Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Hellllllo! Been gone for a bit...how have you been? I went to Orlando for a library conference...it was very hot so I was happy to head back to the cool breezes of Los Angeles.

Last week, my co-worker mentioned a craving for cranberries. I said I was craving pumpkin and other fall spices. Hence, Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins!

I adapted Dorie Greenspan's delicious Pumpkin Muffin recipe. I skipped the raisins and sunflower seed topping, and added cranberries and walnuts. I also topped it with some raw sugar.

Muffins are always a welcome start to a day! I hope you make some soon... nothing like putting in a little fall in the middle of summer.

I use a ice cream scoop to dish out my muffin batter. This recipe made 14 muffins. If I have a couple extras, I put a cupcake liner in a ramekin and pop them on a half-sheet tray along with the cupcake tray.

This muffin is super moist and just really yummy. I'm glad I added the cranberries - a nice touch of tart with the mellow pumpkin.

From my Instagram account. Are you on Instagram? Oh, I love it! They recently made it available to us Android users. I'm "foodlibrarian" and the photos are 80% food, 19% dogs, and 1% Los Angeles.

Recipe:
Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Pumpkin Muffin (Baking from My Home to Yours)


2 cups flour (I used 280 grams)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp groung ginger
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
1/2 cup brown sugar (100 grams)
2 large eggs, room temp
1 tsp vanilla (Dorie uses 1/2 tsp)
3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to thaw), cut in half
Raw sugar, for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Dorie's recipe is 400 degrees but I tried that and my muffins burned) Prep a 12-cup muffin tin. This recipe makes 12-14 muffins.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmet. Set aside.
3. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating one minute after each addition.
5. Beat in vanilla, pumpkin puree and buttermilk. Don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled at this point.
6. On low speed, add the flour mixture a little at a time. Don't overmix - better to undermix and finish it by hand.
7. With a spatula, fold in walnuts and cranberries.
8. Dish out into muffin tins and top with raw sugar.
9. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until done.