Look out, people! I have cranberries and I’m not afraid to use them.
It’s fresh cranberry season, and this year I decided I would use these tart superfruits in more than my Thanksgiving cranberry compote. Last week they played a co-starring role in this apple cranberry coffee cake. With dinner and dessert taken care of, I turned my thoughts to breakfast.
These cranberry muffins have a rich sour cream base, the subtle warmth of ginger and cinnamon, and a bright and zingy burst of whole cranberries that’ll wake you up unlike any alarm clock. Oh, there’s also bran in there; muffins can’t just sit around looking pretty, they have to get some work done, too.
I made these last night after dinner out with friends (lovely people and loyal followers of this blog; you know who you are and I thank you). It takes planning ahead to be a food blogger. Baking at 10 pm, photo shoot at 7:30 am and then these little beauties were off to work with the Culinary Enthusiast at 8 am where, based on past experience, they’ll trigger a stampede to the lunch room by the guys.
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, cranberry muffins to go.
Cranberry Muffins
Pre-heat the oven to 400º. Place large paper liners in muffin trays. I made 16 slightly smaller muffins than usual since I needed enough for everyone at the CE’s workplace (and a couple for me, of course). Normally, this recipe would make 12 large muffins.
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c bran (I use spelt bran)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (Saigon, if you have it)
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup oil (I used canola oil)
- 1 egg
- 1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries, picked over and rinsed
Whisk together all the dry ingredients (including the sugars) in a large bowl and set aside. Lightly beat together the sour cream, milk, oil and egg. Stir into the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the crimson cranberries until their flash is distributed throughout.
Divide between 16 muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick. If you decide to make an even dozen, larger muffins, check for doneness after 22 minutes.
Set the trays on cooling racks for about five minutes. Then remove the muffins and leave them on the racks until cool enough to serve.
Kitchen Memories
One Year Ago: Simple Pleasures ✱ The Sweetness of a First Birthday
Two Years Ago: Potato Leek Chowder
Mmmm, cranberry muffins are so great because of the tang of the cranberries versus the sweet muffin flavour. Love it!
And I’m glad you snuck some bran in there. Does it affect the texture a little because I really enjoy the texture and flavour of a bran muffin, and I bet cranberries would taste wonderful with bran!
The cranberries and bran do work well together. Most of my muffins use twice as much bran but I found it too much this time, so just used a half cup. The sour cream base added a bit of richness, but I think the bran kept it from seeming cake-like. I don’t want my muffins to be cupcakes in disguise!
These look amazing. I love, love, love cranberries in muffins – such a bright and cheery way to start the morning!!
I couldn’t agree more with your stance on cranberries! I think they’re usually overly disguised with sugar, but not in this recipe! Thanks for the compliment!
These sound great, Mar, and I like that you used sour cream in the batter. I, too, like cranberry season and always buy a few packs this time of year that go straight to the freezer. I love cranberry sauce and I refuse to wait until Thanksgiving every year to have some. 🙂
I keep meaning to put some cranberries in the freezer, but I seem to be using up all that I buy. I think the sour cream is a nice offset to the bran in this recipe – the richness and the ‘health-foodiness’ balance out!