Buckwheat Ginger Muffins

If you love a subtly sweet muffin, you'll love these buckwheat ginger muffins. The hearty muffins, packed with ginger and buckwheat flour, make the perfect morning treat.

Figuring out what to eat for breakfast doesn't have to be complicated when these buckwheat ginger muffins are on the table. These muffins aren't super sweet like your typical muffins. Thanks to the combination of buckwheat flour and ginger, they have a hearty and sharp flavor.

These muffins aren't your traditional muffin flavor. The idea for the flavor came after a trip to the farmer's market in San Francisco. A booth had fresh baked goods in all sorts of combinations—including this buckwheat muffin. The muffins I had then were made with plums, but since plums were not in season, I needed something else. Enter the ginger! I know ginger and plums don't exactly share a similar flavor profile, but I needed something that would be bold in flavor.

Buckwheat flour is the perfect vehicle for the sharp ginger flavor. It has more texture than your typical AP flour variety and is great for making muffins or loaf cakes. Plus, it is gluten-free and loaded with protein and fiber. Buckwheat flour can have a slight bitterness, which is why I like to add some AP flour to the batter to balance everything out just right.

Looking for more breakfast treats? Check out my Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins or Buckwheat Banana Bread.

Why I Love These Buckwheat Ginger Muffins

Flavor - The sharp ginger pieces and the hearty buckwheat base make a morning bite that isn't overly sweet.
Jumbo Muffins - I like to use my jumbo muffins tin to make these muffins giant in size.
Subtly Sweet - These muffins don't overwhelm your palette with sugar. They are more grainy and have a subtly sweet taste.

Ingredients For Making Buckwheat Ginger Muffins

Buckwheat Flour - Adds a hearty texture to the muffins.
Candied Ginger - Chop the ginger pieces so they are bite-sized.
Oil - Keeps the muffins very moist.
AP Flour - Combats the bitterness of the buckwheat flour.
Butter - Use melted butter in the batter.

Directions For How To Make Buckwheat Ginger Muffins

Prepare.
Preheat the oven to 425 and prepare a jumbo muffin tin with liners. Set to the side.
Mix dry ingredients.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set to the side.
Mix wet ingredients.
Whisk the eggs with the sugar. Then, add in the oil, sour cream, vanilla, and melted butter.
Combine.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Then, fold in the ginger and date pieces if using.
Bake the muffins.
Pour the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake the muffins at 425 for 5 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Buckwheat ginger muffins sitting on top of a green tea towel

Make Ahead and Storage

The buckwheat ginger muffins can easily be made ahead of time. Make a batch for the week and keep them in an airtight container to stay fresh. The muffins can also be made and frozen. Keep the muffins in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Tips and Variation

Regular-Sized - If you'd rather have standard-sized muffins, use a regular muffin tin instead of a jumbo-sized one.
Double the ginger - Want more ginger flavor? Add ¼ teaspoon of dried ginger into the batter.
Dry Batter - If the batter seems very dry, add ½ to 1 cup of whole milk to loosen it up.

A buckwheat ginger muffin cut in half on a plate.

FAQs

What is the secret to high muffins?

Getting the muffins to have that signature high top requires high heat. That is why this recipe keeps the oven at 425 for the first five minutes.

What oil is best for moist muffins?

A neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil is the best for keeping the muffins moist.

Why are my muffins coming out tough?

If you find the buckwheat ginger muffins coming out tough, chances are you overmixed the batter. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients and not an electric mixer so the batter is not overmixed.