Gingerbread Muffins with Sweet Lemon Glaze
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 12-14 muffins
Ingredients:
Gingerbread Muffins:
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (180ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
2 and 2/3 cups (334g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature*
optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling
Lemon Glaze:
1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar (or more, as needed)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Generously grease a 12-count muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray or line with muffin liners. Set aside.
Cut the butter into smaller pieces so it melts more easily. In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter and molasses together in the microwave on high for about 1 minute. Whisk until thoroughly mixed together. Set aside to slightly cool as you mix the dry ingredients together.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together.
Into the molasses/butter mixture, whisk the brown sugar, egg, yogurt, and milk until all wet ingredients are combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until *just* combined. Do not over-mix. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy.
Divide batter among prepared muffin pan, filling all the way to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar (for added crunch, recommended!), if desired. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue to bake for 15-16 minutes until the tops are cracked and centers are set. Use a toothpick to test. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before glazing and serving.
Make the glaze: As the muffins cool, prepare your lemon glaze by mixing all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. If desired, add more confectioners’ sugar to thicken or more milk to thin out. Drizzle on top of warm muffins. Icing will set as the muffins cool, so these are great for storing and/or transporting.
Cover leftover (iced or plain) muffins and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. Muffins (iced or plain) freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Notes:
Molasses: I prefer Grandma’s brand dark molasses, but you can also use a light or mild molasses. I do not recommend blackstrap because of its extremely intense/bitter flavor.
Milk: I use whole milk in these muffins, but you can use lower-fat milks or nondairy milk if needed.
Jumbo Muffins or Mini Muffins: For 6-7 jumbo-size muffins, bake in a 6-count jumbo muffin pan, increase baking time to 26-30 total minutes: 5 initial minutes at 425°F and 21-25 minutes at 350°F. For about 50 mini muffins, bake for 11-12 minutes at 350°F the entire time.
The muffin batter is thick—this helps create a denser muffin-like texture. Gingerbread cupcake batter, on the other hand, is a little thinner because we’re looking for a lighter cupcake texture.
The Trick for Tall Muffin Tops:
And one more thing before I leave you with the recipe! Fill your muffin tins all the way to the top. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F, then for about 15-16 minutes at 350°F. This initial high oven temperature lifts the muffin top up quickly and creates a tall crust, which is why filling the muffin tins to the top is imperative.
Most muffins bake between 350°F – 375°F for the entire time. Setting the oven to 425°F initially and then lowering the temperature after 5 minutes guarantees muffins with tall, sugar-crusted, crackly tops. I do this with all my muffin recipes!
Recipe courtesy of Sally’s Baking Addiction.com
