Healthy Gingerbread Muffins

These healthy gingerbread muffins are the perfect spice-filled baked good this winter season!

The whole grain batter is laced with cinnamon, ginger and cloves and is made super-moist with Greek yogurt and applesauce.

Each perfectly cooked muffin is swirled with a light vanilla glaze. You're going to love them!

How to make healthy gingerbread muffins

Featured Ingredients

For the muffins:

• Applesauce and Greek yogurt: To add moisture to these super tender muffins.
• Molasses and brown sugar: For sweetness and rich gingerbread flavor.
• Oil: I use avocado or canola - any neutral will do.
• Egg: To hold everything together.
• Vanilla: Flavor, of course!
• Flour: I use whole wheat pastry flour for muffins. It's loaded with fiber yet finely ground, making for a more tender muffin.
• Spices: Cinnamon, ginger and cloves - it's gingerbread, afterall!
• Turbinado sugar: This is optional, but I love sprinkling a little on top of the muffins before they bake to provide a crispy, lightly sweet crust.

For the glaze:

• Powdered sugar: You can use regular powdered sugar or a substitute like Swerve (for a lower sugar option).
• Milk: Just enough to make a creamy glaze.
• Vanilla: For flavor, of course!

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin with muffin liners and coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Place the applesauce, Greek yogurt, molasses, brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl.
3. Use a hand mixer set on medium speed to beat until fluffy. Slowly beat in the milk until combined.
4. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt until combined.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while mixing with a spatula, being careful to mix until the ingredients are just combined (do not overmix).
6. Use a cookie scoop or measuring cup to fill each muffin liner with batter until almost full to the top. Sprinkle the top with the sugar (if using).
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes, then without removing the muffins from the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until just set.
8. Remove from the oven and let them cool 5 minutes before removing them from the tin and letting them completely cool on a wire rack.
9. While the muffins bake, whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small glass measuring cup.
10. Once the muffins are mostly cooled, drizzle each with the vanilla glaze.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

• Instead of applesauce: Use an additional ¼ cup of oil.
• Instead of Greek yogurt: Use an additional ½ cup milk (of choice).
• Instead of brown sugar: Use another ½ cup molasses. Or use a brown sugar substitute like Swerve.
• Instead of oil: Use an additional ¼ cup applesauce or melted butter.
• For the flour: Use whole wheat, oat, whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour.

Nutrition Considerations

• To make them gluten free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour. Be sure all packaged ingredients are gluten free.
• To make them dairy free: Use dairy free yogurt and milk, like soy, coconut, almond, cashew, oat, pea or rice.
• To make them vegan: Use plant-based yogurt and milk, like soy, coconut, almond, cashew, oat, pea or rice.
• To make them nut free: These muffins are nut free. be sure all packaged ingredients are nut free.

Fabulous muffin recipes:

• Sweet Potato Oatmeal Muffins
• Coffee Cake Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
• Cranberry Ginger Muffins
• Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Mixed Berry Crumble Muffins
• Blueberry Date Muffins
• Pumpkin Muffins with Pistachio Crumble

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