“I first fell in love with these in the late 80’s at a little bakery on the Oregon coast.”

Sailor Jacks are wonderfully spiced and deeply flavored muffins, reminiscent of gingerbread or spice cake. ¹ The combination of cocoa powder and a medley of warm spices creates a unique and comforting treat. Topped with a simple vanilla icing, they are a delightful snack or dessert.

Ingredients:

Muffins:

Ingredient	Quantity
Flour	2 cups
Baking powder	1 1/2 teaspoons
Baking soda	1/2 teaspoon
Salt	1 teaspoon
Cocoa powder	1/3 cup
Cinnamon	1 1/2 tablespoons
Cloves	1 tablespoon
Nutmeg	1/2 teaspoon
Allspice	2 teaspoons
Ginger	1 teaspoon
White pepper	1/2 teaspoon
Unsalted butter, softened	1/2 cup
Brown sugar	1 1/4 cup
Eggs	3
Buttermilk	2/3 cup
Molasses	1/2 cup
Hot water	1 cup
Raisins	1 cup

Icing:

Ingredient	Quantity
Powdered sugar	2 cups
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Water	2-3 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven and prepare muffin tins: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Thoroughly grease two muffin tins.
2. Sift dry ingredients: In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and white pepper until well combined.
3. Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, mix the softened butter and brown sugar until light and airy.
4. Add wet ingredients: Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the molasses and buttermilk.
5. Combine wet and dry: Slowly mix the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
6. Add hot water and raisins: Gently mix in the hot water until the batter is smooth. Stir in the raisins.
7. Fill muffin tins: Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup a little over halfway full.
8. Bake: Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
9. Prepare icing: While the muffins are baking or cooling slightly, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and water in a small bowl until smooth and the desired drizzling consistency is reached. Add more water, one teaspoon at a time, if needed.
10. Ice the muffins: Drizzle the icing over the muffins while they are still warm. Alternatively, you can dip the tops of the warm muffins directly into the icing.
11. Cool and serve: Let the muffins cool slightly before serving.