Gingerbread is one of those flavors that instantly signals cozy season has arrived. Warm spices and rich molasses together create this unique, sweet, and nostalgic flavor. These gingerbread muffins have all the classic gingerbread flavor you expect without being overly sweet. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert, my gingerbread muffins are perfectly moist and just sweet enough, letting the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg really shine.
My recipe uses about one-third less sugar than many traditional gingerbread muffin recipes. The sweetness comes naturally from molasses and maple syrup, which provides another layer of warm cozy flavor. Plain Greek yogurt adds moisture and richness while keeping the crumb tender, and a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour provides structure with a subtle nuttiness and a boost of fiber. The result is a muffin that is satisfying and balanced, while still tasting like a true gingerbread treat.
My gingerbread muffins come together easily in 30 minutes and only use one bowl! The muffins bake up with tall, domed tops thanks to starting at a higher oven temperature. Enjoy them yourself all week long or gift them as part of a treat box for your friends, coworkers, and neighbors!
Gingerbread Muffins
These cozy, warmly spiced gingerbread muffins have a rich molasses flavor and a nourishing fiber boost. They're moist and perfectly sweet while also containing less sugar and saturated fat than a traditional muffin.
Ingredients
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups well.
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To a large bowl, whisk together the greek yogurt, egg, vanilla, spices, and salt. Mix until well combined.
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Next, add in the oil, molasses, maple syrup, and milk and whisk again until well combined.
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Add in baking powder and baking soda and mix until dissolved.
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Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon. Add in the flour and mix gently until just combined. The batter will be lumpy and a couple spots of flour visible are okay. Try not to over mix!
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Split the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. They should be filled about 3/4 of the way full. This is optional, but for a crunchy muffin top, sprinkle each muffin top with coarse sugar.
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Bake the muffins at 400F for 10 mins, then turn down the oven temperature to 375 and finish baking for about 7-8 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean.
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Let the muffins cool on a wire rack before eating. Will keep for about 5 days at room temperature and a few days longer if kept in the fridge.
Notes
What if I don't have whole wheat flour?
You can use more all purpose flour in place of the whole wheat flour. You can also use white whole wheat flour. I haven't tried this, but you could probably also use oat flour if you have that on hand. You can even make your own by blending up the same amount of oats in a blender until finely ground.
Can I make this gluten free?
I haven't tried using gluten free flour, however I imagine you could replace all of the flour with a gluten free all purpose mix. You could also use oat flour in place of the whole wheat flour or just use entirely all purpose mix. If you try it let me know!
What type of yogurt should I use? What can I use in place of yogurt?
You can use any level of fat greek yogurt. I prefer to use plain and unsweetened to let the gingerbread flavor shine. Vanilla flavored yogurt may work too, you just may want to omit the vanilla extract to avoid an overpowering flavor.
If you don't have yogurt or want to keep this dairy free, you can use vegan yogurt or even applesauce or mashed banana. Use the same amount if you subsitute any of these in place of the yogurt.
What type of oil can I use? Can I use butter in place of oil?
Feel free to use any type of oil you prefer. I used canola oil, but avocado would also work. You can use olive oil, but it may contribute a slight olive oil taste so keep that in mind! You may use melted butter or coconut oil as well (these fats have a higher amount of saturated fat and won't be as heart healthy as using a fat with more unsaturated fats like vegetable oils).
Can I use blackstrap molasses?
I have not personally tried this recipe with blackstrap molasses. I use regular molasses which is lighter and sweeter than blackstrap. Blackstrap's flavor is more intense than regular molasses, but it does contain slightly more minerals. If you don't mind a very intense gingerbread, you could probably use blackstrap molasses in this recipe.
Can I make this recipe vegan?
Yes! You can simply replace the yogurt with one of the options listed above, use non-dairy milk, and use an egg replacement of your choice. Options include flax egg or a commercial egg replacer.
