Saturday, September 5, 2015

Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins

For this week's entry in Weekend Cooking, I made some muffins. I used to do an occasional posting called Muffin Monday (see Letter Topics on sidebar) but haven't done one for three years. I love muffins, and maybe will start doing this again.

As fall approaches, I needed to use up my frozen cranberries before the new ones hit the stores. I had some cream cheese in the fridge, and so did a search for cranberries and cream cheese. I found this recipe here and thought I’d try it. The muffins are delicious! Easy to make, lovely aroma while baking, and a great taste. I’ll make them again.


Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins

1/2 cup softened butter
4 oz. softened cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour 
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups fresh whole cranberries

1/4 cup coarse grain white sugar


Preheat oven to 350°F. Place paper or foil baking cups into 12 muffin pan cups. Set aside. (I greased pan instead of using baking cups)

Combine butter and cream cheese in bowl (I used my KitchenAid mixer) and beat at medium speed until well mixed. 
Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating.
Beat in eggs.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Lower speed and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. 
Stir in cranberries.

Evenly divide batter among prepared muffin cups. 
Sprinkle coarse grain sugar over top of each muffin. (I didn't do this, and they were plenty sweet - though I may do it next time for that nice crunch on the top)
Bake 21-26 minutes until tops begin to brown on edges and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. (What a odd baking time. I guess I would just say that mine baked about 25 minutes.)
Cool 2 minutes in pan; remove to cooling rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

28 comments:

  1. Hummmm, I wonder if I have any cranberries still lingering in the freezer. I happen to have 4oz of cream cheese, so yeah, this could work. I like that idea of Muffin Mondays.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe I'll do it once a month - I'll see how it works out.

      Delete
  2. Oh I forgot to say thanks for the reading recommendation. Sounds like my kind of book.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cranberry and cream cheese - fabulous combo! Cheers from Carole's Chatter!

    ReplyDelete
  4. These look delicious! I'll bet raspberries would work, too. I agree about the cooking time. Very odd!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I so rarely cook with raspberries. When they are fresh, I just eat and eat them, and when they are frozen I put them in a smoothie.

      Delete
  5. I'm drooling! Good way to use up the cranberries in the freezer!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like cranberries in baked goods -- there's a pumpkin-cranberry muffin recipe in one of Jane Brody's cookbooks that is so yummy. She invented it to use up ingredients after a holiday.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love anything with cream cheese - those look delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I never thought of mixing those two together , cranberry and cream cheese. That must be heavenly!

    ReplyDelete
  9. They look delicious. My id love one just now please.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh my
    use so many of your recipes over the years
    and now one that fits me
    since I have cranberries in freezer.
    I also put them in my Zuchinni bread.
    Nan, thank you
    and no mud here
    no rain for weeks....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i will try mixing zucchini and cranberries in something - a little like the blueberry and zucchini cake. did you try that?? out of this world delish!

      Delete
  11. These sound delicious. We love muffins around our house.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I do always seem to end up with one package of cranberries in the freezer ! I'll try these ...

    ReplyDelete

I'll answer your comments as soon as I possibly can. Please do come back if you've asked a question.
Also, you may comment on any post, no matter how old, and I will see it.