Cranberry Lemon Muffins Recipe

I adapted my Cranberry Lemon Muffins into Muffins With Leftover Cranberry Sauce, an incredibly easy, bright recipe that uses a spoonful of sauce in a surprising way.

I started baking these Cranberry Lemon Muffins because I had leftover cranberry sauce and a stubborn lemon. The lemon zest wakes everything up and little blobs of leftover cranberry sauce give surprising pops of tartness, so you never know where youll get the next zing.

Ive messed around with versions like Muffins With Leftover Cranberry Sauce and a Muffins Cranberry Orange twist, even a Gluten Free Lemon Cranberry Muffins trial that almost fooled my picky friend. They come out bright, a bit messy, and way easier than they look, so you might make them on a weekday not just holidays.

Why I Like this Recipe

• I love how the flavor just pops, it brightens my whole morning.
• The texture is soft and moist, not dry like other baked stuff so it feels homemade.
• They look kinda fancy even when I throw them together quick, people always think I spent way more time.
• I can make a batch fast and theres hardly any clean up, which is perfect on busy days.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour gives structure, mostly carbohydrates, little protein, not very nutrient dense.
• Granulated sugar pure sweetness, adds carbs and browning, no real nutrients, kinda addictive.
• Eggs provide protein, fat, moisture, help bind and give rise in muffins.
• Milk or buttermilk adds calcium, tang with buttermilk, tender crumb and react with leavening.
• Butter or oil fats for richness, moisture and flavor, butter adds more flavor than oil.
• Cranberries or cranberry sauce tart fruit, vitamin C and fiber, gives bright sour bursts in muffins.
• Lemon zest and juice zest oils pack bright aroma, juice gives acidity that balances sweet.
• Vanilla extract tiny bit lifts flavors, adds aroma, almost no nutrition but still important.
• Turbinado or coarse sugar for topping sprinkles crunchy top texture, extra sweetness, no health benefit.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil or 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce or 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sugar for topping optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.

3. In another bowl beat 2 large eggs lightly, then whisk in 1 cup milk or buttermilk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil or 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

4. If using fresh or frozen cranberries (1 to 1 1/2 cups) toss them with a tablespoon of flour so they don’t sink. If using leftover cranberry sauce (1 cup) break up large chunks with a spoon so it will incorporate easier.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently with a spatula just until you no longer see dry flour. Don’t overmix, a few lumps are fine or your muffins will be tough.

6. Fold in the cranberries or the cranberry sauce gently. If the batter feels too thick because of the sauce, add a tablespoon or two of milk to loosen it. Taste a tiny bit and adjust lemon or sugar only if needed.

7. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. If you like a crunchy top sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sugar over the muffins now.

8. Bake at 375°F for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. If you used a lot of cranberry sauce it might need a couple extra minutes.

9. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. They store well in an airtight container for 2 days or freeze individually for quick breakfasts.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven, preheat to 375°F (190°C)
2. 12-cup muffin tin and paper liners or nonstick spray (you can use either)
3. Large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients
4. Medium mixing bowl for the wet ingredients
5. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugar, liquids, leaveners)
6. Whisk (or fork) to beat eggs and mix wet ingredients
7. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the batter
8. Zester or microplane and a small citrus juicer for the lemon zest and juice
9. Ice cream scoop or large spoon to portion batter, plus a toothpick and wire rack for testing and cooling

FAQ

Cranberry Lemon Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap up to half with whole wheat pastry flour or use 1 cup AP + 1 cup oat flour, expect slightly denser muffins, add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra milk if batter seems stiff and don’t overmix or they’ll be tough.
• Granulated sugar: use 2/3 to 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup instead of 3/4 cup sugar, reduce the milk by about 2 tablespoons, and lower oven temp by 25 degrees so tops don’t brown too fast.
• Milk or buttermilk: use 1 cup plain yogurt thinned with 2 to 3 tablespoons water, or 1 cup plant milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice to mimic buttermilk, stir and let sit a few minutes before using.
• Vegetable oil or melted butter: swap equal parts applesauce for lower fat (muffins stay moist but less crisp on top) or use coconut oil 1 to 1 for a subtle flavor, if using applesauce you can cut sugar by 1 to 2 tablespoons since it’s a bit sweet.

Pro Tips

– If you use leftover cranberry sauce don’t just dump it in, break up any big globs with a spoon first and taste it — it can be sweeter than fresh berries so you might want to cut back a little on the granulated sugar. If the batter gets too thick from the sauce add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it feels like spoonable muffin batter.

– For fresh or frozen cranberries toss them in a tablespoon of flour so they don’t all sink to the bottom. If they are frozen, fold them in straight from the freezer, that helps stop the juice from bleeding into the batter and turning everything pink.

– Don’t overmix. Stir the wet into the dry just until you dont see dry flour, a few lumps are fine. Overmixing makes muffins tough, and tapping the filled tin once on the counter gets rid of big air pockets so they bake evenly.

– If you want a crunchy top use turbinado sugar but add it right before baking. Watch the last few minutes of bake time, and if the tops brown too quickly tent with foil. Cool completely before freezing, wrap individually, reheat 10-12 minutes at 325 F for best texture.