Did you get all excited when you saw fresh cranberries in the store? It's a sure sign that the holidays are coming! I always buy a couple of bags because where I live, you have to grab 'em when you see 'em or you won't find them anymore. But that usually means that I will have leftover cranberries when the holidays are said and done. It's a shame to let them go to waste, so I started searching for recipes to bake something with them.
Most recipes use dried cranberries, but there are some that use fresh. I found a great recipe for a cranberry pie and decided to make it my style as breakfast muffins. They are delicious AND healthy, so you can feel good about serving them to your family! They are a bit tart, because cranberries are naturally tart, but I love tart, so I think they are great (my husband loves them too!). If you prefer them a little on the sweeter side, you can toss the cranberries a little lime juice, toss them in sugar and let them dry before you add them to the recipe.
*Many of you ask what I use, so I added links to products I like. They are affiliate links and I will make a small commission, if you don't mind! ☺️
Servings: 12 (makes one dozen muffins)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Level: Beginner
Ingredients
1 cup sugar - I recommend honey granules, which is evaporated cane juice, minus the molasses, plus a little honey.
1 cup whole grain flour - I use freshly ground grain (I used spelt this time), but if you don't have a mill, this flour is also good!
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cup (1 stick) of melted butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract - I like pure vanilla, it's more expensive, but so worth it!
1/2 tsp almond extract, but only if you like the almond flavor
2 cups fresh cranberries - if you don't have two cups, just use what you have
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 350F. Prepare a muffin tin with paper liners, silicone liners (which I love, here's what I use) or grease liberally. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients and whisk to combine. In a smaller bowl, add all of the wet ingredients (be sure your butter cools down a little to prevent cooking the eggs in it) and whisk together. Add the wet to dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the cranberries. Add to the muffin cups until nearly full. They won't rise like crazy, so it's fine. Bake for around 20 - 25 minutes. You will see the muffins start to bubble, this is the juice from the cranberries. Just check the texture of the batter part of the muffin to make sure it's firm to the touch. That's when they are done. Allow to cool a bit before scarfing them down! Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar for effect if you want. ☺️