Gingerbread cupcakes are the ultimate cozy-season dessert—richly spiced, perfectly moist, and topped with brown sugar cinnamon cream cheese frosting that’s out-of-this-world good. Whether you’re baking for a holiday party or just craving something warm and festive, these cupcakes deliver classic gingerbread flavor in handheld form.

Cupcakes might be small, but these pack big holiday flavor. With cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and molasses, they taste just like a soft gingerbread cookie—but fluffier. The buttermilk ensures tender crumb, while the brown sugar cream cheese frosting adds tangy sweetness with a warming cinnamon twist. Top them with mini gingerbread cookies for extra charm and crunch.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Full-on flavor: Bold spice blend + molasses = classic gingerbread taste
Perfectly moist: Buttermilk and brown sugar keep the texture just right
Unique frosting: Cream cheese + brown sugar + cinnamon = holiday heaven
Make-ahead friendly: Great for prepping ahead of gatherings
Freezer friendly: Frosted or unfrosted, these freeze like a dream

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk, room temp

For the frosting

8 oz block-style cream cheese, softened
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups powdered sugar

Optional topping

Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
Mini gingerbread cookies for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 16 cupcake cavities with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all the spices.
In a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add brown sugar and beat 2–3 minutes until fluffy.
Mix in molasses, then add egg and vanilla. Scrape down bowl as needed.
Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined.
Divide batter between cupcake liners, filling about halfway.
Bake for 16–20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
For frosting, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add butter and beat until creamy.
Mix in brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and top with mini cookies, if desired.

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 cupcakes

Nutrition Facts (per cupcake – approximate)

Calories: 340
Carbs: 47g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 15g
Sugar: 36g
Sodium: 160mg

Tips & Variations

Don’t overmix: For tender cupcakes, mix until ingredients are just combined
Avoid runny frosting: Use brick cream cheese and chill frosting if too soft
Make it a cake: Bake in a greased 8-inch pan for ~25–30 minutes
Add-ins: Try chopped crystallized ginger or mini chocolate chips in the batter
Decorating shortcut: Dust with powdered sugar and skip the piped frosting

FAQs

Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! Bake cupcakes up to 2 days ahead. Store at room temp. Frosting can be made 3–4 days in advance and chilled.

Do they need to be refrigerated?
Only after frosting. Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let them sit at room temp for 30 minutes before serving.

Can I freeze them?
Absolutely. Freeze frosted or unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temp.