Learn how to make the best cranberry gingerbread muffins with this easy recipe. These Christmas muffins are flavoured with molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for a festive breakfast treat in the winter that tastes just like gingerbread cookies, but in muffin form!
It doesn't feel like winter if there's no gingerbread. The gingerbread could come in the form of gingerbread granola, gingerbread cookie cut-outs, and even muffins like these. I associate gingerbread with fall–winter more than Christmas.
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Ingredients for Gingerbread Muffins
You don't need much to tackle most muffin recipes and this recipe is no exception! Here's what you need to make these Christmas muffins:
- Flour—all-purpose is ideal, or you can try a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose, but this will affect the texture a little.
- Warm spices—use the same spices you may add to gingerbread cutout cookies, such as ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg
- Leavening agents—specifically both chemical leaveners, baking powder and baking soda. Read about baking soda versus baking powder if you aren't sure what the difference is between them!
- Salt—fine kosher salt like Diamond Crystal is what I use. If you use a different salt that has more or less sodium per gram, you will likely have to adjust the quantities so the muffins aren't overly salty or under-salted
- Butter—either salted or unsalted will work, though if your salted butter has a lot of salt in it, you may have to adjust the salt in the recipe
- Sugar—granulated sugar or light brown sugar will work!
- Molasses—use fancy molasses, also called baking molasses or light molasses
- Eggs—use large eggs preferably because smaller eggs may lead to dryer muffins
- Sour cream provides moisture and fat, leading to moist, tender muffins
- Vanilla extract to enhance the sweetness and the flavour of the muffins
- Cranberries—fresh or frozen will work here. If using frozen, incorporate them into the batter when still frozen. Dried cranberries also work!
Please see the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
These Christmas muffins are simple to make yet so moist and flavourful because of the specific ingredients. Here are a few careful places you can make substitutions and variations:
- Molasses—use a light baking molasses or black treacle (if in Europe)
- Cranberries—fresh or frozen will work here. If using frozen, incorporate them into the batter when still frozen. Dried cranberries also work!
- Sour cream—full-fat Greek yogurt can also work in this recipe
- Spices—you can replace the mix of spices with pumpkin pie spice mix, gingerbread spice mix, or even apple pie spice mix
- Chocolate—add white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate to the muffin batter. I know this would taste great based on this recipe for ginger cookies with white chocolate. Dark chocolate may also work if you prefer.
How to Make Christmas Muffins
Christmas muffins are easy to make. You don't need any special equipment, just two bowls and a whisk!
Step 1: Start by mixing your wet ingredients together. First melt the butter in the microwave (image 1) or on the stove, then combine it with molasses, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract (image 2). Use a whisk to ensure there are no lumps of sour cream. The wet ingredients will be quite fluid. (image 4).
Step 2: Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl (image 5), then pour the wet ingredients over the dry (image 6). Stir them to create a thick batter (image 7), then add the cranberries (image 8).
Step 3: Fold the cranberries gently into the batter to evenly incorporate them without crushing them (image 9).
Step 4: Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners (image 10), then portion out the batter evenly using a 3-¼ ounce (96 mL) disher (image 11).
Tips for Baking with Cranberries and Other Berries
Though this doesn't happen with this recipe, if your berries sink to the bottom of your muffins, next time toss them in flour to coat them before incorporating in the muffin batter. The flour will help absorb some of their moisture as they bake but will also help anchor them in the batter.
Don't defrost frozen cranberries before using them. They will become very wet and are hard to work with when defrosted, easily crushed when you go to stir them into the thick muffin batter.
If baking with dried cranberries, you may plump them in boiling water to rehydrate them before stirring them into your batter. Drain them well and pat them dry before mixing into the Christmas muffin batter.
Muffin FAQs
I love to serve these gingerbread muffins with salted butter and flaky sea salt, and for a special treat, make some homemade lemon curd to enjoy with them! The combination is heavenly! Orange marmalade works really well with these, too.
You can store these moist muffins for 3–4 days in an airtight container, but I prefer to freeze them when they are freshly baked (cooled completely) to keep them fresh.
Remember to fully cool the muffins to room temperature (for 3–4 hours) before transferring them to an airtight container or freezer bag for long-term storage (1–2 months).
If you want to defrost frozen muffins, you have a few options depending on how much time you have: in the fridge overnight, unwrapped to avoid moisture buildup on the surface of the muffin tops; at room temperature for a few hours, unwrapped to avoid moisture buildup on the surface of the muffin tops; in the microwave oven: place the unwrapped muffin on a napkin or a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on HIGH for about 30 seconds for each muffin. The time and results will vary according to the power of your microwave, but this is definitely the fastest method to defrost muffins.
More Christmas Baking Recipes
For more baking ideas, check out these festive Christmas baking recipes!
If you tried this gingerbread muffin recipe (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Gingerbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
- 150 grams granulated sugar
- 10 mL baking powder
- 5 mL ground cinnamon
- 2.5 mL baking soda
- 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 2.5 mL ground ginger
- 2.5 mL ground nutmeg
- 1.25 mL ground cloves
- 155 grams unsalted butter
- 125 mL sour cream (14% fat)
- 125 grams Fancy molasses
- 2 large egg(s)
- 5 mL pure vanilla extract
- 180 grams fresh cranberries or frozen
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190 ℃). Line a 12-cup muffin pan (or two 6-cup muffin pans) with paper liners (or silicone, or butter and flour to prevent sticking). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, molasses, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Fold the cranberries into the batter. The batter will be thick.
- Divide the Christmas muffin batter among the paper-lined muffin pans.
- Bake until puffed and set. A cake tester inserted into the middle (not through the berries) should come out clean. This takes about 25 minutes.
- Serve warm with salted butter or let cool to store.
Notes
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- Molasses—use a light baking molasses or black treacle (if in Europe).
-
- Cranberries—fresh or frozen will work here. If using frozen, incorporate them into the batter when still frozen. Dried cranberries also work!
-
- Sour cream—full-fat Greek yogurt can also work in this recipe.
-
- Spices—you can replace the mix of spices with pumpkin pie spice mix, gingerbread spice mix, or even apple pie spice mix.
-
- Chocolate—add white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate to the muffin batter. Dark chocolate may also work if you prefer.
Smith Bites says
even though the holidays are behind us, i really, really like the sound of these! i'd convert them to gluten-free as me and gluten don't get along but just a lovely muffin!
Anna (Hidden Ponies) says
Heeey, gingerbread muffins! They are a wonderful thing. I need to try some with cranberries now.
Joanne B says
I made these a couple of days ago. They were surprisingly delicious. I have to admit I did not bother to poach the cranberries first, but the muffins were still moist and delicious! Thanks.
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.) says
Life is too busy most of the time but I think time spent in the kitchen (especially making these) can be definitely stress-relieving. I also eat bowls of rice for dinner fairly often (with a splash of sesame oil and some sesame seeds!)
Sondi says
I must admit, I had a chuckle over your cravings incident because I've totally been there, sista. Sorry to hear you've been having a crappy week! Sending a big hug your way.