I’m a little ashamed to admit that I’ve been a food blogger for this long and just baked gingerbread for the first time. Sure, I’ve eaten gingerbread cookies in my life, but have I ever baked gingerbread myself? I truly don’t think so. When I saw the Healthy Vegan Gingerbread on Hummusapien, I knew that this was my year. I decided to switch up the recipe a bit, mostly due to what I had on hand. It’s fun to play with ingredients and see if I can create something new that is equally delicious. : ) I’m happy to report that these Healthy Gingerbread Muffins were a success.
I’ve made these Healthy Gingerbread Muffins a couple of times now (two, to be exact). Yeah, I’m still not the food blogger that tests her recipes ten times to make sure it’s perfect before posting. Ain’t nobody got time for that when they have a full-time job + a blog that also feels like a full-time job. Don’t get me wrong; I absolutely love doing this. But I don’t exactly have time to cook and bake 24/7. SUE ME.
Healthy Gingerbread Muffins are Bursting with Flavor
The first time I made this gingerbread I was caught off guard by the bold flavor of the molasses. That stuff is no joke. At first I thought it was too much. Then I took a few more bites, and it slowly grew on me. Then I drizzled white chocolate and almond butter all over it and I was officially sold. ; )
Healthy Gingerbread Muffins: Alternative Sweeteners
I wanted to try it again using less molasses, just for comparison sake. I recently received some Premium Silan from Soom Foods. If you don’t know what Silan is, don’t feel bad — I didn’t either. ; ) Silan is made from 100% steamed & pressed dates. It contains less sugar than honey, agave and maple syrup, but has a very similar appearance, texture and flavor profile. It can be used in a wide variety of ways, including baking!
In the second batch, I decided to replace half of the molasses with the Silan. I can truly say that I have found the perfect flavor that makes my taste buds dance. Thankfully, Ethan’s taste buds agree! It’s always my goal to make sure my recipes are husband-approved, too.
I substituted bananas for pumpkin puree, because I had some brown ones sitting on the counter just begging to be used. I rarely let my ripe bananas go to waste. (If I don’t have time to bake, I peel them and freeze them for smoothies). I used two real eggs instead of flax eggs, but those substitutions are still options for anyone who needs to make those swaps!
Lastly, I thought, why not make them into muffins? As much as I love a good loaf of bread, muffins are so convenient for a grab & go breakfast. I also feel like they tend to go a little further in muffin form. This recipe made 16 muffins.
Healthy Gingerbread Muffins are Freezer-Friendly
I love that homemade bread and/or muffins like this are freezer-friendly. I always freeze most of the batch right away in case I won’t be able to eat them all in the first few days. God forbid all my hard work go to waste and end up in the trash! This way I have baked goods for weeks to come! We tend to mix up our breakfast a few days a week and some days we work from home. Then we can save the frozen stuff for the days we really need something quick and portable.
Alright, it’s recipe time! If you need some healthy, festive ideas to prepare for loved ones over the holidays, look no further! I also won’t judge you if you bake these Healthy Gingerbread Muffins in the middle of the summer. They are that good. ; )
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk + 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 medium ripe bananas or 2 large, mashed
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup molasses*
- 1/4 cup Soom Foods premium Silan or another 1/4 cup syrup OR honey
- 3 tbsp ghee or butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips optional for topping
Instructions
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Preheat oven at 350° F. Grease two muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.
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In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, beat two eggs. Combine almond milk and vinegar in a liquid measuring cup, stirring to combine. Add milk+vinegar to the eggs, along with mashed bananas, molasses, maple syrup, premium Silan (or additional syrup/honey), melted ghee, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
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Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not over-mix. Pour evenly into 16 muffin cups (fill about 1/2-3/4 of the way full).
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Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Let cool for 15-20 minutes, then melt 1/3 cup of white chocolate chips in the microwave. Drizzle over the cooled muffins.
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Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in an airtight container, or transfer to the freezer. Reheat in the microwave to thaw. Serve with a dollop of almond butter on top if desired.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from Alexis’s Healthy Vegan Gingerbread on Hummusapien. *If you love molasses, you can use the whole 1/2 cup molasses, and omit the additional 1/4 cup of either Silan/syrup/honey. For the topping: I simply melted white chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzled them on top of the bread/muffins after they cooled. If you are looking for a fancier glaze, head to Alexis’s original recipe!
Nutrition
Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1.1mg
I hope you all love this recipe as much as I do!! Shout out to Alexis for the gingerbread inspiration. : ) If you don’t already follow @hummusapien on Instagram, do yourself a favor and follow her now. She is a fellow Registered Dietitian and another big advocate of intuitive eating and using a non-diet approach to health. She knows her stuff AND has tons of bomb (mostly plant-based) recipes.
Be sure to pin this on Pinterest so you can refer back to it later. As always, tag me on Instagram at @wellnessforthewin if you try these Healthy Gingerbread Muffins! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Follow Shanna Hutcheson @wellnessforthewin
