Muffin Break

TIME FOR A MUFFIN BREAK
Add your favorite cup of Joe or tea, you're refueled and ready to go for holiday countdown on your list.

  Gingerbread Muffins

Cook's Notes:  A moist, flavorful muffin that beams with holiday spice, a hint of lemon makes a hearty winter breakfast treat.
Muffin Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp. Saigon cinnamon or 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• Dash ground cloves
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel 
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses, unsulphured-mild flavor
• 1 cup buttermilk

Topping options: 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon or Sprinkles (crystallized sugar found in baking section at Michaels) 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, grated lemon and spices in a small bowl. Set  aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Add in the eggs one at a time, beating in between.
• Beat in the molasses.
• Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Don't over beat.
• Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups, lightly greased or lined with muffin papers.
• Sprinkle with a little cinnamon mixed with sugar on top of each muffin before baking or use a product from Wilton called Sprinkles.
• Bake for about 18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Add a few more Sprinkles while warm.
• Cool for a few minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a wire rack.