Easy Glazed Gingerbread Muffins Recipe

These glazed gingerbread muffins are truly irresistible, delivering soft texture and a burst of warm, comforting spice in every single bite. I first tried making these after seeing the wonderful idea of pairing rich gingerbread with a bright glaze, and they turned out better than I imagined. They’re surprisingly simple to whip up and the result is a perfectly spiced treat that everyone will adore.

How to Make These Spiced Muffins

Here are the steps to create these wonderfully moist and flavorful muffins.

1. Prepare your oven and muffin pan. Get your oven ready by setting it to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Take a standard 12-cup muffin tin and spray the inside very well with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
2. Melt the molasses and butter. In a large glass bowl that is safe for the microwave, combine the molasses with the pieces of cut butter. Warm this in the microwave for about one minute, heating just until the butter is fully melted. Give it a good stir to make sure everything is mixed together. Let this mixture cool down slightly.
3. Whisk your dry ingredients. In another large bowl, put your flour, ground ginger, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and salt. Use a whisk to mix these dry things until they are completely combined and spread out evenly.
4. Mix the wet ingredients. Add the brown sugar, sour cream (or plain yogurt), milk, and the egg you beat earlier into the molasses and butter mixture that has cooled down. Stir these liquid ingredients until they are very well mixed and look smooth.
5. Combine everything carefully. Pour the mixture of molasses and wet ingredients slowly into the bowl holding the dry flour mixture. Stir just until all the ingredients are combined. It is really important not to mix too much. The batter you end up with will feel thick and it is okay if you see some small lumps.
6. Fill the muffin cups. Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups you prepared. Make sure to fill each cup right up to the top edge to help the muffins get that nice round top. You can sprinkle some coarse sugar on top of the batter in each cup if you like a little bit of crunch.
7. Start baking at high heat. Gently place the tin filled with batter into your oven that is preheated. Bake these muffins at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) for exactly 5 minutes.
8. Reduce the heat and finish baking. After 5 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) without opening the oven door at all. Keep baking them for another 11 to 14 minutes. You will know the muffins are done when you put a wooden skewer or a toothpick into the middle and it comes out clean without any wet batter on it.
9. Let them cool. Take the muffin tin out of the oven. Let the muffins sit in the tin for just a few minutes. After that, move the muffins out of the tin and onto a wire rack so they can cool all the way before you put any glaze on them.

Glazing Your Muffins

You have a couple of delicious options for the perfect glaze on these muffins. Both add a lovely finish!

Lemon Glaze Option

1. As the muffins are cooling, get started on the glaze. Put the confectioners sugar into a smaller bowl.
2. Slowly stir in the fresh lemon juice, beginning with just one tablespoon. Whisk this together until you have a creamy, smooth mixture. If you want it thinner for easier drizzling, add a tiny bit more lemon juice until it looks just right.
3. Once your muffins are completely cool, you can drizzle this bright lemon glaze over the top of each one.

Vanilla Glaze Option

1. If you prefer a classic vanilla flavor, put the confectioners sugar into a small bowl instead.
2. Add the milk and the vanilla extract to the sugar. Whisk these ingredients until your glaze is smooth and creamy. You can add a little extra milk if you need to get the perfect consistency.
3. Drizzle this vanilla glaze over the muffins only after they have fully cooled.

Handy Baking Notes and Tips

Here are a few helpful things to keep in mind when making these delightful gingerbread muffins.

• Storing Your Muffins If your muffins aren’t glazed yet, you can keep them in a container with a tight lid at room temperature for about three days. Once you’ve added the glaze, it’s best to store them in a single layer or use parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick together. Glazed muffins taste best when you enjoy them within a day or two.
• Why Bake at Two Temps Starting the baking process at a higher temperature for a short while before turning it down is a clever trick. This helps the muffins rise really fast at the beginning, giving them those lovely domed tops we all love.
• Don’t Worry About the Batter When you’re mixing the wet and dry ingredients, you’ll notice the batter is quite thick and might even have some little lumps. That’s perfectly normal for this recipe, so don’t be concerned about it.
• Choosing Your Glaze Both the lemon glaze and the vanilla glaze are wonderful additions. Feel free to pick your favorite or even try half a batch with each! The lemon glaze offers a nice bright, slightly tangy taste that works beautifully against the warm spices of the gingerbread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some questions people often ask about these glazed gingerbread muffins.

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