Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze

Posted on December 11, 2011


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Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze ~ the scent of gingerbread baking is one of the joys of the season — these muffins are perfect for holiday mornings.

Gingerbread muffins with lemon glaze dripping down

When does a cupcake become a muffin?  As long as you’re reading my blog, let’s play by my rules.  Are you eating it for breakfast?  Then it’s a muffin.  Glazed not frosted?  Definitely a muffin. Are there spices in it like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves?  Muffin, muffin, muffin, and muffin.
There, that was easy.

gingerbread muffins in a muffin tin

Gingerbread has been around for centuries in cake, cookie, or biscuit form, and originally it was a medicinal food, thought to help with indigestion.   The unifying principle in gingerbread is the mix of spices, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, and the use of molasses, which gives it that distinct deep rich color and flavor.

Gingerbread muffins cooling on a rack

Lemon and gingerbread is an inspired combination ~ the warm spices play against the sharp tang of the citrus in a wonderful way, you’re going to love these!

Gingerbread muffins with lemon glaze and a cup of tea

Love gingerbread?  So do I, and I’ve got lots of other gingerbread recipes on the blog, like my BITTERSWEET GINGERBREAD BROWNIES, these are topped with a deep dark chocolate glaze that makes them irresistible.   My GINGERBREAD CRUMB CAKE and COPYCAT STARBUCKS GINGERBREAD are both delicious ways to infuse a little holiday cheer into a chilly morning.

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Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze
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Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp (5 grams) baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (105 grams) light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) molasses
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
    for the lemon glaze
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar
  • fresh squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Set oven to 350F
  2. Stir together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar till fluffy.
  4. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating in between.
  5. Beat in the molasses.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Don't over beat.
  7. Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups, lightly greased or lined with muffin papers.
  8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until a straw comes out clean.
  9. Cool for a few minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a rack.
  10. Cool completely and then glaze with the lemon glaze.

Notes

Gingerbread recipe adapted from The Joy of Cooking

 

don’t forget to pin these Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze!

craving more gingerbread?

A moist spicy gingerbread loaded with cream cheese frostingCopy Cat Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf

whole wheat gingerbread blondiesWhole Wheat Gingerbread Blondies

All Natural Homemade Gingerbread PlaydoughHomemade Gingerbread Playdough

I read each and every comment and I try to respond to questions asap, so ask away ~ and if you've made a recipe I really love it when you come back and share your experience with all of us. If you love a recipe, please give it a thumbs up by rating it 5 stars!

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26 Comments

  • Reply
    From Beyond My Kitchen Window
    December 15, 2011 at 3:25 am

    Another winner of a recipe. Perfect for this time of year. My kids would love these.

  • Reply
    grace
    December 13, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    muffins good, glaze better. :)

  • Reply
    Bourbon&Pearls
    December 13, 2011 at 3:19 pm

    Sue, do you have a favourite stuffing recipe? Iwas looking for something different from the usual sage offerings, I was going to try Nigella’s gingerbread stuffing but just read : ‘fine if you like cake with bacon” hmm maybe not.

  • Reply
    Joanne
    December 13, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    I totally just made gingerbread muffins to bring into the class I’m TA-ing today. Now I need to go add a lemon glaze! these look delicious.

  • Reply
    Sarah (Snippets of Thyme)
    December 13, 2011 at 3:01 am

    Your “cuppffins” look so divine. Darn it!! I was sitting in bed trying not to be tempted to go and get a cookie! Now, because of that velvety looking frosting oozing down the sides of those “cuppffins” a cookie might help in this situation!

  • Reply
    Kitchen Belleicious
    December 12, 2011 at 6:48 pm

    gingerbread muffins instead of cookies- genius! i can just see the flavor oozing out of them!

  • Reply
    annie
    December 12, 2011 at 11:59 pm

    Okay these muffins look amazing…and as much as i LOVE lemon glaze…i think I could even go for one without the glaze, they look that good…your photography makes everything look good!

  • Reply
    Shannon@Cozy Home Scenes
    December 12, 2011 at 12:50 pm

    I love muffins for breakfast or almost any time. I’m always trying new flavors and ingredients. This one sounds delicious. If you would be interested, post these gingerbread muffins on my Gingerbread Linky Party which ends tonight, Mon. 12th at midnight. There is also a separate giveaway for gingerbread items for 12 people. Join in if you can. It’s fun seeing the different recipes and decorations.—– Shannon

  • Reply
    Inside a British Mum's Kitchen
    December 12, 2011 at 5:52 pm

    Oh these are so beautiful – I swear I can smell them!! – lovely, lovey post – so enjoy visiting here :)
    Mary x

  • Reply
    Kate
    December 12, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    P.S. Your mug is so pretty!

  • Reply
    Kate
    December 12, 2011 at 3:30 pm

    I wish I lived next door! Love the muffin presentation… I have a recipe for gingerbread cake with an orange zest whipped cream, the lemon pairing sounds just as inviting.
    I really enjoy you blog.
    Merry Christmas blessings to you.. have fun making memories when your girls arrive home!

  • Reply
    Sarah
    December 12, 2011 at 6:35 am

    Glad you made that clear! :D I never really understood the difference between cupcakes and muffins, but today I do. Thanks Sue!!! The muffins look terrific and I wish I could grab one right now – it’s breakfast time here as I write.

    Have a beautiful day! :)

  • Reply
    yummychunklet
    December 12, 2011 at 1:55 pm

    Oooh, the crust of the muffins looks so good against the glaze!

  • Reply
    Rose
    December 12, 2011 at 9:49 am

    Another recipe on my must do list…

  • Reply
    Mary
    December 12, 2011 at 4:00 am

    Whatever you call them, they sound delicious. Gingerbread falls into a strange area anyway. It is a favorite of mine and yours looks delicious. I hope you had a great weekend. Blessings…Mary

  • Reply
    Velva
    December 12, 2011 at 2:47 am

    Yes! It’s a muffin. Damn good muffins too. Love, love it. Thanks for sharing it. These are delightful.

    Holiday cheers

    Velva

  • Reply
    Linda A. Thompson
    December 12, 2011 at 2:24 am

    Oh I’ve got to make these! They look wonderful.

  • Reply
    Sue/the view from great island
    December 12, 2011 at 2:12 am

    Sian—you can make the equivalent of buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (or white vinegar)to milk and letting it sit for 10 minutes. I’ve done that before and it works fine.

  • Reply
    Victoria
    December 11, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    yum yum perfect for the holidays! i am much more of a muffin fan than cupcake fan!!! and the lemon glaze sounds like the perfect addition!

  • Reply
    Sian
    December 11, 2011 at 3:52 pm

    Ooops I’ve just realised – you’re not in the UK so can’t answer that one!!

  • Reply
    Sian
    December 11, 2011 at 3:51 pm

    WHERE do you get buttermilk from????? The recipe sounds wonderful and I want to try it!!

  • Reply
    Gerlinde in Dallas
    December 11, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    Your muffins look gorgeous! I love ginger and lemon together.

  • Reply
    Hungry Dog
    December 11, 2011 at 4:54 pm

    Definitely muffins not cupcakes. I agree with all of your reasoning!

    These look fantastic and if I had time to make them this morning I’d be in the kitchen right now…

  • Reply
    Yummy Mummy
    December 11, 2011 at 3:56 pm

    Lemon glaze is one of my favorite additions to baked goods. I just posted a scone recipe with a lemon glaze :)

  • Reply
    Heather @ girlichef.com
    December 11, 2011 at 3:41 pm

    You know what? My favorite gingerbread is one of Nigella’s that has a lemon icing…I make it every single year on Christmas…it’s so amazing! So yeah, I know I’d love these. YUM!

  • Reply
    From the Kitchen
    December 11, 2011 at 2:17 pm

    O.K.! I agree with you. By any name, this looks and sounds delicious. I’ve been thinking gingerbread (one son’s favorite!!) and the glaze certainly takes it up a notch. Thanks!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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