Gingerbread is one of those holiday treats that I don’t actually make as often as you might expect. I use most of the flavors — cinnamon especially — all over the place, but actual gingerbread? That’s a rarity. But, since I’m always looking for new things to try for this blog, I decided to start trying out different kinds of gingerbread for the season. Look forward to more coming soon!
These gingerbread muffins are interesting. The actual ginger and cinnamon flavors don’t come through as strongly as I would have thought, given how much is in the recipe. At the same time, the molasses is quite strong to me. My partner didn’t think so, so maybe it’s according to taste.
One nice thing about ginger as a spice is that it builds up as you enjoy it. The first bite or two may seem a little subdued, but by the time you’ve had a whole muffin, your mouth will be suffused with a mild, pleasant warmth.
The recipe as I found it called for topping it with decorative crystal sugar. I don’t have any of that, so I used sprinkles. I definitely recommend harder sugar sprinkles, since other kinds melt too easily. Alternatively, these could go well with a flavored icing, maybe something like a cinnamon or cream cheese frosting. I wanted to keep them light, so I opted not to make a batch for this run.
I do have two tips to make sure your muffins turn out well. First, make sure not to over-mix the batter, or it can get a little rubbery from working the gluten in the flour. It’s not the end of the world, but it can be a bit chewier than you might expect. Cake flour might help too. Second, don’t over-fill the muffin cups. The bigger muffins tended to have worse texture and stuck more to the cups than the smaller muffins. If you do over-fill, bake another minute or two to try to even it out.
Want to know how to make these warm, comforting muffins for the winter season? Just follow the recipe!
Gingerbread Muffins
Equipment
- Muffins Tins
- Muffin Cups
- Mixing Bowl
- Cookie Scoop
- Rubber Spatula
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups
Ingredients
- 1½ Cups Flour
- 1⅓ Cup Buttermilk
- ⅔ Cup Brown Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Molasses
- ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Tsp Ground Ginger
- 2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice Or cinnamon
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Tsp Salt
- ¼ Tsp Baking Soda
- 1 Egg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Line your muffin tins with cups of your choice.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, ginger, pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, cream together the oil and brown sugar. Add in the molasses and mix until it's smooth, then add the egg and further mix well.
- Add the buttermilk and mix until well combined. Then, add the flour mixture to the liquid and mix until it comes together. Try not to over-mix or you'll work the gluten too much.
- Fill each muffin cup until they're a bit more than halfway full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes. Check doneness with the toothpick method. Once a toothpick comes out clean, you're ready to let them cool and enjoy.