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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Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
I love cranberries anytime of year especially with white chocolate! These muffins look amazing!
Sam says
Thank you Kelly!!
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat says
I love this flavor combination for a muffin! Plus they are beautiful, as always =)
Sam says
🙂 Thank you Shelby!
Amy @ Fearless Homemaker says
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
Sam says
Haha, thanks so much Amy! 🙂
Harriet Emily says
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!!!
Sam says
Thank you Harriet! If you try them out, let me know how you like them! 🙂
Kathleen | HapaNomNom says
Great flavor combination going on here! And that white chocolate glaze looks incredible!
Sam says
🙂 Thanks Kathleen!
Annie @ The Garlic Diaries says
These muffins look amazing!! Love the flavor combo of cranberry and white chocolate. Yum :)!
Sam says
Thank you Annie! 🙂
Poly from MyInflatablePoly.com says
These are my fave!!! cannot wait to try this recipe!
Sam says
Thanks!
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
These cranberry white chocolate muffins look divine, Sam!!! And that white chocolate glaze on top is just to die for! YUMMY!
Sam says
Thank you Anu, I ate WAY too much of it!
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu says
I love muffins! These look gorgeous! I adore anything with white chocolate! 🙂
Sam says
You would definitely love the glaze then! Thanks Jessica!
Kristal @inkristalskitchen.com says
Im drooling lol. These look amazing!!
Sam says
🙂 Thanks Kristal!
Allie says
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?
Sam says
I think that would be fine! Hope you love them 🙂
Teresa Davis says
Made these for our neighborhood Morning Meet Up today. BIG HIT. Used fresh cranberries.
Sam says
Love hearing this!! Thanks for letting me know how you liked them, Teresa!! 🙂