Dreamy Cozy Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Warm holiday memories flood back when baking these delightful gingerbread cupcakes that dance with nostalgic spices.

The kitchen fills with rich aromas of molasses and sweet cinnamon.

Delicate crumbs promise comfort in every single bite.

Soft, tender textures melt against your tongue like winter’s gentle whisper.

Hints of ginger and nutmeg weave magic through each carefully crafted cupcake.

Creamy frosting adds a luxurious finish that transforms simple desserts into extraordinary moments.

Bake these little treasures and watch smiles bloom around your table.

Elements That Make Gingerbread Cupcakes Shine

• Prepare these cupcakes in under an hour from start to finish. The straightforward recipe means you can satisfy sweet cravings without spending all day in the kitchen.
• Capture the warm, nostalgic flavors of gingerbread that appeal to both kids and adults. These cupcakes bring instant holiday cheer and work perfectly for family gatherings, office parties, or cozy winter evenings.
• Transform a classic holiday flavor into a portable, easy-to-serve treat. These cupcakes are equally impressive as a dessert centerpiece or a casual sweet snack that everyone will love.

Ingredients for Cozy Gingerbread Cupcakes

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the main structure and texture for the cupcakes.
• Baking Soda: Helps the cupcakes rise and creates a light, fluffy texture.
• Ground Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Ground Cloves: Signature spices that give the classic gingerbread flavor.
• Salt: Enhances and balances the overall taste of the cupcakes.

• Butter: Adds richness and creates a soft, tender crumb.
• Brown Sugar: Provides deep sweetness and moisture to the cupcakes.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients together and contribute to the cupcake's structure.
• Molasses: Gives the distinctive gingerbread flavor and dark color.
• Milk: Adds moisture and helps create a smooth batter.

• Cream Cheese, Butter: Create a smooth, creamy base for the frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps achieve the right frosting consistency.
• Ground Cinnamon: Adds warm spice to complement the gingerbread cupcakes.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the frosting.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness of the frosting.

How to Frost and Bake These Cupcakes

Step 1: Warm Up the Oven

Crank your oven to 350F (175C). Grab a 12-cup muffin tin and line it with cheerful cupcake liners.

Step 2: Create the Dry Blend

• Flour
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cloves
• Salt

Step 3: Whip the Base

Use a mixer to blend butter and brown sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy. This takes about 2-3 minutes of happy mixing.

Step 4: Introduce Wet Elements

Drop in eggs one by one, mixing thoroughly after each. Pour in molasses and stir until everything looks perfectly combined.

Step 5: Marry the Ingredients

Slowly fold dry ingredients into wet mixture. Alternate with milk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix gently- no aggressive stirring!

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Fill muffin cups about two-thirds full. Slide into the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick. Let cupcakes rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Step 7: Craft the Creamy Frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter until silky smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing between each addition.

Step 8: Season the Frosting

• Cinnamon
• Vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Whip until the frosting looks cloud-like and dreamy.

Step 9: Decorate with Flair

Once cupcakes are completely cool, swirl frosting on top. Optional: Dust with extra cinnamon or add tiny gingerbread decorations for festive pizzazz.

Enjoy your scrumptious creation!

Tips for Gingerbread Cupcake Perfection

• Prevent Dry Cupcakes: Avoid over-mixing the batter to keep the texture moist and tender, as excessive stirring can develop gluten and lead to tough, dry cupcakes.
• Control Frosting Consistency: Adjust powdered sugar gradually to achieve the perfect spreadable texture, ensuring the cream cheese frosting is neither too runny nor too stiff.
• Master Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow butter, eggs, and cream cheese to reach room temperature before mixing, which helps create smoother, more evenly blended batters and frostings.
• Customize Spice Levels: Modify the ginger, cinnamon, and clove quantities to suit personal taste preferences, creating a more subtle or intense gingerbread flavor profile.
• Store with Care: Keep cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to a week, bringing them to room temperature before serving for optimal taste and texture.

Drinks That Pair with Gingerbread Cupcakes

• Warm Spiced Chai Latte
• Create a creamy chai latte with steamed milk and traditional Indian spices that complement the gingerbread's warm flavor profile, enhancing the cupcake's rich, cozy notes.
• Late Harvest Riesling
• Select a sweet, slightly acidic late harvest Riesling with light golden color that balances the cupcake's dense texture and provides a delightful dessert wine experience.
• Vanilla Bourbon Roast
• Choose a smooth vanilla bourbon coffee roast with subtle caramel undertones that mirrors the gingerbread's deep, molasses-based warmth and creates a harmonious taste connection.
• Candied Ginger Sprinkle
• Dust finely chopped candied ginger over frosting to add a zingy, crystallized texture that elevates the cupcake's spice profile and introduces a delightful crunch.

Fun Cupcake Variations to Try

• Gluten-Free Gingerbread Delight: Replace wheat flour with almond or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for a celiac-friendly version that maintains the classic spicy flavor profile.
• Vegan Spice Cupcakes: Substitute butter with coconut oil, eggs with mashed banana or flax eggs, and use dairy-free cream cheese alternative for the frosting to create a plant-based treat.
• Low-Sugar Ginger Option: Use monk fruit sweetener instead of brown sugar and reduce molasses quantity, paired with a lighter cream cheese frosting made with stevia for a diabetic-friendly dessert.
• Dairy-Free Adaptation: Swap butter with coconut oil, use almond milk instead of regular milk, and create the frosting with cashew-based cream cheese for individuals with dairy restrictions.

Store These Cupcakes Without Losing Moisture

• Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container within the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Place cupcakes in a single layer to prevent frosting from getting smudged.
• Wrap unfrosted cupcakes individually in plastic wrap, then place inside a freezer-safe container. These can remain frozen for 2-3 months without losing quality.
• Remove frozen cupcakes from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for about 2 hours. Frost after they've completely defrosted.
• Warm refrigerated cupcakes in the microwave for 10-15 seconds on low power. Avoid overheating to maintain their soft, moist texture.

Cozy Gingerbread Cupcakes With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Gingerbread magic shines through these delightful cupcakes, blending warm spices with creamy frosting. Comfort meets celebration in each bite, inviting you to savor winter’s most delicious comfort.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup molasses
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar)

Spices and Seasonings:

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Leavening Agents:

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Activate the oven to 350F (175C) and outfit a muffin tin with cupcake liners for easy release.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a medium mixing vessel, creating a unified dry mixture.
3. Utilize an electric mixer to transform butter and brown sugar into a voluminous, aerated blend, working until the texture becomes light and pillowy.
4. Integrate eggs individually into the butter mixture, ensuring complete incorporation after each addition. Fold in molasses, stirring until thoroughly distributed.
5. Carefully introduce dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk. Gently fold until ingredients are just merged, avoiding excessive stirring which could compromise the batter’s delicate structure.
6. Distribute batter evenly across muffin cups, filling approximately two-thirds full. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, monitoring until a inserted toothpick emerges cleanly.
7. Allow cupcakes to rest in the tin for five minutes, then transition to a cooling rack to reach ambient temperature.
8. Whip cream cheese and butter together until achieving a silky, uniform consistency.
9. Gradually introduce powdered sugar, blending meticulously between additions to create a smooth frosting.
10. Enhance frosting with cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a delicate salt pinch, whipping until the mixture becomes ethereally light and creamy.
11. Once cupcakes have cooled completely, adorn with frosting using a piping bag or offset spatula, creating elegant swirls or smooth coverage.
12. Optionally embellish with a dusting of ground cinnamon or miniature gingerbread decorations for a festive flourish.

Notes

• Select room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth blending and consistent texture in your cupcakes.
• Substitute molasses with honey or maple syrup for a lighter flavor profile if desired.
• Consider using gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version of these cupcakes without compromising taste and texture.
• Reduce sugar content by using alternative sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit for a lower-calorie dessert option.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 210
• Sugar: 20 g
• Sodium: 180 mg
• Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 30 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 45 mg