Every year I buy fresh cranberries as soon as I see them… and then they hang out in my freezer for weeks. Eventually, I start feeling wasteful and use them to make a relish or sauce - even though I’m not really a fan of either (we all have our preferences, right?). Like clockwork, I bought a bag of cranberries about 3 weeks ago and they’ve been hanging out in my crisper ever since. I checked on them this morning and noticed some of the berries had shriveled up and died. I felt too guilty moving them to the freezer, so I heated up the oven, grabbed a few oranges and came up with this great muffin recipe.
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup raw sugar (or less if you prefer tangy cranberries)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 spotted, browning banana (or other “egg” substitute = 1 egg)
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4-1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts - optional
Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350F
2. Lightly spray muffin tin or paper cups to prevent sticking
3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together
4. Mash the banana really well
5. Juice oranges (about 4 small oranges)
6. Zest one of the rinds
7. Make a well in the flour mixture
9. Pour remaining ingredients into the well
* you can chop up remaining banana and add it for a pronounced banana flavor.
10. Stir until combined
11. Bake about 15 minutes, until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean
12. Immediately transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool
Per Serving (1 muffin without nuts): 123 calories, fat 0g, cholesterol 0mg, sodium 126mg, carbohydrates 28g, protein 2g, fiber 3g
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
great recipe for a festival muffin~~~ thanks for sharing!
Ooo YUMMY!
Lovely!!
Uh, did you read my mind last night? I just told my brother I was dying for some orange cranberry bread. Once I get some oranges, I will definitely be trying this!
Yummmm, cranberries & muffins, two things that make me weak in the knees. Do you think these would work with a different kind of flour? I’m newly allergic to wheat and as I am not a very good cook, I haven’t done much experimenting with alternative flours. But these muffins just seem too scrumptious to pass up!
Megan, you can use ‘gluten-free all purpose flour’ instead of the whole wheat pastry flour. You can find gluten-free all purpose flour mixes at Whole Foods, any health food store and online. There are also recipes online for how to make your own mix at hime –but you’ll need a lot of flours to do it so I find its easier to keep the premade mixes on hand.
Depending on the type of allergy you have - you may also be able to use spelt flour as a substitute — although it does have wheat in it, so check with your Dr before you use it. GF all=purpose is your best bet.
Very nice beautiful berries! My only gripe about cranberries is I can never find them organic. I’m not sure they exist!
Michelle,
Keep looking! Mine have a giant “organic” sign right on the bag
I am baking these today with my giant bag of fresh cranberries I was starting to feel guilty about!
Thanks for the recipe, Lindsay!
these look great Lindsay!
The muffin looks so pretty with all the little cranberries hangin out around it in adoration!
The recipe sounds so fruity good!
I am so making these but adding lemon and taking away the orange!! So cant wait to cook up a batch or 10!
I made the muffins! One batch with the whole wheat flour and one batch with brown rice flour. Both were yummmmmyyyy and the brown rice flour worked surprisingly well! Thanks for the fab recipe!
Megan - GREAT news! YAY~!!!
Great Photo.
Can’t wait to make these! I’m new to your site and have so far tried your teriyaki chickpeas, spinach-artichoke dip, and whole wheat pizza crust, and all three were amazing! My omni husband agrees, btw. Quick question: if I’m going to use Ener-G egg replacer instead of banana, should I do the one egg equivalent, or more/less? Thanks!
Hi Lauren! First, WELCOME and Second, WOW - I feel so honored & really stoked you liked all of the dishes! Now to your question: just use one ener-g-egg instead of the 1/2 banana.
These sound excellent. (Except for the walnuts
I love orange with my cranberries.
I made your muffins today. They taste great!
Thank you
These look so amazing, Lindsay! I don’t remember seeing cranberry muffins with WHOLE fresh cranberries. I can’t wait to bake these.
Gorgeous! I saw some fresh cranberries in the supermarket the other day and didn’t buy them, I won’t pass them by next time though!! I love the combination of orange & cranberry.
Ah, so THAT’S what I’m going to do with those cranberries I bought (and didn’t know what to do with)–!