Happy Holidays! It’s officially the best time of the year – full of foggy breath, peppermint, egg nog, and GINGERBREAD. Yes, one of the greatest flavors of the season is the merry marriage of molasses and spice. These muffins mostly focus on the moist bready aspect of the ginger experience, but one of the best parts of eating a good gingerbread man cookie is the cutting sweetness of the icing on his head, arms, and belly. I add just a touch of white chocolate to emulate that occasional sweetness that gives a little whimsy to your typical ginger muffin.

I like to do my baking in small batches, so when I find recipes in books or online I tend to cut them in half, which takes some math and some guessing – expertly reflected here.  I also like my spice-cake recipes pretty aggressive so here’s my take on some whole wheat, “kinda healthy but let’s not act like it’s not a muffin” gingerbread muffins.  Recipe makes six muffins, to make a full batch of 12 just double all the measurements.

What you’ll need:

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (can substitute all cream or yogurt if preferred)

1 cup white whole wheat flour (or any kind of flour you like)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
A couple cracks fresh black pepper
Turbinado sugar for topping (and/or other coarse sugar)

1/3 cup white chocolate chips/chunks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Melt the coconut oil and whisk with molasses.

In another bowl whisk egg, maple syrup, sour cream, yogurt, and ginger. Let it come to room temperature or microwave 30-40 seconds. Add the creamy mixture to the molasses and whisk until combined.

In another smaller bowl add the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, black pepper, and cinnamon.  Mix them together well and then stir into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in white chocolate.

Spoon evenly into muffin tin sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top evenly with turbinado sugar and other sugars if you have them (I used turbinado and red decorating sugar). Top each muffin with a little shake of cinnamon.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are firm to the touch and a fork/toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Stand over the oven and inhale the insanely delicious smelling warm air taking over your kitchen.

Eat share and enjoy!!!