Dessert

Gingerbread Muffins with Sweet Lemon Glaze Recipe

ByMariam Harutyunyan December 21, 2025December 21, 2025

Introduction

These Gingerbread Muffins with Sweet Lemon Glaze offer a delightful balance of warm spices and bright citrus. Perfect for cozy mornings or holiday gatherings, they are moist, flavorful, and topped with a tangy glaze that adds the perfect finishing touch.

Two brown muffins with a slightly rough and cracked top are stacked on top of each other, each wrapped in white ridged paper liners. A thin layer of white icing drizzle lightly covers the tops of both muffins, with some dripping down the sides. The muffins show a textured surface with small sugar crystals visible on top. Other similar muffins are blurred in the background, sitting on a gray surface against a white marbled texture backdrop. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (180ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; Grandma’s brand preferred)

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
1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar (or more, as needed)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Grease a 12-count muffin pan generously with butter or nonstick spray, or line it with muffin liners. Set aside.
Step 2: Cut the butter into smaller pieces for easier melting. In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter and molasses together on high for about 1 minute. Whisk thoroughly to combine, then set aside to cool slightly while mixing the dry ingredients.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves until well mixed.
Step 4: Into the molasses and butter mixture, whisk the brown sugar, egg, yogurt, and milk until all wet ingredients are combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy—avoid over-mixing.
Step 5: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar on top for a crunchy finish. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 15–16 minutes. The muffins should have cracked tops and a set center; test with a toothpick. Cool for 5–10 minutes in the pan before glazing.

Step 6: While the muffins cool, prepare the lemon glaze. In a medium bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar, fresh lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Adjust consistency with more sugar to thicken or more milk to thin, as needed.
Step 7: Drizzle the glaze over the warm muffins. The icing will set as the muffins cool, making them ideal for storing or transporting.

Tips & Variations

For extra crunch, sprinkle coarse sugar on top before baking.

Substitute sour cream for yogurt to add richness.
Use freshly grated ginger in addition to ground for a more intense ginger flavor.
Add chopped crystallized ginger or nuts to the batter for added texture.

Storage

Store leftover muffins, glazed or plain, covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. They freeze well for up to 3 months—wrap tightly and thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.

How to Serve

The image shows six brown muffins with a rough, cracked top texture, each topped with a layer of coarse sparkling sugar crystals. A white glaze is drizzled unevenly across the tops of the muffins, adding a shiny contrast to the matte, spongy surface. The muffins are placed on a clean white marbled surface, and the lighting highlights the rich brown tones and the white glaze while keeping the background bright and simple. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use a different sweetener instead of molasses?

Molasses provides a distinct rich flavor essential to gingerbread muffins. While you can substitute with honey or maple syrup, the taste and texture will change noticeably.