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Gingerbread muffins with lemon glaze on a board in a sunlit kitchen
Sarah

Gingerbread Muffins with Sweet Lemon Glaze

Tall, cracked gingerbread muffins with a dense spiced crumb and a sweet-tart lemon glaze — an easy holiday breakfast recipe ready in under an hour.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Cooling Time 10 minutes
Total Time 46 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 230
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp milk

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin pan well or line it with paper liners.
  2. Cut the butter into small pieces so it melts evenly. Microwave the butter and molasses together in a large bowl for about 1 minute, then whisk until completely smooth. Set aside to cool slightly while you mix the dry ingredients.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves until evenly combined.
  4. Whisk the brown sugar, egg, yogurt, and milk into the cooled molasses mixture until smooth.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each all the way to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if you're using it.
  6. Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 5 minutes, then, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for another 15 to 16 minutes, until the tops are cracked and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before glazing. They should still be warm when the glaze goes on.
  8. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Add a little more sugar if it's too thin, or more milk if it's too thick. Drizzle generously over the warm muffins.

Notes

  • Spoon and level the flour rather than scooping, or the batter turns out too thick and dense
  • Fill the muffin cups all the way to the top for tall, cracked bakery-style tops
  • The first 5 minutes at 425°F is what gives these muffins their rise and crack — don't skip it
  • Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients and will vary with brands and portion size