Gingerbread Muffins

This yummy little muffin recipe came from "Biscuit" on Fine Cooking Magazine's Cooks Talk forum. The directions are a little different from other muffins I've made, but they make perfect sense, so I followed them. Read carefully.

The muffins are tender, not too sweet, and not too ginger-y. I actually like more ginger than most people, and I'd consider adding some minced candied ginger to the batter.

I go back and forth on whether or not I like to use paper muffin liners. Do you?

Gingerbread Muffins
1 1/2 c. unbleached white flour
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. ground dried ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, cool but not room temp
3/4 c. chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (I don't like nuts in my muffins, so I omitted)
1 egg, beaten
3 tbl. molasses
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
a good handful of dried cranberries, cherries or raisins

Oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners, or spray with baking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, ginger and cinnamon. Whisk briefly to combine. Cut in the butter. Set aside about a quarter of this mixture for the crumb topping. Add the nuts to the floury-mixture remaining in the mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the beaten egg and molasses together. Add the baking soda and salt to the measuring cup with buttermilk in it. Add the buttermilk to the egg and molasses and stir well. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir only until just combined. Add the dried fruit and stir briefly.

Spoon the batter into your prepared muffin tins about half-full. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.