Have you ever popped a cranberry in your mouth? They’re awful. Truly horrid little things. Sour and bitter, they remind me a little of myself after enduring 2020. Yet, despite the obstacle of having terrible flavour, the lowly cranberry still manages to be the star in many stellar recipes like these Cranberry Streusel Muffins.
So yes, this is a recipe for muffins so delicious that you’ll definitely want to share them with friends and family, but it’s a redemption story too. Simply put my friends, if something that on the surface appears to have no redeeming qualities can be rescued and turned into everything from wine (who doesn’t love wine?!) and jams and baked goods, then there is hope for our souls too.
I realize I went all “tao” of the cranberry here with you, but it is an odd fruit that deserves a little more attention than we give it. Cranberries are one of the lowest sugar fruits out there, and can help with a variety of ailments on everything from gut health to UTIs.
If you only think of cranberries as a accompaniment to turkey, then you’ll be happy to have a new reason to pick them up when you see them on market shelves each fall. These Cranberry Streusel Muffins are perfect with your morning coffee or paired with afternoon tea. They also make a make a nice hostess gift (not that you’re going anywhere this year) or as a thank you for a neighbour. No matter how you share them, you’ll mostly appreciate how easy they are to make.
I realize buttermilk is not a staple in most homes, so don’t panic if you don’t have it, or really don’t want to buy any. You can cheat and make a buttermilk substitute with lemon and milk.
Cranberry Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk or buttermilk substitute
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and diced
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 orange grated peel from it
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F
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Whisk buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
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Add in chilled, diced butter and using fingers rub into the dry ingredients until mixture begins to look like bread crumbs. Add chopped walnuts and combine.
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Remove 1/2 cup of dry mixture and set aside.
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Add egg mixture to mixture in large bowl and stir until just combined. Fold in cranberries and orange peel and mix through lightly.
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Divide mixture equally into 12 muffins liners.
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Pour melted butter into reserved dry ingredients and mix with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over 12 muffins.
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Place muffin tin in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
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Remove muffin pan from oven, and let cool slightly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Don’t Let the Door Hit You On the Way Out 2020
