Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Muffins

These Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Muffins are tender, full of warm spice flavor and have just the right amount of gooey chocolate chips! They’re perfect for Christmas morning or your next winter brunch!  

This recipe and photos have been updated since the original post on 12/4/2015.

Christmas morning breakfast is one of my favorite breakfasts of the year. It definitely a morning where I put a lot more effort into making something special. My typical eggs with veggies and salsa won’t cut it. 

We usually start with cranberry orange mimosas to sip on while everything bakes and we open gifts. I have to have an egg dish and this year I’m leaning towards this crustless vegetable quiche. Then we do something sweet and carby like these gingerbread chocolate chip muffins!

Generally I skip the sweet stuff in the morning, but this is a special morning and it calls for warm muffins full of chocolate chips. The muffin itself isn’t overly sweet, but the chocolate chips and sprinkling of raw sugar on top give it a sweet kick. The chocolate is also a wonderful pairing with the warm spices and molasses in the muffins.

Ingredients Needed to Make Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Muffins

• whole wheat pastry flour
• baking powder and baking soda
• ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves
• zest of an orange
• plain Greek yogurt
• milk of choice
• molasses
• maple syrup
• coconut oil
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• raw sugar (optional)

How to Make Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Muffins

Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together the yogurt, milk, molasses, maple syrup, orange zest, melted coconut oil, eggs and vanilla. 

Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and stir everything together until it’s just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and then divide the batter evenly into a standard size muffin pan that’s been sprayed with cooking spray or has muffin liners in it. Top the muffins with a sprinkle of raw sugar then bake them for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. 

Tips and FAQ

• Make sure that your wet ingredients are at room temperature before making the muffins. Everything will combine better if the ingredients are at room temperature. This is especially true when using melted coconut oil, as it will solidify when it comes into contact with cold ingredients.
• I recommend using bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips. They have a deeper chocolate flavor and won’t make the muffins overly sweet. You can also chop up your favorite dark chocolate bar instead of using chocolate chips.
• Don’t skip the orange zest. Orange, gingerbread and chocolate are a great pairing. The fresh citrus flavor of the orange compliments the warm spices used in the muffin batter. 

Do I Have to Use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

No. If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour you can use regular whole wheat, white whole wheat, all purpose or a combination. I sometimes like to make mine with half whole wheat and half all purpose flour for a lighter (in texture) muffin. The pastry flour yields a lighter baked good and keeps it whole grain which is why I like to bake with it.

Can I Freeze the Muffins?

Yes. Once the muffins have cooled completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a single layer in a resealable freezer bag or other airtight freezer safe container. The muffins will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer. I recommend skipping the raw sugar on top as it will become sticky when the muffins defrost.

How Long Will the Gingerbread Muffins Stay Fresh?

I think muffins are best the day they are made. However, they will keep for several days in an airtight container on the countertop.

More Gingerbread Recipes

Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies

Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Gingerbread Dutch Baby with Cider Apples