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Classic gingerbread cupcakes are a must bake for the holidays! With plenty of warming spices and rich molasses flavor, you’ll love these soft and fluffy gingerbread cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Recipe makes 18 cupcakes.
Flavored with cozy spices, brown sugar, and molasses, these gingerbread cupcakes are easy to make and the perfect festive treat for the holidays.
Decorated with swirls of cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of sparkling sugar, gingerbread lovers will adore these cupcakes!
Ingredient Notes
Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves are the perfect blend of warming spices. Rich molasses (I like Grandma’s Original Molasses) adds the signature gingerbread flavor you know and love.
Unsalted butter adds flavor and baking oil (canola or vegetable) gives the cupcakes a soft, moist texture. Light brown sugar sweetens the cupcakes and adds additional moisture. Dark brown sugar works well too.
How to Make Gingerbread Cupcakes
Gingerbread Batter – To make the cupcake batter, whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat butter and light brown sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until creamy, then mix in molasses and oil. Add eggs one at a time and mix in vanilla extract until incorporated. Combine milk and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture.
Divide Batter – Use a medium cookie scoop coated with nonstick spray to fill each baking cup with batter – fill liners only 2/3 full to avoid batter spilling over the sides.
Bake Cupcakes – Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes, until tops spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pans on wire racks for 2 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting – Use full fat cream cheese and unsalted butter at cool room temperature (finger leaves an indentation; slightly cool to the touch).
Beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy, scraping down the mixer bowl as needed. Add vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in sifted powdered sugar on low speed until smooth. If frosting is too soft to use immediately, chill for 15 to 20 minutes before piping.
Decorate Cupcakes – Transfer cream cheese frosting to a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake. Top cupcakes with sparkling sugar and gingerbread cookies and enjoy!
More easy gingerbread dessert recipes:
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Classic Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 18 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
The BEST classic gingerbread cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting! You’ll love this recipe for perfect homemade gingerbread cupcakes. Recipe makes 18 cupcakes.
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, at room temperature
Frosting
- 8 oz full fat cream cheese, cool room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cool room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup standard muffin pans with baking cups. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- Beat butter and brown sugar in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until soft and creamy; mix in molasses and oil. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Mix in vanilla extract. Combine milk and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture. (begin and end with flour mixture).
- Use a medium cookie scoop coated with nonstick spray to fill each baking cup 2/3 full of batter.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until cupcakes spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pans on wire racks for 2 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy, scraping down bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla and salt. Reduce speed to low; add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat well, scraping down bowl as needed. If frosting is too soft to use immediately, chill for 15 to 20 minutes before piping.
- Transfer frosting to a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip (Wilton 8B) and frost cupcakes. If desired, top with sparkling sugar and gingerbread cookies. Chill cupcakes 20 minutes before serving.
- Store leftover cupcakes covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
