This Cranberry Muffins Recipe is quick to make, celebrates the season with their vibrant color and tart taste. While thought of mostly in the fall and around Thanksgiving, this fruit can be used in its frozen form to great advantage as in this recipe.
Frozen cranberries are used in this recipe to keep them from coloring the muffins gray and to keep them in large pieces. A 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries can be frozen until hard or they can be bought frozen.
A quick look around my blog and you'll see cranberry recipes abound. From cranberry curd in the Chocolate Cranberry Curd Tart, to Chocolate Cranberry Quick Bread, the not to be missed Cranberry Fresh Pineapple Relish, the refreshingly light Orange Cranberry Cake, as well as the frozen Riene de Saba Cake with Candied Cranberries, Cranberry Orange Muffins as well as Crunchy Topped Apple Muffins and the Really Easy Pumpkin Muffins.
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A Little About Cranberries
Cranberries are older than the recorded history of America. Indians ate them as well as using them for medicine and clothing dye.
While they are often seen in water, they do not grow in water. They grow very close to the ground which needs to be sandy, acidic soil with a high water table which is called a bog. Cranberries are harvested by flooding the bogs, where the berries are separated from the vines and float to the top of the water. Pumps and conveyors send the berries into trucks to be transported for processing.
In 1917, Elizabeth Lee, a cranberry farmer sold her canned sauce under the name "Bog Sweet." Later, she joined forces with Marcus Urann of Massachusetts who had started his company in 1912. Together they formed the company that became known as Ocean Spray. Today this is the largest cranberry growers organization in the United States.
There are several interesting articles on cranberries including, The Cranberry Story , Cranberry Facts, and Where Tradition Meets Innovation,
Recipe Ingredients
Topping
Nutmeg, granulated sugar
Cranberry Muffins
FRONT ROW: Salt, baking powder, vanilla paste
MIDDLE ROW: Eggs, butter, granulted sugar
BACK ROW: All-purpose flour, frozen cranberries, milk
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Combine the sugar and nutmeg. Set aside. Step 2. Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Cream them until light. Step 3. Add the vanilla paste. Step 4. Beat together until completely mixed.
Step 5. Add the eggs to the batter. Step 6. Beat until combined on medium speed. If the mixture curdles, which is might, raise the speed to high and beat until mixed. If is remains curdled, don't worry about it. It will be corrected in the next step. See my article How to Avoid Curdled Cake Batter for more information. Step 7. Add the first of the alternating flour and milk.I ususally add 3 portions of flour to 2 portions of milk. Always start and end with flour to prevent curdling. Step 8. Beat on low to mix.
Step 9. Add the first of the alternating milk. Beat on low to mix. Step 10. Continue with two more portions of flour to one more of milk. Step 11. Put the frozen berries in the processor bowl. Step 12. Use long pulses to coarsely chop them. They will make a terrible racket.
Step13. Pour the chopped cranberries into the batter. Step 14. Mix on low, scraping well to distribute the cranberries. Step 15. Fill the paper muffin liners almost to the top. Sprinkle heavily with the nutmeg sugar. Step 16. Bake as directed, cool on a cooling rack.
Recipe FAQS
A common misunderstanding is that cranberries grown in water. They do not. They grow on vines close to the ground in sandy, acidic soil that has a high water table known as a bog. When it is time to harvest them, the bog is flooded, the berries are freed from their vines and float to the top of the water where they are gathered and taken away for production.
Yes. They are high in antioxidents and lower risk of urinary tract infection (UTI), the prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, and decreased blood pressure.
Cranberries are used for relishes, chutneys, sauces in quick breads, preserves, stuffings, in salads, stuffings with pork and chicken, cranberry crisps, muffins, cakes, drinks, cheesecakes, pies, tarts, bars, cookies, coffeecakes and more.
Expert Tips
- The softened butter should be about 75°F to blend well with the sugar.
- The cranberries need to be frozen hard before processing. Use immediately, do not let them thaw.
- The batter will be very cold and firm. When filling the cups, press the batter down into them to make sure they are filled well. Fill almost to the top.
- Bake them immediately so the cranberries do not start to melt.
More Delectable Cranberry Recipes
If you love these Cranberry Muffins, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.
Cranberry Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- 2 12 well regular size muffin tins OR
- 2 6 well Jumbo muffin tins
Ingredients
Topping
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (40 grams)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Cranberry Muffins
- 12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (280 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
Instructions
Topping
- The cranberries should be picked over to remove any less than good ones. It is easiest to do this on a rimmed baking sheet so they don't roll away. Freeze the until hard.
Cranberry Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line cupcake wells with paper liners. Set aside.
- Cream the sugar and butter together until light, scraping down as necessary.
- Add the vanilla paste or extract, blending well.
- Add the eggs, beating until combined. The mixture may curdle but this will be taken care of in the next step.
- In the meantime, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour and milk alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Three flour and two milk additions are fine.
- Place the frozen cranberries in the bowl of a processor. Pulse to chop them coarsely. Add them to the batter and mix just until combined. The batter will be very firm and cold at this point.
- Fill the paper cups almost to the top, pressing the batter down to make sure they are filled well. Sprinkle heavily with the nutmeg sugar.
- Bake the regular size muffins for about 15 to 18 to minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Bake the Jumbo muffins for 24 to 26 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool about 5 minutes in the pans, then turn them out to finish cooking on a rack.
- Yield: 15 to 16 regular size muffins or 9 to 10 Jumbo muffins.
- Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage. Thaw at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Marlene Sorosky Gray says
These are very easy to make and extremely moist. They freeze great. I am going to blog them with your credit of course. I appreciate all the work you go through to print your recipes. Your photos are fantastic. Happy holidays dear Helen.
Nadia says
Excellent balance of tartness and sweetness. Definitely a keeper that I will share with others.
Helen S Fletcher says
Thanks Nadia.
Connie says
Helen, love your recipes! Question- what do we do with the nutmeg sugar topping? Is it meant to be sprinkled on top of the uncooked muffin batter or...? I don't see this step in the recipe. Thanks so much!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Connie - thank goodness for readers like you that see the posts early. You are correct, sprinkle it on before it is baked. The step by step phots have been corrected as well as the recipe card. I appreciate your bringing this to my attention.