Mini gingerbread cupcakes are a delicious and festive dessert that is perfect for the upcoming holidays. They are made with a moist gingerbread cake batter and topped with a smooth and creamy cinnamon molasses frosting and candy sprinkles.
The holidays are almost upon us, you guys! Wait, wait, WAIT! I know some of you are on the other side of this screen right now saying, “It’s WAY too soon to be talking holidays!” But hear me out. When it comes to food, it’s never too early to start thinking about upcoming special occasions, especially when you have recipes like these mini gingerbread cupcakes to try. And that’s really the key phrase – to try. Look, how can you know if these are as delicious as I say they are if you don’t make a few, uh, practice batches, you know? Wink. Wink.
Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes
This delicious recipe starts with tender, moist gingerbread cake that has just the right amount of spice and molasses for the perfect gingerbread flavor. Then, I top them with a homemade cinnamon molasses cream cheese frosting to create an absolutely decadent holiday treat that everyone absolutely devours. And I say that from experience! These are the ultimate cupcake for the holiday season, but hey, don’t let that stop you from making them at other times of the year. I know I don’t!
Why You’ll Love This Mini Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe
- The cupcakes are moist, flavorful, and bite-size. The combination of molasses, brown sugar, and spices gives the mini cupcakes a rich, gingerbread flavor that is both sweet and savory.
- The cinnamon molasses frosting is the perfect complement to the cupcakes and adds a delicious, creamy, and smooth sweetness that makes these cupcakes irresistible.
- They are easy to make, and the recipe is simple and straightforward. And, they are a great option for holiday baking.
Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes Ingredients
These classic cupcakes use simple, classic ingredients. You’ll find everything you need in your pantry and with a quick trip to the store. That’s it!
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Butter
- Molasses
- Corn syrup
- Brown sugar
- Milk
- Large egg
- Cream cheese
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Gingerbread Cupcakes
Making these cupcakes couldn’t be easier. This recipe is just a simple cupcake and frosting recipe combo, both of which come together quickly and easily.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and add mini cupcake liners to mini muffin tins, or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and pumping spice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: Heat the Liquid Ingredients
Heat the milk and brown sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is melted and the mixture is lukewarm. In another saucepan, heat the molasses and corn syrup until lukewarm. Set both pans aside to cool.
Step 4: Cut in the Butter
While the pans cool, cut cold butter into the flour mixture unit crumbly.
Step 5: Make the Batter
Mix the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until blended. Then, stir in the molasses mixture until blended. Whisk the egg into the mixture until well combined.
Step 6: Bake
Fill each cupcake tin ⅔ full. Then, bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove and cool the cupcakes completely.
Step 7: Make the Frosting
Beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and mix well. Then gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Finally, mix the molasses into the frosting and blend well.
Step 8: Frost
When the cupcakes have cooled, pipe a dollop of frosting on top of each one. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Mix your cupcake batter until it’s combined but no further. Overmixing will make tough cupcakes.
- Be careful not to overbake the cupcakes. Remove them as soon as a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- If you have an older mini muffin pan, it might be better to line the pan and then spray the liners with nonstick spray.
- Keep your butter pieces in the fridge until just before ready to cut them into the flour. The colder, the better!
Variations
- Try adding white chocolate chips to the cupcake batter for extra sweetness and flavor.
- For super tender cupcakes, try using cake flour.
- Add a bit of ginger to the frosting to make gingerbread molasses frosting.
What to Serve with Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes
Like full-size cupcakes, these mini gingerbread cupcakes are delicious with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. You can also serve them alongside other holiday favorites like white chocolate peppermint cookies, chocolate chip cookies, cakes, pies, and more for a larger dessert spread at any gathering.
Recipe FAQ
You need to refrigerate cupcakes that have cream cheese frosting. Buttercream-frosted cupcakes can be at room temperature.
Using brown sugar and/or molasses in cupcakes will help make them super moist. This is because brown sugar is more moist than white sugar, helping maintain moisture in your cupcakes. And, of course, molasses is a liquid.
Start with fresh ingredients. Don’t overmix your batter. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick comes out clean and no further. Use brown sugar for moist cupcakes. These are the basic ways you can make some great cupcakes.
Ensuring the recipe has an adequate amount of baking soda in the batter will help get a nice, high dome on your cupcake, and using cake flour can help keep the cupcakes light and tender.
Cupcakes tend to be more tender and moist when made with oil, however, some people prefer the taste that cooking with butter provides. In the end, it’s largely a matter of personal preference.
How to Store Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes
Store these cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, chill the cupcakes, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to a month.
Try This Delicious Mini Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe Today
This mini gingerbread cupcake recipe is as festive as it is delicious. With tons of holiday gingerbread flavor, a shot of molasses in the frosting, and an adorable miniature size, these cupcakes are perfect for any holiday gathering. Give these mini cupcakes a try, and I know you’re going to fall in love with them. And don’t forget to make some practice batches! *wink*
Here is a delicious and easy Cranberry Raspberry Pie that is a no-bake, creamy mousse pie with two favorite flavors in one, cranberry and raspberry.
Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces
- ½ cup molasses
- ½ cup corn syrup
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 9 ounce milk
- 1 large egg
Cinnamon Molasses Frosting
- 4 ounce cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon molasses
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and either spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat milk and brown sugar together just until sugar is melted and mixture is lukewarm.
- In another small saucepan, heat molasses and corn syrup until lukewarm.
- While both pans are cooling, cut cold butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
- Once both pans have cooled a bit, add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until blended. Then add molasses mixture and stir.
- Add egg and whisk until well combined.
- Fill each cupcake tin ⅔ full of batter.
- Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely in pan.
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy.
- Add vanilla and cinnamon, mix well.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Mix molasses into mixture and blend well.
- Once cupcakes have completely cooled, pipe a dollop of frosting onto each one.
Notes
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