Classic gingerbread cupcakes are a holiday favorite. Warm spices and rich molasses give these cupcakes their signature flavor, while a cream cheese frosting adds a tangy, velvety finish. This recipe yields 18 soft, fluffy cupcakes—perfect for gifting, parties, or cozy nights in.
These gingerbread cupcakes combine cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves with brown sugar and molasses for a deeply spiced, moist crumb that bakes up consistently every time.
Topped with piped cream cheese frosting and a dusting of sparkling sugar, they make a festive and elegant dessert that gingerbread lovers will enjoy.
Ingredient Notes
A balanced mix of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves creates the classic warming spice profile. Molasses provides the unmistakable gingerbread depth—use a robust, unsulfured molasses for the best flavor.
Unsalted butter contributes richness while a neutral oil (vegetable or canola) helps keep the cupcakes tender and moist. Light or dark brown sugar adds moisture and a caramel note. Greek yogurt folded with milk adds body and ensures a soft crumb.
How to Make Gingerbread Cupcakes
Make the batter – Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a mixer, beat room-temperature butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add molasses and oil, then beat in the eggs one at a time and mix in vanilla. Combine milk and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. With the mixer on low, add the dry mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Portion the batter – Use a medium cookie scoop sprayed with nonstick spray to fill each lined muffin cup about two-thirds full. This prevents overflow and yields evenly sized cupcakes.
Bake – Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pans on a wire rack for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to the rack to cool completely.
Cream cheese frosting – Use full-fat cream cheese and unsalted butter at cool room temperature (slightly cool to the touch but soft enough to make an impression with your finger). Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth, then add vanilla and salt. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar on low speed until silky. If the frosting is too soft to pipe, chill it 15–20 minutes to firm up.
Decorate – Fit a piping bag with an open star tip and pipe a generous swirl of cream cheese frosting on each cupcake. Finish with sparkling sugar or small gingerbread cookies for a festive touch. Chill briefly before serving if you prefer a firmer frosting.
More easy gingerbread dessert recipes:
- Gingerbread Biscotti
- Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Gingerbread Sheet Cake
- Gingerbread Roll
Classic Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Author: Laura Kasavan
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 18 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These are the best classic gingerbread cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting. The recipe produces moist, tender cupcakes filled with cozy spice and molasses flavor. 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 standard 12-cup muffin pans with liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until soft and creamy. Mix in molasses and oil. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined, then stir in vanilla. Combine milk and Greek yogurt in a small bowl.
- With the mixer on low, add the dry mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Coat a medium cookie scoop with nonstick spray and fill each liner about two-thirds full with batter.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan on a wire rack for 2 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and salt. On low speed, add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until combined and smooth. If too soft, chill 15–20 minutes before piping.
- Fit a piping bag with an open star tip and swirl frosting onto each cooled cupcake. If desired, top with sparkling sugar or small cookies. Chill 20 minutes before serving for a firmer finish.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Equipment
Muffin pan
Stand mixer (optional)