appropriate for a Monday. Everyone needs a muffin on Monday, no matter how much stuffing or potatoes you ate over the holiday. Also, it’s kind of amazing not to worry about sucking your stomach in after Thanksgiving dinner.
Because I’m not a full-on gingerbread fanatic, these are a toned-down version: ginger-spiced muffins with a hint of maple and a crunchy sprinkle of raw sugar on top. For an extra touch, stir a bit of vanilla bean into softened butter and spread it on warm muffins—heavenly.
Gingerbread Maple Muffins
12
to 16 muffins
35 mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2/3 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2/3 cup milk
- Raw sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with liners. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Set aside.
- In a larger bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and egg. Add the molasses, maple syrup and vanilla and whisk to combine. Whisk in the melted butter until fully incorporated. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined—do not overmix. Before the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, stir in the milk until the batter is smooth.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Sprinkle generously with raw sugar. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are set and no longer jiggly. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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It’s worth being a hypocrite.