Easy gingerbread muffins drizzled with a zingy lemon glaze. Perfect for Halloween, Bonfire Night, and Christmas too.
These moist damp muffins are soft and fluffy in texture, and flavoured with the cozy warming spices of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves with a hint of citrus!
One of our favourite Autumn treats, we like to enjoy the muffins with a mug of tea or a glass of milk for the kids! They're also great as an easy dessert, drenched in plenty of custard!
Best of all, the smell that fills your kitchen when these ginger muffins are baking is something else, and you'll be pleased to hear they taste as good as they smell!
👩🍳 Love ginger? Try my easy ginger cookies recipe too!
Jump to:
✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Quick and easy to make.
- Perfect treat for Autumn and Winter.
- Moist, damp, and soft in texture.
- Freezer-friendly.
- Great for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.
🛒 Ingredient notes
- Sugar - dark brown sugar is best for flavour and moist texture. Swap for light brown sugar for a lighter colour and texture.
- Flour - white plain flour or swap for wholemeal plain flour.
- Bicarbonate of Soda - the raising agent used in this recipe.
- Spices - ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Yogurt - plain natural yogurt or Greek yogurt. Creme fraiche would also work.
- Butter - unsalted and melted in the microwave. Allow to cool slightly before using.
- Eggs - 2 large free range eggs at room temperature.
- Lemon - lemon zest for the muffin batter, and lemon juice for the icing glaze.
- Salt - a small pinch to lift the flavour.
- Icing Sugar - sieved and mixed with lemon juice for glaze.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Preheat the oven to 190c (170 fan/ Gas 5) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases.
Two: Place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Three: Whisk together the wet ingredients then carefully mix them into the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.
Four: Divide the muffin batter between the 12 muffin cases and bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes. Allow to cool.
Five: Whisk together the sieved icing sugar and enough lemon juice to make a drizzle icing, then drizzle over the muffins with a teaspoon.
💭 Expert tips
- For a high domed muffin, preheat the oven to 20 degrees ABOVE the specified temperature in the recipe card. As soon as you put the muffins in the oven, turn it back down. The high heat will help the raising agent to start working.
- Try not to over-mix the muffin batter. Over mixing will result in tough, chewy muffins. Gently fold in the ingredients, and don't worry if the batter is still a bit lumpy!
- For best results, check your bicarbonate of soda is fresh and in date.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the muffins for Afternoon tea, an after-school snack, or for Halloween and Bonfire night parties.
They're also delicious as an easy dessert served with custard or honeycomb ice cream!
📖 Variations
- For a damper, darker coloured muffin use molasses instead of dark brown sugar.
- Add chocolate chips, chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), or dried cranberries to the muffin batter for added flavour and texture. 100g is about right.
- Use orange zest and juice instead of lemon, or swap for vanilla extract.
- Substitute the lemon icing for a simple demerara sugar topping or cream cheese maple glaze.
- Add a small grated apple or mashed banana for added sweetness.
🥡 Storage
Store: Muffins are best eaten fresh on the day they are made. They can also be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or cake tin for up to 3 days. Don't store them in the fridge as they will dry out.
Freeze: Place the cooled muffins in freezer bags or a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost/thaw at room temperature, or microwave for 30 seconds before serving.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Swap the butter and yogurt for dairy-free alternatives, and replace the eggs with 6 tablespoons of apple sauce.
😋 More muffin recipes
- Cinnamon Apple Muffins
- Blackcurrant Muffins
- Lemon Drizzle Muffins
- Blackberry Lemon Muffins
- Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffins
Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with what's cooking in the Effortless Foodie kitchen! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too!
Recipe
Easy Gingerbread Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 140 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 200 g Plain Flour
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 100 ml Natural Yogurt
- 140 g Butter melted and cooled
- 2 Eggs large
- 1 Lemon zest only
For the drizzle
- 100 g Icing Sugar sieved
- 1-2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°c (170 fan/ Gas 5/ 375F) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases.
- Place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.140 g Dark Brown Sugar, 200 g Plain Flour, 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda, 1½ teaspoon Ground Ginger, 1½ teaspoon Cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Cloves, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Whisk together the wet ingredients then carefully mix them into the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.100 ml Natural Yogurt, 140 g Butter, 2 Eggs, 1 Lemon
- Divide the muffin batter between the 12 muffin cases and bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Whisk together the sieved icing sugar and enough lemon juice to make a drizzle icing, then drizzle over the muffins with a teaspoon.100 g Icing Sugar, 1-2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Notes
- For a high domed muffin, preheat the oven to 20 degrees ABOVE the specified temperature in the recipe card. As soon as you put the muffins in the oven, turn it back down. The high heat will help the raising agent to start working.
- Try not to over-mix the muffin batter. Over mixing will result in tough, chewy muffins. Gently fold in the ingredients, and don't worry if the batter is still a bit lumpy!
- For best results, check your bicarbonate of soda is fresh and in date.
- For a damper, darker coloured muffin use molasses instead of dark brown sugar.
- Add chocolate chips, chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), or dried cranberries to the muffin batter for added flavour and texture. 100g is about right.
- Use orange zest and juice instead of lemon, or swap for vanilla extract.
- Substitute the lemon icing for a simple demerara sugar topping or cream cheese maple glaze.
- Add a small grated apple or mashed banana for added sweetness.
Dannii
We love anything with gingerbread. Perfect for Christmas
Kristine
The combination of the lemon drizzle and the gingerbread is a win! These were spectacular, I will definitely make them again. Thanks!
Toni
This is so perfect for the holidays! Thanks for the recipe!
Michele
We all loved these gingerbread muffins. They were a hit. Thanks for the recipe.
Tayler
Gingerbread is one of my favorite flavors! I love that you paired it with lemon, and I can't wait to try them!