Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

Karman Meyer

8 years ago

Wake up to these healthier, holiday-inspired Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins made with whole wheat flour!

It’s Thanksgiving week! Can you believe it? I’m really looking forward to going home for the holiday and spending time with family. And of course, I’m pretty excited about the Thanksgiving Day spread 🙂

Today is Recipe Redux day and because the holiday baking season is upon us, we were asked to show our healthier holiday recipes. This time of year, you’ll find an abundance of fresh cranberries and pumpkin in my refrigerator. I like keeping both on hand as toppings for yogurt, oatmeal, and to throw into smoothies. Once I saw the Recipe Redux theme for this month, my mind was set on making muffins with my stock of cranberries and pumpkin. Who doesn’t love a good holiday muffin?!

Did you know there are two different ways cranberries are harvested? The method I’ve always associated with cranberries is the wet harvest. You’ve probably seen photos or commercials showing cranberry bogs and people in their rubber overalls standing in a pool of floating cranberries. It looks so cool! There is also a way to dry harvest cranberries, which I was unfamiliar with the process until I watched this video from the Cranberry Marketing Committee.

Have you ever visited a cranberry farm?

[bctt tweet=”Watch how #cranberries are harvested & enjoy this recipe for Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins ” username=”KarmanRD”]

One cup of fresh cranberries has 5.1 grams of fiber, 94 mg of potassium, and over 20% of the daily value for vitamin C. For some extra fall flavor, I decided to use apple cider in combination with milk in this recipe. By using 100% pure pumpkin, it eliminates the need to add any oil, helping to reduce fat and total calories.

If you have any leftover cranberries and pumpkin hanging around after the holidays, go ahead and make these muffins as a special treat!

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

Servings servings

Author Karman Meyer, Dietitian at The Nutrition Adventure

Ingredients

2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
4 fluid ounces milk
4 fluid ounces apple cider
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries washed and any remaining stems removed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a muffin pan with paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to combine and remove any clumps.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, pumpkin puree, milk and apple cider.
4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and mix just until combined. Be sure to not over-mix. Add cranberries, mixing just until incorporated.
5. Fill each baking cup with batter (should be filled almost to the top). Bake on middle oven rack for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Remove muffins from pan and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Keep stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.