Description
Ina Garten’s cranberry muffins blend tart fruit with sweet, tender crumb in a delightful morning treat. Warm spices and fresh cranberries create a comforting breakfast that will make breakfast feel special for anyone who enjoys classic baked goods.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (480 ml / 16 fl oz) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (300 g / 10.5 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 ½ tsps almond extract (or substitute vanilla extract)
- ¾ cup (180 ml / 6 fl oz) milk or half and half
- ½ cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (100 g / 3.5 oz) granulated sugar
- 2 tsps baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsps sparkling sugar, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Adjust oven rack to middle position and warm to 350°F. Coat muffin pan with non-stick spray or line with paper cups.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl until uniformly blended, creating a light and airy base.
- Liquid Integration: Form a central crater in dry ingredients, then pour almond extract, milk, eggs, and vegetable oil into the well. Blend gently with a whisk, maintaining a slightly lumpy texture to ensure tender muffins.
- Cranberry Incorporation: Delicately fold fresh or frozen cranberries into the batter, ensuring even distribution without compromising the mixture’s delicate structure.
- Pan Filling: Portion batter into muffin cups, filling each approximately two-thirds full to allow proper rising during baking.
- Sugar Embellishment: Generously dust the top of each muffin with coarse sparkling sugar, creating a crystalline, crunchy crown.
- Baking Transformation: Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, monitoring until a toothpick emerges clean and tops display a golden-brown hue.
- Cooling Process: Allow muffins to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to complete cooling, letting them settle and develop their final texture.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Gently combine wet and dry ingredients to maintain a tender, light muffin texture; overmixing leads to tough, dense results.
- Cranberry Tip: Use fresh or frozen cranberries and fold them in last to prevent color bleeding and maintain fruit integrity throughout the batter.
- Sugar Sparkle Hack: Sprinkle coarse sparkling sugar just before baking to create a delightful crunchy top and add a professional bakery-style finish.
- Cooling Technique: Let muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes to set their structure, then transfer to a wire rack to prevent soggy bottoms and ensure even cooling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg