Cranberry Christmas Muffins

I just love cranberries.

They're so weird and tart.

And they sound hollow when you drop them.

But stir them into muffins and you get nothing but yumminess.

So you can only make these muffins between Thanksgiving and New Year's, because that's basically the only time fresh cranberries are available.  You'll want to make them more than once.

These muffins are spicy with cinnamon and ginger and tart with cranberries - but the best part of these muffins is the sugar crust.

This sugar crust is what makes these muffins really special.

So here's how you make this special crust:

After the batter is folded together without the sugar, toss the sugar on top of the batter.  Break up the brown sugar a little bit so that it can be stirred in.

And now just fold the sugar into the batter.  Don't stir it too much; you want the sugar to actually not be totally stirred in.

Now scoop it into muffins!

And bake.  And put butter on top.  And eat.

Merry Christmas!

Cranberry Christmas Muffins
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa


1 stick butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup fresh cranberries
6 T sugar
6 T brown sugar

Makes 10 muffins.


Whisk together the butter, egg, milk and vanilla.  Add the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger and whisk until just combined.  Stir in the cranberries.  Pour the sugar on top of the batter and fold in carefully - don't over-mix.  You want the sugar to not be completely combined so that it creates a sugary coating on the outside.

Scoop into 10 greased muffins and bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until done.