I know I know. I just finished telling you that I “don’t really love gingerbread…”

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And now this.

Muffins. Gingerbread muffins. Hellllllo hypocrite.

In my defense, I don’t love traditional gingerbread COOKIES. I especially don’t love them when they are crisp or hard. But once or twice a season, I want to get a gingerbread latte or something of the sort, I think just so I can feel really “in” the holiday mode and what not.

And when hot muffins can be spread with softened butter that melts into every crumb and crevice and you can eat that for breakfast everyday of December, well… then I kind of want gingerbread. Or I at least want to smell gingerbread. Strange?

I also think I’m into doing super nostalgic things because I’m about to have a kid and don’t know what’s happening with my life and still feel like a kid myself so I just want all the things to taste and feel and smell like thirty years ago. If that makes sense? I know you get me. You might be the only people who get me, but you get me!

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Last night we put up our Christmas tree, making it the first year ever that we waited until AFTER Thanksgiving. Um, I’m pretty sure that the first year we were married I made Eddie put up the tree on my birthday weekend, which is the first weekend of November, which is ridiculous and asinine but I was just OMGTOOEXCITED for the holidays in our house.

After that year, I made it to the week or so before Thanksgiving and maybe occasionally the day after Thanksgiving, but never three or four days after. I feel like I’ve already missed out on four full holiday-filled, family room couch surfing, pillow face smashing naps.

Must make up for that.

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Do you know that I do this weird blogging thing where I sort of have traditions, and every year since I began, I’ve shared an eggnog-laced recipe the Monday after Thanksgiving? It’s true it’s true and today… I broke the tradition.

Eggnog just didn’t sound good in anything (besides a latte) and I didn’t want to make garbage, so I figured that gingerbread was the next best thing. Plus, I actually do have an eggnog-laced recipe coming in the next few weeks, but it consists of booze and is quite the holidayish recipe, so I’m saving it for just a few days longer. I’m also quite obsessed with it and can’t wait for you to see.

Muffins seemed more “Monday” though because EVERYONE needs a muffin on Monday. I don’t care how much stuffing and potatoes you consumed in the last 72 hours.

Sidebar: it’s really incredible not having to or being able to suck your stomach in after eating Thanksgiving dinner.

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But.

Because I’m not all over gingerbread like most people, I’d like to say that these are a toned down version of gingerbread muffins with a hint of maple. With crunchy raw sugar on top. And you should most definitely stir some vanilla beans into your butter before spreading it on top or in between two halves.

Doesn’t that sound like the most perfect Monday ever? Duh.

gingerbread muffins I howsweeteats.com

Gingerbread Maple Muffins

5 from 12 votes
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Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking pwoder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Set aside.
  • In a larger bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and egg. Once combined, whisk in the molasses, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk in the melted butter until fully combined. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined – do not overmix! Before the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, stir in the milk until you have a smooth batter.
  • Add the batter to the muffin cups, filling them up about 3/4 of the way full. Top each with a generous sprinkle of raw sugar. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the muffin tops are fully set and no longer jiggly.

Notes

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it’s worth being a hypocrite.