Gingerbread Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

These Gingerbread Muffins bring a little holiday cheer to the breakfast table with molasses, warm spices, and a brown sugar crumble topping. Add a drizzle of maple cream cheese icing, pour yourself some coffee, and suddenly that holiday to-do list can wait a few minutes.

I love a good gingerbread cookie, but some days I’d rather reach for the muffin pan than the cookie cutters! These crumble-topped muffins fit right into a Christmas breakfast spread—or a much-needed afternoon break from wrapping presents.

What Makes These Gingerbread Muffins Special

• All the gingerbread goodness. Molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves bring that familiar holiday flavor to your muffin pan.
• That crumble topping! A buttery brown sugar topping adds a little texture to every bite.
• A sweet finishing touch. Maple cream cheese icing makes these feel extra special without any fancy decorating.
• A little holiday baking, minus the cookie cutters. Perfect for Christmas breakfast, coffee with a friend, or a break from the holiday bustle.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• For the muffins: All-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, brown sugar, milk, unsulphured molasses, eggs, and avocado oil. Molasses gives these muffins their signature gingerbread flavor. Canola oil works here, too.
• For the crumble: Flour, brown sugar, softened unsalted butter, cinnamon, and ginger make those sweet, spiced crumbles on top.
• For the icing: Powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, and pure maple syrup come together for the finishing drizzle. Use real maple syrup for the maple flavor.
  
  You’ll find the full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.

Cetcu Tip: Set out the butter for the crumble before you start gathering your other ingredients so it has time to soften.

How to Make Gingerbread Muffins

• Mix the batter. Combine the dry muffin ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, then mix them together. Divide among lined muffin cups.
• Add the crumble. Mix the crumble ingredients until moist and clumpy, then sprinkle over the batter.
• Bake and cool. Bake until the muffins are done, then let them cool before adding the icing.
• Finish with icing. Beat the icing ingredients until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled muffins.

Cetcu Tip: Start checking the muffins at 18 minutes—overbaking can dry them out. And don’t feel obligated to use every drop of icing; drizzle on as much as you like!

That’s the quick version! Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and all the details.

Coffee, Christmas Morning, or Just Because

These gingerbread muffins fit right in beside a hot cup of coffee or tea. For Christmas morning, serve them with scrambled eggs and bacon for a little sweet-and-savory balance.

They’re also a fun treat to put out when a friend stops by during the holidays. No big spread needed—just muffins, something warm to sip, and a chance to sit down!

Saving a Few for Later

Store leftover muffins in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Let them sit out briefly before serving if you prefer them less chilled.

Cetcu Tip: Arrange iced muffins in a single layer so you don’t lose that pretty drizzle to the bottom of another muffin!

Gingerbread Muffin Questions

Can I use a different oil?

Yes! Canola oil can replace the avocado oil in this recipe.

Do I have to add the icing?

You can skip the icing and enjoy the muffins with just their spiced crumble topping, or add a lighter drizzle if you prefer.

A Little More Gingerbread Goodness

If gingerbread is your holiday weakness, you’re in good company! Try my Gingerbread Bundt Cake or Gingerbread Snack Cake next, give fall and Christmas a delicious crossover with Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars, or save a spot in the cookie tin for Chocolate-Dipped Soft Ginger Cookies.

Pour the coffee and save yourself a muffin before everyone else finds them! If you give these a try, leave a comment and let me know how they went over at your house.

Gingerbread Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Yield: 10 muffins
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Gingerbread muffins with molasses and warm spices, topped with a brown sugar crumble and maple cream cheese icing. A delicious addition to Christmas breakfast or an afternoon coffee break.

Ingredients

Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup milk
• ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 medium eggs
• ¼ cup avocado oil

Crumble Topping

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Maple Cream Cheese Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 10 cups of a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the muffin flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and brown sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, molasses, eggs, and avocado oil.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until well combined and very smooth.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the 10 prepared muffin cups, filling them almost to the top.
6. In a separate bowl, use your hands to mix all the crumble topping ingredients until moist and clumpy. Sprinkle evenly over the muffin batter.
7. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the tops spring back slightly when gently pressed. Check at 18 minutes to avoid overbaking.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes before icing.
9. Beat all the maple cream cheese icing ingredients with an electric mixer until very smooth. Drizzle over the cooled muffins, using as much or as little as you like.

Notes

• Canola oil can be substituted for avocado oil.
• Fill the muffin liners almost to the top for tall, bakery-style muffins.
• Check for doneness after 18 minutes; overbaking can make the muffins dry.
• You may have leftover icing. Use as much or as little as you like.
• Store leftover muffins covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10
Serving Size: 1 muffin

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 373
Total Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 50mg
Sodium: 120mg
Carbohydrates: 62g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 39g
Protein: 5g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.