White Chocolate Cranberry Muffins Recipe
These Cranberry Muffins are incredible! They are soft, moist, and have a beautiful tart cranberry burst balanced with a sweet white chocolate flavor. It’s a quick and simple cranberry muffin recipe that the whole family will love.
Holiday time is all about baking. Whether you’re baking with kids, for parties, or having a baking party with kids! No one probably bakes more during the year than in November and December.
Some of the best holiday baking flavors are cranberries, gingerbread, eggnog and peppermint! That’s already a lot but there are even more. Cranberries are our favorite though. There is something about combining the tart flavor of cranberries with sweet treats that is quite pleasant for the taste buds.
These muffins are my family’s favorite in particular! They are so soft inside and the flavor combination of fresh cranberries and white chocolate chips is popping.
How To Make Cranberry Muffins
Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a standard muffin baking pan with parchment paper muffin cup liners.
Start by whisking sugars and eggs vigorously for a few seconds, until light in color and fluffed.
Next, whisk in buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and whisk until just incorporated. (Don’t overmix!)
Finally, use a spatula to fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips until they’re evenly spread throughout.
Scoop some batter into each lined muffin cup, filling them about 2/3 full. (Don’t overfill!)
Bake cranberry muffins for 18-20 minutes, take them out of the oven, and cool them on a wire rack.
Tips and Recommendations
- Don’t overmix the muffin batter or the muffins could deflate and come out dense and chewy.
- Always check your baking powder and baking soda before baking, especially if you don’t bake often. Baking powder and baking soda should be used within 6 months after opening or they loose their potence and don’t work well.
- Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the muffin batter into the cups so you get the same amount each time.
- Feel free to play around and add some other mix-ins like nuts or fried berries.
- To get a sweet crunchy top, feel free to sprinkle some sparkling sugar on top, before baking.
Storing Suggestions
Storing: store baked cranberry muffins in an air-tight food storage container at room temperature for 2-3 days. To store longer, store them in the refrigerator.
PRO TIP: Remember that humidity will affect the shelf life of baked goods stored at room temperature! Shelf life in a humid environment is shorter. (So if you live in a humid climate, it’s best to store in the refrigerator if storing for longer than 1 day.)
How To Freeze Cranberry Muffins
Place/stand the muffins inside a large zip-lock bag, side by side, and close the bag. Place the bag on the cutting board so the muffins are standing. This will make it easier to freeze them so they don’t push on each other!
Freeze for at least 2 hours (set a timer if needed). Once the muffins are frozen, get as much air out of the bag as you can, label and remove the cutting board. Muffins will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Warm Up: Thaw muffins on the counter, at room temperature, for about 30 minutes. After that, you can warm them up in a oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, in a microwave for a few seconds, or in an air-fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes.
Some More Recipes To Try
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White Chocolate Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chip
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line the muffin baking pan with parchment paper muffin cups. (I recommend parchment paper because it's easy to peel them off but you can use any muffin cup liners.)
- Combine sugars and eggs in the mixing bowl and whisk vigorously for a few seconds, until light in color and fluffed.
- Whisk in buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and whisk until just incorporated. (Don't overmix!)
- Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips until they're evenly spread throughout.
- Use an ice cream scoop to get even amounts of batter and fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Cool muffins on a wire rack.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the muffin batter or the muffins could deflate and come out dense and chewy.
- Always check your baking powder and baking soda before baking, especially if you don’t bake often. Baking powder and baking soda should be used within 6 months after opening or they loose their potence and don’t work well.
- Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the muffin batter into the cups so you get the same amount each time.
- Feel free to play around and add some other mix-ins like nuts or fried berries.
- To get a sweet crunchy top, feel free to sprinkle some sparkling sugar on top, before baking.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in December 2013.
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Categories:
Breakfast Recipes, Brunch Recipes, Christmas Baking Recipes, Cranberry Recipes, Muffin Recipes,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Really good recipe, just made them this afternoon and almost all are eaten!
I made these gluten-free with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour. I used regular chocolate chips, and they were absolutely delicious! The recipe worked fine with the gluten-free flour.
That’s fantastic to hear! I’m glad to know that the recipe worked well with gluten-free flour. It’s great to know that the recipe is adaptable to different types of flour. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Do you cut the cranberries in half before mixing into the batter?
Hi,
I didn’t cut them in half when making this recipe. Hope you enjoy the muffins.
Can I use dried cranberries in this recipe? Should I re-hydrate them first?
Thank you!
It’s not going to be the same since the fresh one adds more moisture to it. I would try to rehydrate them in cranberry or apple juice first but they will be a little denser.
Really want to make these muffins in the next couple of days! They look delicious. Just wondered if I could use buttermilk for the milk? Thank you!
Hi Janet,
Yes, you can use buttermilk just sub it for the same amount.
Any idea on how to adjust the time/temp if I’m using this recipe to make a loaf of bread?
Hi Melodie!
Yes, bake it for 50-60 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick.
I hope you enjoy it!
Oh my! I have to try this recipe… Pinning!
These muffins look delicious – want to try these! Just wondering about when to add in the butter – it doesn’t say when to add in. also, is it melted or just softened ? Also, do you use fresh cranberries or the dried kind? Thanks!
Hi,
Just curious the baking powder measurement seemed a lot, is it supposed to be a tablespoon or a teaspoon? Otherwise this looks amazing!
Hi, Julianne! Yes, it is a tablespoon of baking powder. These muffins are scrumptious, I hope you like them!
I shared this on my blog – sounds yummy!
These muffins look pretty fabulous! I really love cranberries, and will take them in just about any way I can get them! I’m just popping over from the Memories by the Mile Link Party. I have pinned, liked and tweeted, and g+-ed. I would love it if you would drop by my site at http://www.kneadedcreations.com for a short visit! I will look forward to seeing you there! Deb @ Kneaded Creations.
I follow on Pinterest!
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I love using it to spray my brownie pan before I make brownies!:)
I use Pam when I make pancakes and eggs also on my baking dish for my rice krispies.
Shared on Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/pin/98797785549442786/
I use Pam to spray my cake pans, though I use it for a lot of things in the kitchen!
i love to make kalachki with PAM at christmastime
I would make a pumpkin pie
My favorite recipe to use the Pam spray products are for any cakes. They make taking them out the pan an ease.
I’m a competitive bodybuilder, so when I’m training for a competition, real butter is absolutely off limits. But spraying a little pam in my pan gives me that “butter flavor” without the calories.
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My favorite recipe to use PAM Cooking Spray with this holiday season is while baking fruitcake!
Also shared on my Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/gail.hernetspringsteen
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I love using Pam in my Bundt pans; then I don’t have to worry about losing any of the pretty designs!
I forgot to use Pam last night when making scalloped potatoes, the dish is soaking as we speak! Wish I’d used the PAM!!!
I use pam when I cook mini brownies works great and they slide right out.
I’m going to make a fruitcake
When don’t I use Pam!!! When baking my chicken special, when making meatloaf, all pasta dishes, and then there are the cakes and cookies. Love PAM
I use PAM every year for virtually all of my Christmas cookies.
I use to make turtles
I use Pam for most anything I don’t want to stick and have a mess to clean up, especially when it contains cheese. Hooray for Pam and I wonder how any of us EVER got along in cleaning stuck-on foods before it was invented. I bake a lot, too, and it also comes in handy then as well.
Reese’s Temptations – they would stick to the pan and be ruined if it wasn’t for PAM
I spray all of my casseroles with Pam. They serve up easy and it also makes for a very easy clean-up!
We use Pam cooking spray when we bake our Christmas cookies.
I use pam on everything I cook! Those muffins look great!
I shared via G+ https://plus.google.com/100485607610059404221/posts/4rJdPuQKgRh
I tweeted it https://twitter.com/ThatTuxedoCat/status/409037340137385985
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I stumbled it http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2y296p/willcookforsmiles.com/2013/12/cranberry-white-chocolate-chip-muffins.html/
I like to use Pam cooking spray when I make Red Velvet cake.
I use PAM when I make lasagna for Christmas eve.
I love making 7 layer bars! God knows you need a good spray of Pam for those!
Gorgeous muffins Lyuba! I use PAM all the time but especially when I’m making lasagna 🙂 Pinned these beauties!
I always use it in my fluted tart pans.
Waffle griddle – cannot make them without it!
I shared on facebook
I use Pam with all my baking and cooking needs. I just used pam with baking a chocolate chocolate cake
I’m totally obsessed with cranberries right now! These look divine Lyuba, thanks for linking up at Showcase Your Talent!
When I make cracker candy I spray the foil with Pam and the candy cracks off the foil easily!
My favorite way to use Pam is to make muffins for a fun holiday breakfast! Thanks for the giveaway!
Shared on Google +
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I always use PAM to make sure my bundt cakes do not stick to the pan! Especially great when baking chocolate peppermint ones that tend to stick
https://twitter.com/vivaciousgold/status/408730334130229248 shared on twitter
my made from scratch red velvet cake
Mine would be either pecan pie or a pumpkin roll
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on my russian tea cakes
thanks
I use Pam on everything, But for the holidays, I use it for my Kahula cake.
Oat squares with cranberry blueberry jam
I love to make loaves of gingerbread, first using Pam to grease the pans!
I spray my pieplates for easy serving
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I use Pam when I make all my Christmas cookies
Tweet:https://twitter.com/roomofmyown/status/408413836568297472
Cupcakes, muffins, and cake!
I love baking and recently made cranberry pistachio white chocolate oatmeal cookies.
I like using Pam to bake cookies and pies.
I shared on twitter.
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I will be using my PAM while making my husbands favorite….mini pecan pie muffins.
Congratulations, Christy!!
Thank you so much!
share on google+
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I shared on facebook
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I shared on pinterest
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I shared on twitter
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I use Pam every time I bake and especially during the holidays for Mac and Cheese because if I don’t I have a stuck on mess!
i will always use pam when i make sweet potatoe casserole
I spray the cookie sheets when I make gingerbread cookies!
When I make mini pecan pies, PAM is definitely my buddy. these can get pretty messy and PAM makes clean up so much easier. Can’t wait to try these muffins.
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Google +1 and shared as status!
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DAILY TWEET !
I shared on Pinterest!!
Thanks So much!
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Wow I would never think to put white chocolate with fresh cranberries delicious.
I use PAM Spray for my Triple Berry Pie recipe and my mom’s Chicken Dressing recipe! Both are a necessity for the outcome of those recipes!
Thanks!
I love using PAM spray in the pans for all my holiday quick breads.
I pinned your giveaway!
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I like to use Pam when I make my pumpkin bread.
I use pam anytime I bake or make a casserole. I love making chocolate chip, blueberry banana bread.
I have used Pam for more than a decade. I would love to have that Le Creuset pie dish though!!!
Pinned it on Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/pin/225813368789729980/
I use Pam every day. I spray the griddle, the frying pan, baking sheets, muffin pans, cake pans, measuring cups before measuring honey or corn syrup, the foil on the bottom of a baked dish AND the foil on top so the top doesn’t stick, and my hands when I’m mixing something messy like meatloaf to get in there and mush it all together. Like I said, I use it every day. Great product!
I use Pam daily! It’s wonderful for cakes!!
I use Pam on my hands when doing a sticky kitchen task like pressing rice krispy candy into th epan or forming popcorn balls. It really helps to do that.
I use Pam any time I do any kind of baking, whether it’s muffins, cakes, etc. I also spray it on my hands when making meat loaf and on measuring cups, etc. Yes, I go through a lot of Pam!
I use Pam spray with everything but my favorite is to keep my blueberry streusel muffins from sticking.
I always use Pam to spray loaf pans before baking pumpkin bread!
Peppermint Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Ganache is my favorite.
I love cranberries. This recipe sounds great for the holidays.
I use Pam when making pecan pie. I spray the measuring cup before measuring the syrup
Great idea, Sandy! Best of luck!