Description
These Gingerbread Muffins with Sweet Lemon Glaze offer a delightful blend of warm spices and rich molasses, topped with a tangy, sweet lemon glaze. Perfectly soft and moist, these muffins are an ideal treat for the holiday season or any cozy day, combining classic gingerbread flavors with a bright citrus finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Muffins
- 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
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar (or more, as needed)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Generously grease a 12-count muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray, or line it with muffin liners. Set this aside for later use.
- Melt Butter and Molasses: Cut the butter into smaller pieces to help it melt evenly. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and molasses. Microwave on high for about 1 minute, then whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth. Allow it to cool slightly while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: To the molasses and butter mixture, add the brown sugar, egg, yogurt (or sour cream), and milk. Whisk these together until all the wet ingredients are fully combined and smooth.
- Make the Muffin Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently whisk until just combined; the batter will be thick with a few lumps. Avoid over-mixing to keep the muffins tender.
- Fill Muffin Pan and Bake: Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup all the way to the top. Optionally sprinkle with coarse sugar for a crunchy topping. Bake initially at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without removing the muffins, lower the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for an additional 15-16 minutes, or until the muffin tops are cracked and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Muffins: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before glazing or serving.
- Prepare Lemon Glaze: While the muffins cool, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, fresh lemon juice, and milk in a medium bowl. Adjust the consistency by adding more sugar to thicken or more milk to thin out as needed.
- Glaze Muffins: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the warm muffins. The icing will set as the muffins cool, making them easy to transport or store.
- Storage: Cover leftover muffins, glazed or plain. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.
Notes
- Do not use blackstrap molasses as it may impart a bitter flavor; unsulphured or dark molasses is preferred.
- Room temperature ingredients help achieve a smoother batter and better texture.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter to keep muffins tender and moist.
- Sprinkling coarse sugar on top before baking adds a nice crunchy texture to the muffins.
- The lemon glaze adds a refreshing contrast to the warm spice flavors and can be adjusted to desired thickness.
- These muffins freeze well; wrap them tightly before freezing to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 21 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Gingerbread muffins, molasses muffins, lemon glaze, holiday baking, spiced muffins, moist muffins, ginger spice muffins
