Fresh cranberries seem to be one of the few remaining seasonal foods (from a consumer point of view). So much produce is easily available year round. But fresh cranberries only show up for a handful of months. So if you don’t throw a few bags in your cart, you’ll lose your chance to make hearty cranberry whole grain muffins.
That short window of availability makes these cranberry muffins such a treat. The recipe is based on one that I tore out of a magazine around 2005, King Arthur Flour Cranberry Whole Grain Muffins. My scribbled review at the time was “whole grainy good.”
Cranberry whole grain muffins signal a shift into fall and winter baking. Fresh cranberries pop with tart brightness. Their bold flavor is a pleasant surprise. Whole wheat and oats bring that nutty wholesome vibe. Chopped pecans ramp up the robust texture. While orange and vanilla tie it all together.
So, my go-to for most of the year is banana muffins with crumb topping. And I’ve got a weakness for blueberry muffins. But when fresh cranberries appear at the grocery store, I’m ready for it. This is the recipe that validates keeping a five pound bag of whole wheat flour in my not very big freezer. Also, it’s the reason I stock dry milk in my pantry.
A dozen muffins is a lot for a small household. So I set aside a couple for quick breakfasts, share some with friends, and freeze the rest. Individual muffins quickly defrost in the microwave for a warm breakfast in roughly 30 seconds.
Cranberry whole grain muffins are wholesome and delicious. Their sweet-tart flavors and hearty texture make them a fun change of pace from sweeter and more delicate muffins. Finally, it’s a nice way to go beyond sauce and make the most of cranberry season!
Cranberry Whole Grain Muffins
EQUIPMENT
- 1 standard muffin pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup milk
- 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries chopped
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease cups of standard muffin pan.
- Stir together oats and milk in medium bowl. Set aside while preparing remaining ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, milk powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir well to mix thoroughly. Stir in chopped cranberries and pecans.
- To the oat-milk mixture, add eggs, orange zest, vanilla, and butter. Stir well to combine thoroughly.
- Pour the wet oat mixture into the dry flour mixture. Stir gently until just blended into very thick batter.
- Fill greased muffin cups nearly full, dividing all the batter equally among the 12 cups, about 4 Tablespoons per muffin.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until muffins are set and golden brown. When done, the tops of the muffins will spring back when you press on them, and a toothpick inserted into the center will emerge clean. The internal temperature will be about 200 degrees F.
- Cool for about 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.
Notes
- I’ve used both fresh and frozen cranberries with equally good results. Chopping either can be a challenge as they tend to roll off cutting board. It’s helpful to chop smaller portions, say an 1/8 cup at a time, to better corral the cranberries.
- This recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour Cranberry Whole-Grain Muffins as printed in a magazine around 2005. You can find many excellent recipes at King Arthur Baking although that particular recipe does not seem to be online at this time. Makes me appreciate my old-school binders of recipes.
- Nuts add flavor and texture. I usually go with pecans. Though walnuts are also good. And I’ve used almonds in a pinch.
