Fresh Cranberry Muffins

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Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Today we will make delicious savory fresh cranberry muffins that are an ideal accompaniment to soup. They also make a nice change from sweet desserts served with coffee or tea.

Easy Cranberry Muffins

This is a recipe that surprised me when I made it for the first time. I was so used to eat sweet muffins that it never occurred to me that a muffin can also be savory.

Since then, these homemade cranberry muffins are made often especially when fresh cranberries are in season.

Why make this recipe?

• Simply put it, because it is delicious!
• It is super easy to make and doesn’t require any special skills or tools!
• You can use fresh cranberries when in season, besides making cranberry sauce or chutney.
• This recipe is also made with parmesan cheese, which puts the recipe into the category of savory muffins, therefore more interesting. 🤔
• The muffins are not very sweet. There is very little sugar in the batter if you are looking to eat less sugar.

What kind of ingredients you need for these easy cranberry muffins?

All purpose flour:

• The recipe requires all-purpose flour, which is the most available flour in most American households. If you have self-rise flour, you will need to skip the baking powder and salt, as these ingredients are both parts of this type of flour.

Granulated sugar:

• The recipe requires granulated but I am sure you will ask me if you can replace it with something else. The answer is yes, but I would prefer you not to.
• However, in case you have caster sugar(or superfine sugar), you can use it.
• Do not use powdered sugar as it also contains starch, and it ruins the texture of the muffins and also the recipe in general.
• I have no experience with light or dark brown sugar, but it should be fine, as long as you are aware that it will taste different and the color of the muffin will change from the molasses that brown sugar is enriched with.

Whole milk:

• I used whole milk because the recipe requires it and because this is what we drink in the house.
• If you have 2% milk, I would use it, but I would not go lower than that. At the end of the day, if you need to diet, don’t make the muffins. Save them for a happy day in the future when you can eat whatever you want.

Fresh, frozen or sweetened dried cranberries?

• You can swap fresh with frozen cranberries and vice-versa in the same amount—no need to defrost them before.
• If you don’t have fresh or frozen and the only cranberries in the house are dried and sweet, go ahead and use them.

TIP: Keep in mind that you will need to adjust the amount of dried cranberries in the recipe. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries instead.

Also, keep in mind that dried cranberries are very sweet compared with fresh/frozen ones. Therefore the taste of the final baked good will slightly be different.

Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese:

• Please do me a favor and buy a real, small piece of Parmesan Cheese, and do not use grated Parmesan cheese from a store-bought jar or container. You cannot make good food using bad ingredients.
• When you are done with the recipe, go ahead and make this Italian Ribollita Soup and use the leftover Parmesan Cheese. You can thank me later.

What tools do you need to make these muffins?

• A 12 cups Muffin Pan
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring Cups
• Spatulas
• Cooling rack

How to make cranberry muffins with parmesan cheese?

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

• Butter a 12 cups muffin pan and set it aside.

• In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter with milk and beaten eggs.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.

• Stir lightly together until all of the ingredients are combined.

• Add the fresh or frozen cranberries and fold to combine.

• Divide the mixture between the muffin tins.

• Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top of each muffin mixture.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes until the muffins are well risen and a golden brown color.

Leave the muffins to cool in the pan, no more than 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before serving.

How to Store&Freeze These Savory Fresh Cranberry Muffins With Parmesan?

• At room temperature:

The muffins should be completely cool when you store them. Place a paper towel on the bottom of a plastic or glass container.

Add the muffins. Place another paper towel on top. Cover with the lid and store at room temperature. This will prevent the muffins become soggy. They will last for 2-3 days.

• Refrigerator:

I would not recommend you to keep them in the fridge. The refrigeration changes the texture and taste of the muffins, so I am not really a fan.

• Freezer:

If you plan to make a batch of muffins and use them later, you need to freeze them. Wrap them individually in plastic foil and place them in a Ziploc bag. They are good for about 2-3 months.

Thaw them at room temperature or warm them up slightly in the microwave.

More recipes I love:

Easy Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

Easy Banana Nut Muffins

Sweet And Savory Cranberry Recipes

Pumpkin Bread With Fresh Cranberries