The first time I tried (emphasis on the word “tried”) to make a gingerbread house by myself was a disaster.  I was in 8th grade and had received a gingerbread kit for my birthday that year.  My mom had given me permission to put together the house myself one day when everyone was gone.

I couldn’t get the thing to stick together!  I followed the directions (which is rare for me) and the frosting was still too runny.  Which resulted in a big gooey mess and gingerbread crackers all over the place.

One of my dad’s friends from work called while I was working on the project and since my dad wasn’t home, he decided to entertain me (like I wasn’t busy building a HOUSE or anything).  He asked me what I was doing and when I explained that I was trying to construct the gingerbread house but it wasn’t working he asked me what color icing I was using.  ”White”, I told him.  ”Well there’s your problem!  You’re supposed to use BROWN icing!”  I believed him for a second because nothing else really seemed to be working.  That is, until my mom came home and worked magic and suddenly the house began to stick.

Thankfully these muffins are fool proof and you don’t need to thicken any icing and hope for it to stick.  You pour, bake and enjoy.  Easy.

Mini Gingerbread Muffins Recipe

By Joy Published: December 17, 2012

• Yield: 24 mini muffins (8 Servings)
• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 20 mins
• Ready In: 30 mins

Adapted from Betty Crocker.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a standing mixer, combine sugar, molasses, milk, oil and egg.
3. Slowly add the dry ingredients, with the flour last.
4. Once combined, pour into greased mini muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes. ENJOY!

Go ahead, take one!