I’ve always enjoyed a good muffin with my coffee in the morning, especially when the holidays are approaching. So this morning, let’s try Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins ! Pecans are optional, of course, if allergies are a concern. However if you do choose to use them, toasting them before adding them to the mix does enhance the total muffin experience. Besides, does it really have to be a holiday in order to make these? A special thank you goes out to my daughter-in-love who was the inspiration and official taste-tester for these incredible muffins!
Sugar Mix:
Place 1 cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Using a microplane-style grater, remove the zest from one navel orange directly over the sugar; it should be close to 1 tablespoon. The little brown flecks are actually nutmeg. I use the microplane grater to grate whole nutmeg; definitely give it a try!
Rub the zest into the sugar, tossing and rubbing until no little clumps of zest are remaining. The infusion of the oils from the zest will cause the color of the sugar to change slightly and have the most amazing aroma!
Dry Ingredients:
Measuring flour using a scale is the most accurate way. However, you may fluff, spoon and level 3 cups as well. Remove 1 tablespoon of flour to toss with the cranberries and set aside. Whisk the rest the flour with the remaining dry ingredients.
Then, whisk in the orange-infused sugar mix from above. add pecans, if using and stir to evenly distribute. Coating the cranberries and pecans with the flour will help suspend them within the batter so they don’t sink to the bottom while baking.
Make a well in the center.
Wet Ingredients:
- Why Room Temperature? For best results, all of the wet ingredients should be at room temperature as stated in the recipe below. When baking, this helps the ingredients “bond” more easily and results in a smoother, lighter, more “airy” batter. Room temperature ingredients trap air more easily in the emulsification process and expand when baked resulting in a fluffier baked good. Who doesn’t want that?
Using a 4-cup measuring cup, blend all of the wet ingredients. Pour them into the well of the dry ingredients. Gently stir using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until there are no streaks of flour visible.
Next, fold in the flour-coated cranberries until equally distributed.
Baking Prep:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. This initial high heat to helps lift the top.
- Fill the lined tins with batter to the top using an ice cream scoop.
- Sprinkle with Sparkling Sugar or Turbinado sugar(Sugar in the Raw) for a stunning bakery-style effect.
I filled 18 cupcake sized liners to the top. It can be made into jumbo muffins, but I chose to create a more personal, smaller size…for portion control…
Top with turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw) or sparkling sugar, if desired.
Baking:
- Bake muffins for 5 minutes at 425 degrees to give them that initial “lift”. Once they are in the oven, immediately set the timer for 5 minutes!
When timer sounds, reduce temperature setting to 375 degrees and set timer for 15 minutes.
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients
Sugar Mix
- 1 c granulated sugar
- 1 T orange zest from about 1 orange
Dry Ingredients
- 3 c (375g)-All- Purpose Flour- fluffed, spooned and leveled reserve 1 T for dusting cranberries, and nuts, if using
- 1 T baking powder
- 1/4 t baking soda
- 1/4 t powdered ginger
- 3/4 t nutmeg
- 1/4 t salt
Wet Ingredients
- 6 T butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/3 c canola oil
- 2 large eggs- room temperature
- 1/3 c Greek vanilla yogurt, room temperature
- 1 c buttermilk-room temperature
- 1 t vanilla
Additions
- 1-1/2 c (150g) whole fresh cranberries
- 1/2 c chopped, toasted, pecans-optional
Toppings:
- Sugar in the Raw or Sparkling Sugar
Instructions
Sugar Mix
- Rub zest into sugar; set aside.
Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, dust the cranberries with the reserved 1 T of flour. Toss gently to coat.
- Whisk the remaining dry ingredients together.
- Whisk in the sugar mix. Make a well in the center for the wet ingredients.
Wet Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, blend together wet, room temperature, ingredients.
- Pour into the well of the dry ingredients; stir using a wooden spoon just until there are no dry pockets of flour.
Additions
- Gently stir in cranberries and nuts, if using.
Baking Instruction
- Preheat oven to 425℉. This is only for the first 5 minutes of baking!
- Place cupcake liners in the tin and fill to about 3/4 full. This recipe makes about 18 muffins.
- If desired, sprinkle tops with Sugar in the Raw or Sparkling Sugar.
- Once you place them into the oven, set timer for 5 minutes!
- Once the timer sounds off, immediately reduce heat to 375℉ and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Test with toothpick and adjust time, if needed.
- Remove from tin to cooling racks.
