Gingerbread Muffins

Alrighty, I've been raving for a day about these low-fat gingerbread muffins. They're spicy and yummy! Not the easiest to make--they take a few bowls--but worth the time and effort. So, if you're hankering for some holiday smells, flavors, and baked yumminess, make this recipe!

GINGERBREAD MUFFINS 

Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1-1/4 cups pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup light or fat-free cream cheese or sour cream -- I used lowfat vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 large egg, higher omega-3 if available
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• Powdered sugar for dusting over the top of the muffins if desired; I used gold sprinkles found at Williams Sonoma

Steps

• 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2Add muffin liners to 20 muffin cups.
• 3In a small bowl, combine baking soda with boiling water, stir briefly, then set aside.
• 4In a large bowl, combine flours, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder with whisk.
• 5Fit your electric mixer with the paddle attachment. 
• 6In a large mixing bowl, combine canola oil, light cream cheese or sour cream, and brown sugar together by beating on medium speed.
• 7While beating on low speed, add molasses, the baking soda mixture and the flour mixture.
• 8Now beat in the egg and egg substitute.
• 9Fill muffin cups each with about 1/4-cup of batter.
• 10Bake until the top center of a muffin barely springs back when gently pressed (about 22-25 minutes).
• 11Let the muffins cool; then dust the tops with powdered sugar if desired.
  Recipe from: Fitness.com