The Season of Gingerbread!

December means pulling out the cherished family recipes — the ones on worn index cards in your mom's handwriting. The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses filling the house genuinely brightens the darker days of the year. Here are two gingerbread recipes that have become part of that tradition: a quick gingerbread syrup for homemade lattes, and gingerbread muffins with an eggnog glaze that are perfect for Christmas morning.

Gingerbread Syrup for Coffee

Stir this into a latte, top with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg, and you've got something that beats any coffee shop seasonal special. It also makes a lovely gift packaged in a decorative jar.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp whole allspice or star anise
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1 whole nutmeg, crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
2. Simmer for 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat.
3. Cool slightly, strain out the spices, and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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Gingerbread Muffins with Eggnog Glaze

Fluffy, warmly spiced, and finished with a simple eggnog glaze — these muffins are ideal for Christmas morning or an afternoon treat. Easily made dairy-free or gluten-free.

Recipe inspired by Sally's Baking Addiction.

Ingredients

Muffins:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or vegan butter
• ¾ cup (234g) dark molasses
• 2⅔ cups (334g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (or a gluten-free flour blend)
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ½ cup (120g) plain yogurt, vegan yogurt, or sour cream, room temperature
• ½ cup (120ml) milk or non-dairy milk, room temperature

Eggnog glaze:

• 2 cups (240g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter or vegan butter, softened
• 3 tbsp eggnog or non-dairy eggnog

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously grease a muffin pan with butter, nonstick spray, or line with muffin liners.
2. Cut the butter into smaller pieces. Heat the butter and molasses together in a microwave-safe bowl on high for about 1 minute, whisk to combine, and set aside to cool.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves in a large bowl.
4. Whisk the brown sugar, egg, yogurt, and milk into the cooled molasses mixture until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined — don't overmix; the batter will be thick and a little lumpy.
5. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each to the top.
6. Reduce oven to 350°F and bake for 15–20 minutes until the tops crack and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before glazing.
7. Make the glaze: whisk the softened butter, sifted confectioners' sugar, and eggnog together until smooth and pourable. Add more sugar if too thin. Spoon over the warm muffins and finish with a sprinkle of coarse sugar.