This recipe is sponsored by Land O’Lakes. Pumpkin is a celebrity flavor whose tenure starts earlier and earlier each year, and for good reason. Its familiar cozy flavor and natural moisture make it a versatile gem in wholesome baking recipes ranging from Healthy Pumpkin Cookies to Healthy Pumpkin Muffins to Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese Frosting. Gingerbread, however, is a late bloomer. It’s not until December that I see recipes like these Gingerbread Muffins and my all-time favorite Chocolate Ginger Cookies pop into popularity. A lover of gingerbread’s intensity—there’s something refreshing about a flavor that’s up-front and there’s certainly nothing subtle about gingerbread’s spiciness and warmth—I always find the delay a bit of a shame. Perhaps, I thought, pumpkin can ease us all into it.
Pumpkin + Gingerbread – A Match Made in Holiday Heaven
Combining pumpkin and gingerbread turned out to be one of the very best baking decisions I’ve made! The innate subtly of pumpkin (pumpkin is actually pretty bland until you add the spices) is the ideal counterpoint to the spicy intensity of gingerbread. If there were a flavor dating app, surely these two would have been a swipe right. I shared these muffins with a friend, and her feedback was that the balance was exactly 50/50 between pumpkin and gingerbread and she wouldn’t change a thing; not a fraction of a teaspoon of spice is misplaced. Whether straight-up gingerbread hasn’t been your thing, you happen to love both pumpkin AND gingerbread, and the idea of not having to choose appeals to you, or you are looking for a stellar holiday breakfast recipe, these pumpkin gingerbread muffins will be a holiday gift to you!
How to Make Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins
These muffins are made with simple, wholesome ingredients including whole grains and pure maple syrup. The batter is easy going – you won’t even need to bust out the mixer!
The Ingredients
Pumpkin. The first half of our holiday flavor tango. While it may not be a flavor powerhouse on its own, once combined with the molasses and spices, it shines.Molasses. The key to the signature gingerbread flavor. Molasses adds a rich, sweet warmth that’s full of flavor. Make sure to use regular molasses here (usually labeled “unsulphered”), as blackstrap will be too bitter. Land O Lakes® Unsalted Butter in Half Sticks. My favorite butter for its quality, taste, and value for the price. I stock the convenient half-stick size most often. It’s ideal for smaller batch cooking and recipes like these muffins, where a lesser amount of butter is needed.
In addition to loving the way the butter tastes and its simple ingredient list, I appreciate that Land O’Lakes is a co-op, meaning the company is owned by its dairy farmers (more than 1,700 of them!). I also think it’s fantastic that the company has made highlighting female farmers a priority (fun fact: 30% of dairy farming in the U.S. is done by women). You can learn more about their farmer-owners here.
Flour. I found that a mixture of all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour worked perfectly here. You are getting whole grain benefits, and the muffins stay nice and fluffy.Spices. A combination of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves adds cozy spice to these muffins. The spices truly take their flavor to the next level.Maple Syrup. Wonderful in its natural sweetness and the way it pairs with molasses.Sparkling Sugar. A beautiful way to finish these muffins! The crunchy tops are worth devouring all on their own.
The Directions
Storage Tips
To Store. Store muffins at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight storage container lined with paper towels. To Freeze. Freeze muffins in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
With pumpkin, deep gingerbread spice, and everything nice, these do-it-all muffins are the total (holiday) package!
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