Dried Cranberry Muffins | Jumbo Cranberry Muffin Recipe

Cranberry muffin recipes are a delicious fall staple that are easy to master. Baking these muffins can be a family activity, a quick breakfast or a muffin meal prep since you can freeze them after they are baked.

This simple dried cranberry muffin recipe has some variations. With the few adjustments below, you can make cranberry orange muffins, cranberry chocolate chip muffins, and cranberry rum muffins. 

How To Make The Perfect Cranberry Muffins

1- Although this is a recipe with dried cranberries, you can use fresh cranberries for more tartness. Simply slice 1 cup of cranberries (if they are too big) and dredge them in 2 tbsp of flour. This will prevent the cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffin cup.

2- This recipe is for 6 large cranberry muffins. To get a bakery-style muffin with a high dome or ‘muffin top’, it’s important to preheat the oven for at least 5 minutes. You’ll get a full muffin cup with a high rise when you fill the ingredients to 3/4 of the way or higher. Just don’t fill it all the way to the brim. 

This method has always worked for me, which is why I avoid very thin muffin batters. When the muffin has enough flour, it lends more structure to the dough so that it can rise upwards instead of spreading over the top of the muffin pan.

3- The amount of baking powder to baking soda is also important so try not to use a substitute for baking powder or baking soda. 

4- The cardinal rule for making great muffins- don’t over mix the batter. Gently fold in the flour to the liquid until just combined, and you’re all set.

How To Bake Golden Cranberry Muffins

Golden muffins seem to be a bakery secret that home chefs can’t seem to master. But the truth is that there’s no secret to soft and golden muffins. All you have to do is use butter, or a mixture of high quality butter and oil. I’ve tried to bake muffins with vegetable oil and it doesn’t have the same effect. This recipes uses unsalted butter but you can use salted butter and omit the salt in the recipe.

How To Make Cranberry Muffins

This recipe makes 12 regular muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ cup milk, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tins with baking spray or coat well with shortening or butter and flour, discarding any excess flour from tins after coating.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
• Cream together butter and sugar for 3 minutes or until light yellow and creamy.
• Add an egg, one at a time, to the creamed butter. Mix it thoroughly then add the second egg. Mix in vanilla thoroughly.
• Gently fold half of the flour mixture, mix, then add half of the milk. Repeat this alternation alternate with milk. Stir until just combined.
• Fold in cranberries and then scoop mixture into prepared muffin tins. Fill each cup 3/4 full.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Remove the muffins and allow them to cool slightly in the muffin tin. Then remove each muffin and allow to completely cool.

Cranberry Muffin Recipe Variations:

Cranberry Orange Muffins– Add 1/2 cup orange juice instead of water, plus 1 tbsp orange zest.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Muffins– Use 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.

Cranberry Rum Muffins– Add 1 tsp rum extract for rich rum flavor.

Raisin Muffins– Add half a cup of dried raisins instead of dried cranberries.