Cranberry Sauce Muffins Recipe

Introduction

Cranberry Sauce Muffins are a delightful fall treat that balances the tartness of cranberries with warm pumpkin spice flavors. These moist muffins feature a crumbly streusel topping, making them perfect for breakfast or a cozy snack.

Ingredients

• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree (120 grams)
• ⅓ cup avocado oil
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp pumpkin spice (optional)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅓-½ cup whole berry or smooth cranberry sauce
• 2 TBSP unsalted butter (28 grams), melted
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40 grams)
• ¼ cup brown sugar (50 grams)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400℉. Line a 6 or 12 cavity muffin tin with 6 tulip-style parchment paper liners for tall muffins or 8-9 standard parchment paper liners for smaller muffins. Set aside.
2. Step 2: Set out the milk, egg, and cranberry sauce to bring them to room temperature.
3. Step 3: Prepare the streusel topping first. Melt the butter in a small bowl.
4. Step 4: In another small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and use a fork to mix until it resembles small crumbs. Set aside to dry slightly.
5. Step 5: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, egg, avocado oil, milk, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar until well combined.
6. Step 6: In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
7. Step 7: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a metal whisk until just combined. The batter should be thick with a few small lumps remaining. Avoid overmixing.
8. Step 8: For extra tall muffins, let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes before baking (optional).
9. Step 9: Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups: a little over ¼ cup per muffin if using 6 tulip liners, or about 3 tablespoons each for smaller muffins.
10. Step 10: Spoon a layer of cranberry sauce over each muffin and gently spread it evenly.
11. Step 11: Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the cranberry sauce on each muffin.
12. Step 12: Place the muffin tray in the oven on the center rack. Immediately reduce the temperature to 350℉ once the oven door is closed.
13. Step 13: Bake tall muffins for 24-26 minutes or smaller muffins for 22-23 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
14. Step 14: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The flavors develop fully once cooled. Enjoy!

Tips & Variations

• Use homemade cranberry sauce for a fresher, less sweet topping.
• Swap avocado oil for melted coconut oil or vegetable oil if preferred.
• For a dairy-free option, substitute milk with almond or oat milk.
• Adding chopped nuts to the streusel adds extra crunch.
• Resting the batter helps create taller muffins but is optional if short on time.

Storage

Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the muffins wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw at room temperature and warm in a 350℉ oven for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of cranberry sauce?

Fresh cranberries can be used, but they will be tart and won’t create the same smooth layer. To mimic cranberry sauce, cook fresh cranberries with sugar until they burst and thicken before using.

What if I don’t have pumpkin spice?

You can omit pumpkin spice or use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger to replicate the flavor.

Cranberry Sauce Muffins Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 114 reviews

These Cranberry Sauce Muffins are a delightful fall-inspired treat combining the warm flavors of pumpkin and spices with a tangy cranberry sauce topping and a buttery streusel. Perfectly moist and fluffy, topped with a sweet and crumbly streusel, these muffins make a fantastic breakfast or snack during the holiday season.

• Author: Ruby
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 large muffins or 8–9 smaller muffins 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Muffin Batter

• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree (120 grams)
• ⅓ cup avocado oil
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp pumpkin spice (optional)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅓–½ cup whole berry or smooth cranberry sauce

Streusel Topping

• 2 TBSP unsalted butter (28 grams), melted
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40 grams)
• ¼ cup brown sugar (50 grams)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400℉ to ensure it’s hot and ready for baking.
2. Prepare muffin tin: Line a 6 or 12 cavity muffin tin with parchment paper liners—6 tulip-style for tall bakery-style muffins or 8-9 standard liners for smaller muffins. Set aside.
3. Room temperature ingredients: Set out milk, egg, and cranberry sauce to warm to room temperature to ensure even mixing.
4. Make the streusel: Begin by melting the butter. In a small bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt well. Pour melted butter over this mixture and combine with a fork until crumbly. This step allows the streusel to dry slightly before baking, enhancing texture.
5. Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, egg, avocado oil, milk, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar until smooth and well combined.
6. Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
7. Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture. Stir with a metal whisk until just combined; do not overmix. Some small lumps are okay, and the batter will be thick.
8. Optional rest: For taller muffins, let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes before baking to allow the flour to hydrate fully and improve rise.
9. Fill muffin cups: Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Use slightly over ¼ cup per muffin for 6 large muffins or about 3 tablespoons for 8-9 smaller muffins.
10. Add cranberry layer: Spoon the cranberry sauce on top of each batter-filled muffin and gently spread it evenly over the surface.
11. Top with streusel: Sprinkle the streusel mixture generously over the cranberry layer on each muffin.
12. Bake muffins: Place the muffin tin in the oven’s center rack at 400℉, then immediately reduce oven temperature to 350℉ once the door is closed. Bake the 6 large muffins for 24-26 minutes or the smaller 8-9 muffins for 22-23 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
13. Cool muffins: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The flavors will deepen and the texture improve once fully cooled. Enjoy!

Notes

• Allowing milk, egg, and cranberry sauce to reach room temperature helps achieve a smoother batter texture.
• Letting the batter rest before baking can help muffins rise taller and have a better crumb.
• Use whole berry cranberry sauce for added texture or smooth for a uniform top layer.
• The streusel adds a sweet, crunchy contrast to the soft muffin and tangy cranberry.
• Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cranberry sauce muffins, fall recipes, autumn baking, streusel muffins, holiday muffins