Breads:

Fresh Cranberry Muffins

Comment on this recipe

These muffins freeze well. Bake them ahead, cool completely, and store in freezer bags. To serve, thaw at room temperature. Reheat in aluminum foil at 300 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Feel free to use your imagination with this basic muffin recipe by substituting your other favorite fruits and flavors for the cranberries and orange rind. Some options: blueberries and lemon rind; chopped apple, pear or pineapple and cinnamon; or mashed bananas and allspice.

This recipe is from Cooking Light magazine. The muffins are really delicious and pretty!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
2/3 cup 2 percent milk
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Stir in cranberries; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, butter, rind, vanilla and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pan immediately; place on a wire rack. Makes 12 muffins

Rita Coyne
Moline