Extraordinarily soft, fluffy muffins with pockets of tangy cranberry, sweet white chocolate and a divine drizzle of rich white chocolate glaze, these cranberry white chocolate muffins are the perfect accompaniment to your breakfast or brunch.
It would appear that I am two steps behind (or two steps ahead, depending on how you look at it) the seasonal-foods trend. Between my sweet potato recipe last week and now cranberries today, my palate has, for some reason, been in fall-flavors mode (though I can assure you my mind is nowhere near that season… were it up to me summer would reign forever).
I couldn’t help it, though. I bought frozen cranberries on a whim after finding them steeply discounted at my grocery store and have been toying with different ideas on how to use them for several weeks now. I did not expect upon buying them that they would find their home inside muffins, but here we are.
And, suddenly, every other idea I’d had for using them was clearly unsatisfactory. These muffins are utterly, irresistibly fluffy (the addition of an extra egg white and a combination of butter and oil rather than solely butter helps to make this possible), each bite packed with an array of flavors– from warm notes of vanilla to the subtle, almost indiscernible hint of almond, surprise pops of tangy cranberry coupled with sweet kernels of white chocolate strike an exquisite balance (and, of course, the glaze is likely to be half-devoured before it even makes its way to the muffin tops).
I had to get these muffins out of my house as soon as I possibly could for fear of single-handedly eating the whole batch.
If you’re not prepared for cranberry, if you only eat strictly seasonably, I respect that. But please, please bookmark this recipe for a crisp autumnal day and you’ll be glad you did (you may also regret having waited so long to try them).
White Chocolate Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted (55 g)
- 1/4 cup canola oil 60 ml, vegetable oil would also work
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
- 1 egg lightly beaten, + 1 egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 ml
- 1/4 tsp almond extract 1 ml, optional
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (or 3/4milk + 2 1/4 tsp vinegar stirred together and allowed to sit 5 minutes), 177 ml
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 281 g
- 2 tsp baking powder 10 g
- 1/2 tsp salt 2.5 g
- 1 cup heaping frozen cranberries 150 g
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 85 g
Glaze
- 1 cup white chocolate chips 170 g
- 1/4 cup heavy cream 59 ml
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar 83 g
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400F (205 C) and line 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners
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In large bowl combine melted butter, oil and granulated sugar. Stir well.
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Add lightly beaten egg, egg white, and vanilla and almond extracts. Stir well.
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Add in buttermilk and stir until combined.
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Stir in cranberries and white chocolate.
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In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
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Gradually, carefully add in flour mixture, stirring until just combined (there still may be some flour mixture visible, this is OK just do not over-mix)
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Evenly divide into prepared muffin tin.
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Bake on 400F (205 C) 20-25 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean with few crumbs)
Glaze
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In micro-wave safe bowl, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave at 10 second intervals, stirring every 10 seconds until chocolate is melted and heavy cream and chocolate are combined.
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Stir in powdered sugar.
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Using a spoon drizzle over muffins (muffins should be allowed to cool 5-10 minutes before being drizzled with glaze).
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These look amazing!!! Now I just have to get my hands on some cranberries so I can make them. 🙂
You definitely should, thanks Kalee! 🙂
In my opinion, cranberries are always in season… Especially when paired with white chocolate!
haha, thanks Sues!
These are so fun! And I never thought to pair with white chocolate before..
Thanks Dani!
They look so elegant! That glaze…
Haha the glaze is pretty awesome. Thank you!
As much as I tend to prefer seasonal food, there is absolutely nothing wrong in craving various thing during the year. So, don’t worry at all. I think they look great, and I am glad to hear you made the savvy decision to get these muffins out of the house, I would have done the same…Way too tempting! 🙂
Thanks
🙂 Thank you Emanuele! I definitely had to get them out of the house immediately, they were SO good! 🙂
Forget seasonal! When it comes to things like frozen cranberries or canned pumpkin, there’s no time like the present! These muffins look perfect; I love that you combined white chocolate with the cranberries! This looks like a delicious muffin recipe that I would love to try any time of the year! 🙂
🙂 Thank you Beeta! The white chocolate really complements the cranberries so nicely, it counters the tang of the berries perfectly!
What a pretty muffin, Sam! I love the cranberry and white chocolate combo. Sounds delish!
Thank you Gayle!
The cranberries look gorgeous in these muffins and I love the white chocolate glaze. Great combo!
Thank you Christin!
I love that you shared this recipe! so sweet cupcake
Thanks!
I love white chocolate and cranberries, they’re such a perfect combination! These muffins look so delicious and that white chocolate on top looks so perfect.
Thank you Danielle! 🙂
I don’t even care that cranberries are outta season right now. I have a freezer full of ’em and these muffins just need to happen here asap! Seriously crushing on all that white chocolate!!
Omg you definitely need to make these then! Thanks Sarah!
You posted this recipe as i was just about to prepare muffins last Sunday. When i tried the recipe, it worked so perfectly as though i was a pro! My guests went home talking about it. Thank you Sam.
How perfect is that! Thanks so much Chella, I’m so glad you liked them! 🙂
I LOVE white chocolate and cranberry combos!! These muffins look divine! Gorgeous drizzle on top too!!
🙂 Thank you so much Chelsea! And I know, that drizzle was just perfect, and SO good!
These muffins are gorgeous, Sam! Love white chocolate and cranberry!
Thank you Jess!
I totally support you being two steps in the wrong direction of sesonal food trends considering THESE are what you are posting! You had me drooling with the beginning description of these fantastically fluffy muffins!! I would make one correction to said description though. It should say these are the perfect accompaniment to EVERY meal… or they could just be a meal on their own. Stack a few on a plate and call it dinner! 😀 I’m down! These muffins look and sound magical. Love it! Pinned!
Ah thank you so much for the kind words Cheyanne, your comment made me smile! Thanks so much, and thank you for pinning! 😀
I love cranberries anytime of year especially with white chocolate! These muffins look amazing!
Thank you Kelly!!
I love this flavor combination for a muffin! Plus they are beautiful, as always =)
🙂 Thank you Shelby!
Oh heavens, these look DIVINE! So fluffy and scrumptious – I SO wish I had one right now! And I love that you’re using cranberries now – they get so much attention in fall/winter, but they’re great enough that they deserve year-round love. <3
Haha, thanks so much Amy! 🙂
Wow Sam, these are seriously beautiful! Those photos are amazing! I love cranberries and white chocolate, they’re two ingredients that completely compliment each other perfectly. I’ve never tried them together in a muffin before, but I’m going to have to now! Thank you for sharing such a delicious creation!!!
Thank you Harriet! If you try them out, let me know how you like them! 🙂
Great flavor combination going on here! And that white chocolate glaze looks incredible!
🙂 Thanks Kathleen!
These muffins look amazing!! Love the flavor combo of cranberry and white chocolate. Yum :)!
Thank you Annie! 🙂
These are my fave!!! cannot wait to try this recipe!
Thanks!
These cranberry white chocolate muffins look divine, Sam!!! And that white chocolate glaze on top is just to die for! YUMMY!
Thank you Anu, I ate WAY too much of it!
I love muffins! These look gorgeous! I adore anything with white chocolate! 🙂
You would definitely love the glaze then! Thanks Jessica!
Im drooling lol. These look amazing!!
🙂 Thanks Kristal!
When I found this recipe I got so excited! I went out and bought all the stuff for them and now that I’m ready to make them I see that you used frozen cranberries. I bought fresh. Do you think they would still work?
I think that would be fine! Hope you love them 🙂