Gentle breezes tug at the red and gold leaves still hanging on a tree. Crisp, late evenings are filled with roaring yellow bonfires and big, bright moons. Giant orange pumpkins proudly sit on decorated front porch steps. Fall has finally arrived.
Autumn is my favorite time of the year. There are so many colors on the horizon, and the weather cools down so I can wear all my best sweaters and jackets. It is the perfect time for home cooked meals and special desserts. Summer swelters with the high temperatures and balmy humidity. No one wants to cook, and baking is done only on rainy days. However, autumn allows us to explore old cookbooks for recipes that belonged to our long, lost grandmothers. We eat more soups, and bake more casseroles. The slow cooker is back on the counter again, and we wrap ourselves in the comfort foods of the season.
Pumpkin flavored everything seems to pop up everywhere during this time of the year, and I certainly have my own go-to items that contain the orange gourd. I make pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin seeds anytime from September to March, but when I really want something rich and decadent for a dessert, I choose gingerbread. There is something about the sweet molasses and bold kick of ginger that warms up my cold, fall evenings. I absolutely love the dark auburn square of deliciousness topped with a swirl of vanilla white crème on top. Everything about it sings Autumn.
When I found the recipe for gingerbread muffins, my chilled mornings of breakfast took a turn for the better. Here was a scrumptious way to begin my day with a warm hug and a cup of tea. The recipe is easy and makes approximately 12 regular sized muffins, but can also be adapted to a mini muffin too for a special treat for any occasion. To be honest, a dollop of whipped cream works for this recipe too. Its just too yummy and easy not to try.
Gingerbread Muffins
Ingredients:
½ cup water
¼ cup margarine or butter
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line cupcake tins with papers or grease generously.Place butter and water in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup. Heat in microwave for 2 minutes.
In separate bowl, whisk egg well. Add molasses and sugar and mix well. Add water and butter mixture and stir again.
In another bowl, add all dry ingredients together. Slowly whisk into the wet ingredients, making sure bumps are dissolved.
Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes. (For mini muffins, bake for only 10 minutes.)Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.
Makes 12 regular size muffins or 24 mini muffins. (78 calories per reg. muffin)
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