Cranberry Muffins

This is my favorite time of year because fresh cranberries are available. What I like about them is you can freeze them and they work just fine straight from the freezer for most any dish. I watch for the sales so I can stretch this treat to the next season they are available. Some people like blueberry muffins. Me, I like the tart tang of cranberries in mine. I think my family is in agreement as I hardly get to eat one before the rest disappear!

Cranberry Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You can either grease the muffin tins or line them with cupcake papers.

Combine all the ingredients except for the cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla. When just moistened and mixed, fold in the remaining items and divide into the 12-place muffin tin. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before removing to a rack to finish cooling. Serve warm, cold, or even the next day . . . if they last that long.

Ideas . . .
No cranberries on hand, you can peel and dice up fresh apple instead.
Fresh blueberries will nicely substitute.
Adding 1/4 cup chopped nuts is good.

Sweet Potato Muffins

I like to sneak the good stuff into even my baking so sweet potato muffins do happen at my house . . . and my family enjoys them!

Sweet Potato Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups canned sweet potatoes, smashed
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
grated zest of one orange
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup nuts, finely chopped (your choice of nuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line cupcake tins with cupcake papers.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat in thoroughly. Blend in the sweet potatoes until mixture is fairly smooth.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and orange zest. Add extract to milk.
Add the dry ingredients to the egg and milk mixture and mix to just combine. You don’t want to overdo the mixing. Fold in the nuts.

Fill the prepared pans 2/3rds full. Bake for approximately 15-25 minutes, depending on your ovens. Tops should be golden and slightly firm to the touch. Makes about 18-25 cupcakes. These also make great mini-muffins, too. Remember, however, to adjust your baking time.

What? Lemon Spice Avocado Bread? Really?

Lemon Spice Avocado Bread
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Freshly grated zest from one lemon
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups thoroughly mashed avocado
1/2 cup toasted and ground walnuts or pecans
1 cup dried cranberries

Place all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir in everything else and mix well to combine. Spread into two or three vegetable-oiled sprayed loaf pans. (depends on the size) You can also do these as mini-loaves or muffin size, too. Just need to adjust your baking time.

Bake at 325 degrees (preheated oven) for approximately 45-60 minutes our until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without any wetness.

Cool in pans about 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. You can glaze the loaves with a tart lemon icing, if you like.

Gluten-Free Banana Apricot Pecan Muffins

I recently read there are more anti-cancer components in bananas that are way overripe and suggested to my children they might consume the aging bananas on our counter in the interest of health. They said to make banana bread and they’d take their chances. Instead, I decided to make muffins for two reasons: They are a single serving size and they can be more nicely presented when sharing them with the neighbors.

Gluten-Free Banana Apricot Pecan Muffins

2 sticks of butter, softened to room temperature
6 largish very ripe bananas, smashed up a bit
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large to extra-large eggs, room temperature
4 cups gluten-free flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum
(My suggestion, use BetterBatter Gluten-free flour and it already includes the Xanthan Gum!)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely minced
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon good quality cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nut meg
tiny pinch of ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers. (this recipe makes 24-30 cupcakes)

Beat butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla, eggs, and bananas, mixing well. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices and blend into the butter mixture. Add in the chocolate chips, apricots, and pecans and thoroughly incorporate into the batter.

Scoop into the prepared muffin tin about 3/4th high. An ice cream scoop works well for this. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 35-40 minutes depending on your oven. Test with a toothpick to make sure there are no wet crumbs in the middle. They should be slightly firm to the touch.

Time to make a cup of coffee!

Important Note:

Dealing with gluten-free flour is different than wheat flour. Gluten-free flour weighs heavier. For this recipe, I used 140 grams of flour per cup or about 5/8th of a cup. If you have a kitchen scale, it makes this much easier. I got one for around $20 that is about the size of a sheet of paper, thin, and fits into a drawer. Just put down a sheet of waxed paper and measure out your flour accordingly.