Cranberry Orange Muffins

Have you tried the White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies Debbie posted about yet?  After I tasted them I sent her this text “You awful woman! Those blondies you told me I HAD to make are going to torture me until I get rid of them at the choral concert tonight. Ate too much batter, ate too much frosting, ate two pieces and I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT THEM!”I liked them so much, I really couldn’t get them out of my head.  They came to mind again when I was making Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake, one of my daughter’s all time favorite breakfasts. So I have combined the flavor of orange and cranberry from the Blondies with the recipe for breakfast cake and came up with these uh-mazing Cranberry Orange Muffins.Only when I tasted the batter before baking (Because all good bakers do, right? You just have to lick the beater.), I realized something was wrong. They were salty. I had accidentally put twice the amount of salt the recipe calls for. So, I did what any sensible baker would do, and doubled the recipe. It was more than we could eat, and I was trying to think of a way to have them again (Because now the batter tasted incredible!).

I spooned the batter into paper muffin cups, froze half, and baked the other half. Now when I want a muffin for breakfast, I pop the frozen muffin dough into the muffin tin, put it in the preheated oven and bake for 5 – 10 minutes longer than usual. Love it! Fresh muffins, no prep, no mess. Now we  keep a bag of frozen, uncooked muffins in the freezer at the ready. My daughter loves having fresh baked muffins on the go for breakfast every morning. Have to say, I don’t mind it myself!

be necessary.)

Cranberry Orange Muffins

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Ingredients

  

• ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 tsp orange zest or more – zest from 1 large orange
• ⅞ cup sugar 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons – 2 Tablespoons are for sprinkling on top
• 1 egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• ½ cup fresh buttermilk - if buttermilk is closer to the sell by date and thick may need as much as another half cup.

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter with orange zest and 3/4 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk.
• Fold in cranberries.
• Grease a muffin tin or with butter or spray paper muffin cups with non stick spray. Spoon batter into cups 3/4 full.. Sprinkle muffins with remaining tablespoons of sugar.
• Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes.
• (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.)

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

We’ve shared this recipe with:  Chef in Training, Hun…What’s For Dinner?, Inside BruCrew Life, A Bowl Full of Lemons, The Lady Behind the Curtain, Living Well Spending Less, The Pin Junkie, Lamberts Lately, Whipperberry, The Country Cook,  Tatertots & Jello