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Freshly baked gingerbread muffins with cinnamon sugar topping cooling on a wire rack, surrounded by cinnamon sticks and rustic holiday baking ingredients on a marble countertop.
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🎄 Gingerbread Muffins

These Gingerbread Muffins are soft, moist, and warmly spiced with classic gingerbread flavors from molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The combination of butter and oil creates a tender bakery-style crumb, while buttermilk keeps the muffins fluffy and moist. They're perfect for holiday breakfasts, cozy afternoon snacks, or make-ahead treats throughout the winter season.
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, Holiday Baking
Keyword bakery style muffins, breakfast muffins, buttermilk muffins, christmas breakfast recipe, Christmas muffins, easy gingerbread muffins, festive muffin recipe, ginger muffins, gingerbread breakfast muffins, gingerbread muffin recipe, gingerbread muffins, holiday baking, holiday breakfast ideas, holiday muffins, homemade gingerbread muffins, homemade muffin recipe, moist gingerbread muffins, molasses muffins, spiced muffins, winter baking recipes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 muffins
Calories 220kcal
Cost $4 for entire recipe

Equipment

  • 12-cup muffin pan
  • Paper muffin liners
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Cooling rack
  • Ice cream scoop or cookie scoop (optional, for evenly portioning the batter)

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of ground allspice

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup molasses
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Topping

  • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, molasses, melted butter, vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. A few small lumps are perfectly fine. Do not overmix.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  • If using the topping, combine the coarse sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the muffin batter.
  • Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
  • Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Notes

These gingerbread muffins are soft, moist, and full of classic holiday flavor. The combination of molasses, brown sugar, and warm spices creates a rich gingerbread taste while the butter and oil keep the muffins tender for days.

Use the Right Molasses

For the best flavor, use regular or dark unsulphured molasses. It provides the deep color and signature taste that makes gingerbread muffins so delicious. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which can make the muffins bitter and overpower the spices.

Measure the Flour Properly

Too much flour is one of the most common reasons muffins turn out dry. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife rather than scooping directly from the bag. This helps create a light, tender crumb.

Don't Overmix

Mix the batter only until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing can develop too much gluten, resulting in dense or tough muffins instead of soft, fluffy gingerbread muffins.

Use Room-Temperature Ingredients

Room-temperature eggs and buttermilk blend more evenly into the batter, creating a smoother texture and helping the muffins rise properly.

Create Bakery-Style Muffin Tops

For tall, domed muffin tops, bake the muffins at 425°F for the first 5 minutes before reducing the temperature to 375°F for the remainder of the baking time. This quick burst of heat encourages a beautiful rise.

Customize the Spice Level

These muffins have a balanced spice profile that's family-friendly. If you love bold gingerbread flavor, add an extra ½ teaspoon of ground ginger or a pinch of extra cinnamon.

Watch the Baking Time

Start checking for doneness around 18 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Overbaking can make the muffins dry.

Make Ahead Friendly

These gingerbread muffins actually taste even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop. Store them in an airtight container overnight for an even richer gingerbread flavor.

Freezing Tips

Allow the muffins to cool completely before freezing. Store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm slightly before serving for the best texture.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these gingerbread muffins warm with butter, cream cheese, maple butter, or a drizzle of honey. They pair perfectly with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or a glass of cold milk.