pumpkin cranberry muffins
or bread, or bars – makes 18-24 muffins.
Based on Savoring the seasons of the northern heartland, by Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson. 1994
1 cup sugar, divided
1 cup cranberries
2 eggs
1/2 to 2/3 cup vegetable oil*
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups pumpkin or squash purèe OR one 15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin
1 TBLS baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
[I sometimes add mace and cloves, too – more pumpkin-pie-like flavors]
3 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 to 1 cup milk or orange juice or apple cider – NOTE: the amount of liquid totally depends on the moisture content of your pumpkin, and what you are baking, that is, muffins should be a thicker batter than bars or bread. Generally canned pumpkin is thicker than home made purèe. You can omit the eggs, especially if using the larger amount of pumpkin, and use juice or non-dairy milk to make the muffins vegan – oat or almond milks are both quite good here.
First, chop the cranberries with 4 tablespoons of the sugar – I like to do this by pulsing in the food processor. Break the eggs into a large bowl, and add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Mix with a whisk until well-creamed, and add the oil. Stir in the honey – if you measure the honey in the same measuring cup that you did the oil, it will slide out easily. Stir in the pumpkin. Measure the spices and leavening on top of the mixture, and stir – although it’s not important to thoroughly combine things at this point – you can get to that on the next step. Add the flour, top with the cranberries, and mix well.
Preheat the oven to 400° for muffins OR 350° for bars or loaves. Scoop the batter into the wells of a standard muffin pan that have been lined with paper or greased. Or make loaves, or spread into a sheet pan for bars – this recipe will fill a half sheet pan, approx. 18 x 13 – if you have a rimmed cookie sheet or a jelly roll pan that are a bit smaller, just use the extra batter make a few muffins on the side.
If making muffins place the tins into the oven and bake for 5 mins. at 400°, then reduce the heat to 350°. Bake for about 25 minutes for muffins or bars, a little longer for loaves – depending on size – this recipe is good for mini-loaves, and those will bake fast – until the risen and the center springs back when lightly pressed. Note that without the crumb topping these muffins will not brown on top – the crumb topping will get brown though!
Here’s a recipe for cream cheese frosting if you’d like to frost the bars.
*Made these October 21, 2020 and thought they were a little dry – so you could up the oil a bit! (the original recipe calls for a full cup of oil)
New for 2022: cream cheese filled option
- One 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl. When scooping the muffins, first scoop about 2 tablespoons of the batter into the bottom of each muffin well, then a scant tablespoon of filling, and then top with enough batter to fill the well.
Optional crumb topping (to really guild the lilly!)
- 1/3 packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cups unbleached white flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/3 cup melted butter
Make the crumb topping first if using. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl (or the sauce pan you used to melt the butter) and stir with a fork until it looks crumbly. Refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter and optional cream cheese filling. After the muffins have been scooped, top each one with about a tablespoon of the crumb topping, and press it down lightly with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
