Question: what have I been making for my family every weekend in December? Answer: CHRISTMAS MUFFINS.
These sweet, spicy, buttery, festive muffins are my holiday everything right now. They are conveniently sized so that you don’t have to make a full breakfast when the hardcore craving for a sweet, holiday-forward, treat strikes, which, for us, is, like, nightly? It’s fine. We’re fine.
1. Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze
Okay, so the first time I tried this, I was a little curious about putting lemon with gingerbread. I ended up doing a split batch for the glaze: half lemon, half orange.
The lemon was definitely good, but wow. The orange flavor just worked so well with all those warm spices. You have to be the judge when you make them!
I also tossed some dark chocolate chunks into the batter.
The muffin itself isn’t super sugary, so that little bit of rich chocolate was amazing. It just popped, and with the orange? Ugh, so good. A total dream.
2. Pecan Pie Muffins
Do you ever wish you could just eat pecan pie for breakfast? Because, me too. These muffins are the answer!
They bring together all that sweet nuttiness from pecan pie but in a lighter muffin form.
I will say, they aren’t your typical light and fluffy muffin, even though they are lighter than a pie.
Instead, the texture is more on the chewy and dense side. Honestly? They remind me of a cakey brownie. Just so good.
If you’re making them for a snack or breakfast, you absolutely must keep the chocolate chips in. It just makes it.
But, if you wanted to serve them as a sort of bread roll replacement (how fun!), then I’d probably leave the chocolate out.
3. Fresh Cranberry Eggnog Christmas Muffins
I have to admit, I was so surprised by how amazing these muffins turned out! I mean, tart cranberries and creamy eggnog? It’s not a combo I ever would have thought of.
But wow.
The first thing you’ll see is just how fantastic they look. The pale muffin with those bright pops of red is just beautiful.
I’ve made these a couple of times now. The second time, I actually used dried cranberries because it was all I had, and I also tossed in some chocolate chips.
Friends, they were just as delicious. This one is a winner.
4. Bacon Maple Muffins with Brown Sugar Crumble
That title. I mean, come on! I love everything about it (except maybe the calories, ha!).
These muffins have bacon right in the batter, which gives them that perfect salty and sweet balance.
We all know it: bacon and maple together is just pure magic.
Here’s a little trick I learned: use the bacon grease! It adds so much extra flavor.
Just strain it into your measuring cup and then add vegetable oil to get the amount you need. Even a little bit makes a big difference, so don’t stress if you don’t have much.
5. Christmas Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
Let’s talk about making Christmas treats. There is one way that is absolutely guaranteed to make anything you bake feel festive.
What’s the secret? Decorations!
It’s so simple. These are just basic chocolate chip muffins, but they become totally Christmas-y when you mix in red and green sprinkles. How easy is that?
I’m obsessed with these red and green “crispies” because they also add a really lovely little bit of texture.
6. Coffee Cake Muffins
Ugh, I love coffee cake. It’s such a great sweet treat for a naughty breakfast or a little snack.
But here’s the thing. The second you cut into it, the countdown begins.
It doesn’t matter how careful you are with wrapping it, the cake just starts to get dry. It’s never as good as that first day.
7. Peppermint Mocha Muffins
So, here’s the solution: make muffins! They are so perfect for grabbing on the go and way, way easier to serve if you’re having friends over.
Chocolate and mint. Is there a yummier flavor combo?
I really wish we ate this all year and not just at the holidays! It’s definitely a nice break from all the spiced things and pumpkin everything.
Now, I love how crushed candy canes look, I really do.
But if you can get your hands on those Andes peppermint baking chips, you should totally use them instead.
They melt just like chocolate chips and give you this amazing creamy, minty finish.
8. Snickerdoodle Muffins
You know it’s almost the holidays when you walk into a craft store and just get hit with the smell of cinnamon.
It’s suddenly everywhere, and I am so here for it!
That’s exactly why these simple cinnamon muffins are at the top of my baking list. The muffin base is nice and simple. It’s light and perfectly moist.
But that cinnamon coating? That’s the part that makes you grab a second one.
These are also a great quick alternative to cinnamon rolls. And pro-tip: they are amazing if you add a cream cheese glaze on top.
9. Starbuck’s Hot Cocoa Chocolate Chip Muffins
These muffins are so amazing. The secret is that they use hot cocoa mix instead of regular cocoa powder!
The recipe calls for Starbucks Hot Cocoa, but you can totally use a different brand.
The key is to make sure it’s not too light. The Starbucks one is dark, similar to regular cocoa, and that’s what makes the muffins so rich.
So if you’re picking a different hot cocoa, I’d say stick with Starbucks or grab something else that’s just as intense. Ghirardelli would be a great choice.