Looking for a gluten free, plant-based treat to get you in the festive spirit? These vegan gingerbread cupcakes have a warm spice flavor and rich icing that makes them irresistible!
Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes
Something about the holidays makes me crave sweets and baked goods more than any other time of year. There’s just something so festive about all the cookies, pies, and other traditional treats.
And for a plant-based dessert that’s sure to put you in the spirit, it’s hard to beat these vegan gingerbread cupcakes! The flavor of warm spices and maple combined with rich vanilla and cinnamon icing truly captures the season.
Cupcakes are a great treat to enjoy with the family or bring to a holiday gathering. And with their moist texture, fluffy icing, and irresistible flavor, no one will be able to guess they’re completely vegan!
Best of all, this recipe is so easy to throw together. For the base, you simply mix and bake. It’s as simple as that. Then you’ll beat the icing ingredients, ice the cupcakes, and voila! Dessert is served.
Seriously, how can you say no to 7-step vegan cupcakes that are ready in less than an hour? The next time you’re in the mood for a festive treat, give this recipe a try!
Tools Needed
I’m guessing you already have all these tools, but just in case, here is a list of what you need! Cupcake liners are the one thing I normally have to go and grab from the store, however!
How to Make Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and beat until smooth.
Divide the batter evenly into an 8-cup muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Fill each one about ⅔ of the way full.
Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature.
Beat together the ingredients for the frosting. Start with 2 cups of the powdered sugar, then add more as needed until you reach your desired consistency.
Ice the cupcakes with the frosting and serve.
Is There Molasses In Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes?
I know a lot of traditional gingerbread recipes use molasses to add moisture and brown sugar flavor. However, we won’t need it here!
While molasses itself doesn’t contain any animal products, the process used to make it isn’t always vegan-friendly. In some cases, molasses is refined with bone char, so you could argue that there is still animal exploitation involved.
It’s considered a bit of a grey area. However, we don’t need to even worry about it for this recipe, because we skip the molasses altogether!
Instead, we use pure maple syrup for that rich flavor we all know and love. Combined with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves, you’ll never even miss the molasses.
What Does Applesauce Do In Vegan Baking?
In traditional baking, eggs and oil or butter help bind pastries and keep the texture moist. Applesauce is our secret ingredient for replacing them!
The beauty of applesauce is that it has a thick, creamy texture and a hint of sweetness without being overpowering. It also ensures that the cupcakes don’t end up too crumbly.
This is especially important when we’re baking with almond flour. In general, low-carb flours are going to be a little drier than your standard all-purpose white flour. Ingredients like applesauce combined with the maple syrup ensure we get that wonderful, moist texture from our gingerbread cupcakes.
Can You Store Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes?
Absolutely! This recipe is for eight cupcakes total, so unless you’re cooking for a crowd (or expect everyone to sneak seconds), you should have a few extras to enjoy later.
I always recommend storing baked goods in an airtight container in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. I’ve also noticed that chilling treats made with almond flour can actually make the texture even chewier the next day. Win-win!
Your cupcakes will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about a week. Although, to be honest, I would be surprised if they aren’t all devoured before then.
Other Gluten Free Desserts You Might Like
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup arrowroot powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup oil
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup almond milk
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Icing
- 2-3 cups low carb powdered sugar substitute or powdered sugar as needed
- ½ cup butter melted (use Vegan butter if desired)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and beat until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly into an 8-cup muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Fill each one about ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
- Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature.
- Beat together the ingredients for the frosting. Start with 2 cups of the powdered sugar, then add more as needed until you reach your desired consistency.
- Ice the cupcakes with the frosting and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 401Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 223mgCarbohydrates: 24gNet Carbohydrates: 20gFiber: 4gSugar: 15gProtein: 7g
Nutrition is calculated using a third party plug-in. It is best to always validate!
