During the cold weather we’ve been having, I’ve been baking some muffins, and one of the kinds I’ve made are these Apple-Bran Muffins. I’ve always liked the taste of bran muffins, but I like them even better with fresh chopped apples baked in the batter! The chopped apples add just a little more touch of fruity sweetness to this lightly-sweet muffin and also give it a little more texture. Continue reading
Cornbread muffins are so good with chili and soup in the cooler weather months. But when you add crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onion, it really takes them to the next level! Continue reading
Peach season came and went so fast I didn’t get a chance to bake any recipes with fresh peaches! But I still wanted to bake something with a peachy flavor. I thought one of the complimentary Fruit & Maple Spreads I received from Polaner® would be a great thing to try in Continue reading
I’ve been so glad to see fresh cranberries at the grocery store these past few weeks! I just had to make something with fresh cranberries and muffins seemed like a good idea. I added some orange extract to give these muffins a subtle orange flavor. You could also add some orange zest if you wanted to.
These muffins bake up with nice rounded tops and have lots of cranberries and pecans in every bite! These are great for a Thanksgiving or Christmas breakfast or brunch, or for anytime in the fall or winter, for that matter. They also make a nice snack or dessert if you’re wanting something a little less sweet. You could probably substitute dried cranberries for the fresh, but I’ve always made these with fresh–I like their slightly sweet, tart flavor!
CRANBERRY PECAN MUFFINS by NancyC
Makes 24 muffins
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
- Optional: 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 1/2 cups chopped fresh cranberries (or substitute dried cranberries)
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
In large bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In medium bowl, mix milk, butter, orange extract, and eggs. Add this mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined, then fold in chopped cranberries and pecans and stir until evenly distributed in batter (be careful not to overmix). Batter will be thick!
Spoon batter into the lined muffin cups. Bake at 350˚F for 22 to 25 or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool muffins in pans for a few minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire rack, or serve warm.
Do you have your Thanksgiving menu planned out? Are you making anything with fresh cranberries for your special meal? Whatever your plans are, have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Let us be thankful…. HEBREWS 12:28
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If you happen to have any extra cranberry sauce left over from the holidays, here’s a good recipe you can use it in (if you don’t, keep this in mind for next year 🙂 ). These Cranberry Sauce Muffins are sweetened with brown sugar and whole berry cranberry sauce–you can use your own homemade cranberry sauce, like this Fresh Cranberry Sauce)–or you can use whole berry cranberry sauce from a can. These muffins have some oats in them, too, so they’re both healthy and tasty! Sometimes I add a Cranberry Sauce Glaze on top of these muffins but they are great with or without the glaze, so if you’re watching your calories, just leave the glaze off. They taste great right out of the oven, spread with a little butter or Cranberry–Pecan Cream Cheese Spread. Yum!
CRANBERRY SAUCE MUFFINS by NancyC, adapted from Serious Eats
Makes 16 muffins
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup canola oil or light olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (I use either my homemade recipe or the Ocean Spray® brand)
- 1 large egg
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line 16 muffin tins with paper baking cups.
In large bowl, blend together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In medium bowl, combine milk, oil, cranberry sauce and egg; blend well.
Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients all at once and stir until dry ingredients are moistened.
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 (or just a little more) full. Bake 20 minutes at 400˚F, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. You can eat these warm right out of the oven…spread with a little butter or Cranberry-Pecan Cream Cheese Spread. Or, let the muffins cool completely and top them with this glaze…
CRANBERRY SAUCE GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk or half and half
- 1 Tablespoon Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
- chopped pecans for sprinkling over glaze
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk (or half and half) together, blending well. Stir in the cranberry sauce and blend well. Drizzle over cooled muffins, then sprinkle with pecans if desired. Let glaze set and then serve.
This is a great muffin for fall and winter when you’re craving that great cranberry flavor. And it’s always nice to bake muffins and other goodies when it’s cold outside! What have you been baking this winter?
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