These Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter Frosting are the perfect sweet treat for the Christmas Holidays! Moist, so delicious, full of warming spices, and topped with cinnamon brown butter frosting simple enough to make any day of the week for a fun December treat.
There is no flavor like home, but, for me, gingerbread comes pretty close!
If you love gingerbread cookies, and you love cakes, then I’m pretty sure you’re going to fall in love with this recipe.
What ingredients are in Gingerbread Cupcakes?
You just need a few ingredients to make these festive gingerbread cupcakes!
- Unsalted Butter: Used to make browned butter, which adds a rich, nutty, caramelized flavor to the frosting.
- Molasses: Provides a deep, sweet, and slightly smoky flavor characteristic of gingerbread.
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of the cupcake batter, providing structure to the cupcakes.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cupcakes rise and become fluffy.
- Ground Ginger: A key spice in gingerbread, offering a warm, spicy flavor. It’s can also used for decorating, adding a touch of extra flavor and visual appeal.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice to the cupcakes, complementing the ginger. It can also be used for decorating.
- Ground Cloves: Provides a strong, aromatic flavor that is essential in gingerbread.
- Salted Butter: Used in both the cupcake batter and frosting, contributing to the overall richness and flavor balance.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes and contributes to the texture of the batter.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients in the cupcake batter, contributing to the structure and texture.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting, creating a smooth, spreadable consistency.
What Is Brown Butter?
Brown butter is regular butter that has been “browned.” What you are doing is cooking the butter slightly past its melting point, just long enough to toast the milk solids in the butter. By doing this, you’re creating butter magic! It releases a nutty flavor in the butter that adds an extra layer when you replace it with regular butter in recipes.
How To Make Brown Butter
It’s super easy to make brown butter! All you need is a pan, some butter, and a tool for stirring the butter as you brown it. You just need to be able to stir while the butter is cooking, so that they brown evenly and not turn black and burnt.
The cooking time will depend on how much butter you’re using, the amount of heat (we recommend melting over medium heat), and the surface area of your pot or pan. Using a sturdy, thick pan ensures even heating for the best results. If you want your butter to melt faster, cut it first before adding it to your pan.
How to Store Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Store Gingerbread Cupcakes in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 7 days.
- You can freeze un-frosted Gingerbread Cupcakes in plastic freezer bags. For best results, use within 4-6 months.
- The Cinnamon Brown Butter can be stored in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below!
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Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter Frosting
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter * at room temperature
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 egg * at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup milk * at room temperature
Cinnamon Brown Butter Frosting
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter at room temperature, divided
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon Ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla, molasses and egg until combined. Add the milk, alternating with the flour mixture until everything is combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin pan, fill the muffin cups 2/3rds of the way full.
- Transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out with moist crumbs attached, 18-22 minutes. Let cool before frosting.
- Add 1 stick butter to a skillet set over medium heat. Brown butter lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir often. Remove from the heat and transfer the butter to the mixing bowl, let cool until it’s room temp. Add the remaining stick of butter and beat until is light and fluffy.
- Mix in the honey, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until evenly incorporated. Very gradually add the powdered sugar until it’s fully blended and smooth.
- Apply the Brown Butter Cinnamon Frosting to the cooled Gingerbread Cupcakes with a butter knife, small spatula, or a piping bag and tip. Decorate cupcakes as desired. Enjoy!
