Spiced Molasses Gingerbread Muffins Recipe for Holiday Baking

If you want a cozy spiced breakfast or snack, these gingerbread muffins are just the thing. They bake up moist and bakery-style with molasses, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, and can be ready in about 30 minutes.

Soft and fluffy inside with a crunchy coarse-sugar top, these muffins are ideal for quick mornings, holiday breakfasts, or an afternoon treat.

Muffins are one of the easiest baked goods to make: they’re quick, portable, and can keep for several days. These gingerbread muffins have the craggy, domed tops you expect from bakery-style muffins and a crunchy sugar finish that makes each bite special.

They’re a perfect addition to holiday mornings or any time you want warm, spiced flavor without fuss.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Cozy holiday flavor – Classic gingerbread spices and molasses deliver warm, familiar flavors that work year-round but especially at the holidays.

Quick and simple – The batter is mixed in one bowl with common pantry ingredients and needs no special equipment.

Moist, tender texture – Sour cream keeps the muffins soft while a sprinkle of coarse sugar adds a pleasant crunch on top.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – forms the structure.
• Baking soda – leavening to help tall muffin tops.
• Kosher salt – balances flavor.
• Ground spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves) – create the gingerbread profile.
• Unsalted butter (melted) and neutral oil – keep the muffins tender and moist.
• Molasses – the key ingredient for deep color and rich, slightly smoky sweetness (use dark, unsulphured molasses).
• Light brown sugar – adds caramel notes and moisture.
• Egg – binder and structure.
• Sour cream – adds tenderness and a subtle tang.
• Coarse sugar (optional) – for a crunchy muffin top.

See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.

Substitutions and Variations

• Molasses: Dark, unsulphured molasses gives the classic flavor. Blackstrap is bolder and slightly bitter—use it if you like robust molasses notes.
• Sizes: Make mini muffins (bake ~10–12 minutes) or jumbo muffins (add ~5 extra minutes) and adjust baking time accordingly.
• Citrus twist: Add 1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest to brighten the batter.
• Sour cream swaps: Full-fat Greek yogurt or buttermilk work in place of sour cream.
• Extra spice: Add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice for more complexity.
• Mix-ins: Stir in ½ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) or chocolate chips for added texture.

How to Make This Recipe

One: Preheat the oven and whisk together the wet ingredients (butter, oil, vanilla, molasses, and sugar).

Two: Add the egg and sour cream and whisk until smooth.

Three: Combine the dry ingredients with the wet and fold until just combined; a few lumps are fine.

Four: Divide the batter into a prepared 12-cup muffin tin, filling each well to the top for a high dome.

Hot tip! Use a large trigger cookie scoop to portion batter quickly and evenly.

Five: Sprinkle each muffin with coarse sugar if desired.

Six: Bake using the high-then-low temperature method described in the recipe: start hot briefly to set the tops, then lower the oven to finish baking. Cool slightly in the pan, then transfer to a rack.

Expert Tips

• Measure flour correctly. Use a scale or the fluff-scoop-and-level method; too much flour makes dense muffins.
• Don’t overmix. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated; overmixing yields tough muffins.
• Fill to the top. Filling each well to the top encourages tall, domed muffin tops.
• High-to-low bake. Begin at a higher temperature to set the dome, then reduce the heat to finish baking for the best rise and texture.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave or a low oven to refresh.

To freeze, wrap cooled muffins individually, store in a freezer bag, then thaw and warm before serving.

More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love

Notes for Baking

• Recipes here are created with kosher salt as a reference; if you use a salt with different intensity, adjust the amount.
• Baking by weight on a digital scale yields the most consistent results.
• You can scale this recipe as needed; adjust quantities but watch bake times if changing pan size or batch volume.

Gingerbread Muffins

Callan Wenner

Equipment

• 12-hole muffin tin
• Cupcake liners (optional)
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Large cookie scoop (recommended)

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup molasses (dark, unsulphured preferred)
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• ¼ cup coarse sugar (turbinado or demerara), optional for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices; set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk the melted butter, oil, vanilla, molasses, and brown sugar until blended. Add the egg and sour cream and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold until just combined. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
5. Divide batter evenly among the muffin wells, filling them to the top. Sprinkle coarse sugar on each muffin if using. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes.
6. Without removing muffins from the oven, reduce temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 14–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes