Fresh Cranberry Muffins - Thanksgiving Side Dish

These fresh Cranberry Muffins are the perfect Thanksgiving side dish!  They bring a touch of sweetness that sits beautifully next to the turkey and stuffing!  They are the best little muffins, packed with a handful of healthier ingredients, not too sweet so don't put them on the dessert table!  With those bright red tart fresh cranberries, they are festive and ready for any occasion during the holiday season!  

Why We Love These Muffins!

• A Versatile Muffin for the Holiday Season! - These fresh cranberry muffins are perfect for all the occasions!  They are first and foremost a Thanksgiving side dish.  Not a dessert, they are not too sweet and perfectly balance all those savory flavors of the Thanksgiving feast.  But, these muffins are also perfect for breakfast on Christmas, paired with Sausage & Spinach Quiche.  Fresh cranberries are a must-have ingredient for the holidays, try our Cranberry Sauce with Honey too!

• Delicious and Healthy Ingredient Swaps! - These semi-healthy cranberry orange muffins started by cutting way back on the sugar.  There is still some, and some real maple syrup for extra depth of flavor. The sweet, but not too sweet quality makes them great as a side dish.  They are high in protein with almond flour, oats, nuts and eggs, and those fresh cranberries are good for you too!

• If you Love this Recipe, be sure to check out my Cranberry Baked Oatmeal Cups with White Chocolate and these Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins! After the big feast, make a pot of Leftover Turkey Chili!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Flour, Almond Flour, and Oats - I've subbed some of the white flour in this recipe with healthier almond flour and regular rolled oats giving you a heartier, denser muffin.

• Baking Soda, Baking Powder and Salt - The baking soda and powder make your muffins rise while a bit of salt enhances the natural flavor in all the ingredients.

• Sugar and Maple Syrup - In combination, these provide the sweetness for the muffins, but not too much!

• Orange Juice - The orange juice gives a bright flavor which marries perfectly with the sweet yet tart cranberries.

• Coconut Oil - Melted in the microwave, you could also substitute melted butter.

• Eggs - Use the best quality eggs.

• Fresh Cranberries - The star of the show! Fresh cranberries in the store means it must be November! I buy a few bags to throw in the fridge. When baked, fresh cranberries are bursting with juicy tart flavor, balanced perfectly in a slightly sweet muffin. Don't substitute dried cranberries for this recipe, we love them in our Cranberry Herb Bread Stuffing!

• Pecans - Walnuts are a good substitute. Mix some nuts into the batter and sprinkle more on top.

See recipe card for full ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.

Step 2 - Add everything else and mix until combined (mix in half of the nuts but save some for topping).

Step 3 - Line two muffin tins with 18 to 20 paper liners and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Fill cups full. Sprinkle with remaining nuts.

Step 4 - Bake at 400° for 16 to 22 minutes. Don't open the oven or peek until they are baked for at least 16 minutes, this can cause your muffins to sink in the middle!

After 16 minutes you can check them and do a couple more minutes as needed.  

Chef Tips

• Make Ahead and Freezer Instructions - These cranberry oatmeal muffins can be made ahead and frozen for up to 4 months, or stored in the fridge for 4 days.  If you are handling a lot of the Thanksgiving menu, make these muffins ahead of time, freeze them and thaw them in the fridge the night before.  Or you could make them the day or two before Thanksgiving and store them in the fridge. You can even throw them in the oven for a few minutes if you want to warm them through.  Frozen muffins also make a great quick breakfast, lunch box addition, or afternoon snack!  Just pop one in the microwave!

• Don't Open the Oven to Peek! - This might be the biggest muffin making mistake! Muffins need consistent hot heat while they are trying to rise. Opening the oven door before they are set can cause them to sink in the middle. Wait to check for doneness until they have baked at least 18 minutes.

• Use Fresh Cranberries, Not Dried - Dried cranberries are not a good substitute in these Thanksgiving muffins!  When baked, fresh cranberries in muffins are juicy, tart and absolutely delicious! Dried cranberries will give you dry muffins! 

• Lining Your Muffin Tins - Make sure you line your muffin tins so your muffins don't stick! I used paper muffin liners and sprayed them with cooking spray. I also tried using cooking spray directly in the muffin tin. Both worked, but they are a little tricky to remove without the liners! I do not recommend using butter, I tried greasing the cups with butter and the muffins all stick and broke as I pulled them out!