Vegan Gingerbread Muffins

I love gingerbread; I always have. Gingerbread has always been my favorite. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of going with Mom to Heidi’s Bakery and choosing a cookie from the big glass case. My sister Kris always got thumbprint cookies, and I always got a gingerbread boy, with raisins for buttons down the front of his tummy. Trips to Heidi’s were rare, an extra special treat. We’d go early in the morning, in the dark, and then eat cookies for breakfast in the car on the way to school. I’d feel very fancy and lucky and spoiled—because my cookie was so pretty and came in such a pretty, dainty white bag.

I got a hankering for gingerbread about a week ago and started looking for recipes. I would have liked to whip up some handsome gingerbread boys, but since I’m kind of a terrible baker I decided I better go with something easier—gingerbread muffins. Even I can’t mess up muffins. I used this terrific recipe and tweaked it just a bit.

Vegan Gingerbread Muffins

Ingredients:

2/3 cup almond milk
2 tsps apple cider vinegar
4 Tbls ground flaxseed
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tsps baking powder
2 Tbls ground ginger
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsps vanilla

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin papers.

Measure the almond milk into a medium-sized bowl. Mix the apple cider vinegar and flaxseed together in a separate small bowl; stir vigorously for about a minute. Then add the vinegar/flaxseed to the almond milk and let it sit for a few minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the milk mixture. Then add the oil, applesauce, molasses, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix everything together until just moistened; be careful not to overmix.

Fill muffin tins and bake for about 22 minutes.