I love baking with fresh cranberries! These cranberry muffins are one of my favorite holiday treats. I love the way the sweet cake balances the tartness of the cranberries, and the nuts add just the right amount of crunch. If you don't like nuts, you can leave them out. I actually made this batch without them, because my son doesn't like nuts. However, I really prefer them WITH the nuts. That could be because I am a little nutty, or it could be because they are better. I'm not really sure. You be the judge.
What You Will Need:
KitchenAid Mixer with Paddle Attachment
Large Scoop
Muffin Tin(s)
Cupcake Liners
Cooling Rack(s)
Ingredients:
3 cups Fresh Cranberries (You can find these in the produce department of your local grocery store during the winter holidays.)
1 2/3 cups Sugar
2/3 cup Canola Oil
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
4 Large Eggs
1 1/2 cup Soy Flour
3/4 cup Potato Starch
3/4 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour
1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Walnuts, chopped (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthum gum, baking soda and salt.
In KitchenAid Mixer with Paddle Attachment, mix together sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs until well combined.
Add cranberries and mix well.
Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
Add nuts and mix just until combined.
Scoop into lined muffin tins.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool in pans for 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
Store in air tight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
These are so amazing with a nice cup of hot tea on a lazy Saturday morning. OK, you got me, I don't know what a lazy Saturday morning is. But, when I dream of lazy Saturday mornings, you can bet that cranberry muffins and hot tea are part of that vision. A girl can dream!
"Do something today that your future self with thank you for."
I know my future self will appreciate the dream of lazy Saturday mornings with cranberry muffins and hot tea. I'm also quite certain she will like the chocolate cookies that I will be sharing with you in a few days. My son said "they are more than blog worthy!" They are that good. Don't miss them!
~Sheryl
I'm sorry it has been so long since my last post! The good news is that I am working full time again. The bad news is that while I am adjusting to my new job and my new schedule, my posts will definitely not be as regular as they had been over the summer.
I have been planning to post these cookies for over a week now. Unfortunately, my first batch didn't turn out well, so I had to find time to make them again. Thankfully, the second time was a charm. Otherwise, I still wouldn't be posting this recipe.
I know most people like raisins in their oatmeal cookies. As many of you know, I am not most people. I like to blaze my own trail. True to form, I don't like raisins in my oatmeal cookies. BUT, I do like oatmeal cookies. I particularly like the chewiness you get with them. AND, the crunch of walnuts sets that chewiness off real nice.
I hope you like this recipe. And if you are a die hard raisin lover, you can always either add a cup or replace the nuts with them.
What You Will Need:
KitchenAid Mixer with Paddle Attachment
Cookie Scoop (I used a medium scoop for bigger cookies.)
Baking Sheet(s) lined with Parchment or Silicone Mat
Cooling Rack(s)
Ingredients:
1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
2 Large Eggs
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup Soy Flour
1/4 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour
1/4 cup Potato Starch
1/4 cup Corn Starch
1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Oats, old fashioned or rolled
1 cup Walnuts, chopped (I break mine into pieces by hand.)
Directions:
In KitcenAid Mixer with Paddle Attachment, mix together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until just blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk together soy flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, corn starch, xanthum gum, baking soda and salt.
Add oats to dry ingredients and mix.
Add dry mixture to wet ingredients in KitchenAid mixer and blend until just mixed.
Add nuts and mix by hand until just incorporated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets approximately 2 inches apart. (I get about 6 cookies per sheet. If you make smaller cookies you can place them closer together and get more cookies per sheet.)
Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until cookies are slightly golden.
Let cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
I really wanted to dip these cookies in chocolate, but my microwave is broken and I was too lazy to melt my chocolate the old fashioned way. When my microwave is fixed, I will re-post this recipe with the chocolate. BUT, if you are so inclined, try it out. I think they will be amazing!
But even without the chocolate, these cookies are pretty amazing. They are chewy and crunchy and sweet. MMMMM good.
As I was decorating my new office this week, I came across this long forgotten quote:
"Work as if you don't need the money, love as if you have never been hurt, and dance as if no one is watching!"
I've always thought that was pretty amazing advice. Try it out, it feels pretty good.
Sheryl
