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Gingerbread Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
These gingerbread muffins with cream cheese frosting bake up moist and spiced for an easy holiday breakfast or dessert.
Gingerbread Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting are spiced quick-bread treats that combine the warm holiday flavors of classic gingerbread with the light, tender crumb of a muffin. The batter is typically prepared with all-purpose flour, molasses, brown sugar, butter or oil, eggs, and a blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, producing a richly flavored base with a deep caramel hue. After baking, each muffin is cooled and finished with a smooth cream cheese frosting made from softened cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract, adding a mildly tangy contrast to the sweet, spiced crumb. Often served during the winter months—particularly around Christmas—these muffins work well for festive breakfasts, holiday brunch spreads, or as a seasonal dessert alongside coffee or hot cocoa.
Gingerbread Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ready in under 30 minutes, these one-bowl muffins are perfect for bakers who want maximum holiday flavor with minimal fuss. Bake a double batch and freeze the extras—just thaw, frost, and you’ll have a bakery-worthy treat whenever guests drop by.
Prep Time
30 minutes
30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
20 minutes
Total Time
50 minutes
50 minutes
Ingredients
All-purpose flour – 2 cups (250 g)
- Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda – ½ teaspoon
- Fine sea salt – ½ teaspoon
- Ground ginger – 1 tablespoon
- Ground cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
- Ground cloves – ¼ teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg – ¼ teaspoon
- Ground allspice (optional but recommended) – ¼ teaspoon
- Unsalted butter, melted and cooled – ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g)
- Packed dark brown sugar – ¾ cup (150 g)
- Unsulphured molasses – ⅔ cup (160 ml)
- Large eggs, room temperature – 2
- Buttermilk (or whole milk) – ½ cup (120 ml)
- Pure vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
- Finely chopped crystallized ginger (optional mix-in) – ⅓ cup (60 g)
- Fresh orange zest (optional brightness) – 1 tablespoon
- Full-fat cream cheese, softened – 8 oz (225 g)
- Unsalted butter, softened – 4 tablespoons (½ stick / 56 g)
- Powdered sugar, sifted – 1 ½ cups (180 g)
- Pure vanilla extract – ½ teaspoon
- Milk or heavy cream, as needed for consistency – 1–2 teaspoons
- Pinch of fine sea salt – 1 small pinch
- Optional garnish: extra crystallized ginger bits or a light dusting of ground cinnamon – to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C)
- Line or lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg in a medium bowl
- Beat softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy
- Add the egg to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated
- Pour in molasses and mix until the batter is smooth
- Stir half of the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined
- Add buttermilk and mix gently
- Fold in the remaining dry ingredients until no streaks of flour remain
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full
- Lightly tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18–22 minutes
- Place the pan on a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes
- Remove the muffins from the pan and cool completely on the rack
- Beat softened cream cheese and softened butter in a clean bowl until smooth
- Gradually add powdered sugar while beating until the frosting is fluffy
- Blend in vanilla extract until fully combined
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled muffins
- Dust the tops with a pinch of ground cinnamon or chopped crystallized ginger if desired
- Serve the gingerbread muffins at room temperature
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
5280 kcal Protein
59 g Fat
228 g Carbs
760 g Fiber
12 g Sugar
523 g
5280 kcal Protein
59 g Fat
228 g Carbs
760 g Fiber
12 g Sugar
523 g
Notes
Bloom the spices in the melted butter for 30–60 seconds before mixing; the quick heat wakes up their essential oils and deepens the gingerbread flavor. For extra zing, fold ¼ cup finely diced crystallized ginger into the batter or sprinkle it over the frosted tops. Frost only the muffins you’ll serve right away—unfrosted muffins freeze cleaner and stay moist for up to two months.
why this recipe
There's a comforting magic in gingerbread muffins with cream cheese frosting that instantly turns an ordinary morning into a holiday-worthy indulgence; warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves bloom in the oven, filling the kitchen with an aroma that feels both nostalgic and luxuriously new, while the tender crumb—made moist with molasses—delivers a depth of flavor far beyond a typical breakfast treat. Finished with a tangy, billowy cream cheese topping that melts ever so slightly into the gently spiced muffin, each bite strikes the ideal balance of sweet, sharp, and warmly earthy. Whether you’re hoping to impress guests, elevate a weekend brunch, or simply treat yourself to a cozy moment, this recipe rewards minimal effort with bakery-level results, making it a fail-safe showstopper you’ll want to bake again and again.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake the gingerbread muffins in advance and freeze them without the cream cheese frosting?
Yes—these muffins freeze beautifully if you leave off the frosting. Cool them completely, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, place in an airtight freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature, then frost just before serving for the freshest texture and flavor.
What can I use as a buttermilk substitute if I don’t have any on hand?
For every ½ cup of buttermilk, stir ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice or white vinegar into enough whole milk to reach the ½-cup mark, then let it stand 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Alternatively, use plain yogurt or kefir thinned with a splash of milk or water until it reaches a pourable, buttermilk-like consistency.
Can I make these gingerbread muffins gluten-free?
Yes—swap the all-purpose flour for a good 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that already contains xanthan or guar gum, and keep all other ingredients and steps the same. For best texture, let the finished batter rest 10–15 minutes before scooping so the starches can hydrate, then bake as directed—no additional adjustments needed.