This recipe for Fresh Cranberry Cornbread Muffins is a twist on traditional cornbread that is a perfect option for a holiday brunch or side dish - because adding some color to your cornbread is always a fun idea!
I'm having an official thing with fresh cranberries this fall. There is constantly a bag in my fridge. I can't get over the touch of freshness and beauty they add to food and the photos I've been taking! If you haven't had the chance to peek at the Pork Chop Skillet with Cranberry Apple Sauce that I made last week, head over to that post and you will see what I mean - the cranberries add the most stunning fall color to that simple dish!
Cranberries are CHOCK FULL of inflammation-fighting antioxidant compounds and are a fantastic way to get a punch of fiber, color, and variety in your diet. Whether fresh or dried - there are endless options for incorporating them into a wide variety of foods! I love how the tartness of fresh cranberries gives bright notes of acidity to meaty dishes like these pork chops or cuts through the creamy richness of brie cheese in these tartlets. Dried cranberries are always a welcome addition to any salad in my opinion, and a good cranberry jam tastes amazing on top of gingerbread pancakes during the holidays!
Inspiration for Cranberry Cornbread Muffins
With the Thanksgiving holiday being just around the corner, I wanted to make a fun side dish with fresh cranberries that would be easy, make-ahead and would involve a fresh take on a traditional Thanksgiving food. So I'm taking the creamed corn we love in a corn casserole, cornbread from many a traditional stuffing recipe, and the fresh cranberries you would use to make cranberry sauce and combining them into a tender and moist muffin that I think you are going to love! These muffins have a hearty whole grain texture and flavor, yet are kept super moist and tender with the addition of a good dose of buttermilk and creamed corn. The tart cranberries burst inside as they bake and pair so nicely with the honey from the muffin batter.
Serving Suggestions for Cranberry Cornbread Muffins
I think the muffins would make a cozy addition to a more rustic Thanksgiving table - particularly one that involves a smoked turkey, braised winter greens, and a velvety cider gravy. Cranberry corn muffin turkey sliders are a must for next-day leftovers, which will be the best part of the whole Thanksgiving ordeal if you ask me! But please, don't think you have to wait until Thanksgiving to make these! I've been making them and freezing in small batches so we can have them with taco soup, white chicken chili, and smoked pork BBQ throughout the fall season! I'm loving how they make such a fun change from plain cornbread - oh, and did I mention that these are DIVINE when you serve them with honey butter??? Yes, a dab of honey butter is a must if you really want to live your best life when you try these muffins!
Tools You Will Need to Make This Recipe
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Are you ready to get make these Fresh Cranberry Cornbread Muffins? Good! I’m so excited for you to try this recipe. Once you get the chance to make it, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment and rate the recipe below. This will help me with the creation of future recipes! I’d also love to feature your creation in my monthly newsletter, so you can upload a photo to Instagram or Twitter with the tag @sweetcayenne5 to be featured!
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour, such as King Arthur brand
- 1 1/2 cups stone ground fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups low-fat buttermilk, well-shaken
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 (15-ounce) can of creamed corn
- 3/4 cup honey
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked through
- Optional: Honey butter made with 1/2 stick of butter and 1/3 cup of honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Spray 24 muffin cup wells with cooking spray or line with paper liners. Set the tins aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda by stirring with a whisk.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, corn, honey, and butter by stirring with a whisk.
- Toss the cranberries with 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture (this will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin).
- Use a rubber spatula to make a well in the bottom of the flour mixture. Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture and stir in lightly with the whisk until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in the cranberries with the rubber spatula until just combined.
- Fill the muffin wells up to ⅔ full. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350℉. Continue baking for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.
- While the muffins bake, set ½ a stick of butter in a bowl with ⅓ cup of honey. Place it on the stove to soften. Stir to combine once the butter softens.
- Remove muffins from oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for further cooling and serve the muffins warm with honey butter as desired.
Notes
- Muffins can be reheated on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes and will keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Freeze up to 6 months wrapped tightly in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator prior to use.
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