How to Make the Muffins

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin very well with cooking spray.
2. Combine the molasses and the cut butter pieces in a large microwave-safe glass bowl. Heat this mixture in the microwave for about one minute. Continue heating until the butter is completely melted. Stir the mixture together until everything looks combined, then set the bowl aside to let it cool down slightly.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and salt. Mix these dry ingredients until they are well combined and evenly distributed.
4. Add the brown sugar, sour cream, milk, and the well-beaten egg into the cooled molasses and butter mixture. Stir these wet ingredients until they are very well combined and smooth.
5. Gradually pour the molasses and wet ingredients mixture into the bowl with the dry flour mixture. Stir everything together just until the ingredients are combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter. The finished batter will be thick and may have some small lumps.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups in the tin. Fill each cup all the way up to the top rim for nice, full muffins. If you like, sprinkle the tops of the batter in each cup with the coarse sugar. This adds a lovely crunchy texture.
7. Carefully place the filled muffin tin into the preheated oven. Bake the muffins at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) for exactly 5 minutes.
8. After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) without opening the oven door. Continue baking for another 11 to 14 minutes. The muffins are done when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, with no wet batter attached.
9. Remove the muffin tin from the oven. Let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes. Then, transfer the muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before glazing.

For the Lemon Glaze

1. While the muffins cool, make the glaze. Put the confectioners sugar into a small bowl.
2. Gradually add the fresh lemon juice, starting with 1 tablespoon. Whisk the sugar and juice together until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add more lemon juice, a little at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired thickness for drizzling.
3. Once the muffins are fully cooled, drizzle the lemon glaze over the tops of each one.

For the Vanilla Glaze

1. If you prefer a vanilla glaze, put the confectioners sugar into a small bowl.
2. Add the milk and vanilla extract to the sugar. Whisk these ingredients together until the glaze is creamy and smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding a little more milk if needed.
3. Drizzle the vanilla glaze over the completely cooled muffins before serving.