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Cranberry Sauce Muffins

These delicious Cranberry Sauce Muffins are perfect for using leftover cranberry sauce to create an easy breakfast muffin or snack.

Mix up the batter, add a dollop of cranberry sauce, and top them with a delicious crumble topping to create an amazing treat with your Thanksgiving leftovers.

Cranberry Sauce Muffins stacked on a plate with the top muffin cut in half.

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After Thanksgiving dinner we usually have leftovers! And if I have leftover cranberry sauce, I love to make these muffins.

You are going to love the flavors found in these warm spice muffins. They pair perfectly with the gooey cranberry sauce in the middle.

Since these treats can be made with a handful of common pantry ingredients, they are perfect for baking when you are short on time.

Don't miss my other two cranberry muffin recipes. These Cranberry Banana Muffins are made with fresh cranberries and these delicious Cranberry Pecan Muffins are made with dried cranberries.

Ingredients

See the printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.

Ingredients to make cranberry sauce muffins set out on the counter.

To make your own cranberry sauce muffins, you’ll need:

  • Milk
  • Brown sugar - I used light brown sugar.
  • Butter
  • Egg
  • Vanilla extract
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Salt
  • Cranberry sauce (canned or homemade)

Recipe Variations

  • An easy pantry staple substitution for the cranberry sauce is applesauce. Applesauce pairs well with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.
  • Add some crunch with pecans. Pecans are a great addition to these muffins.
  • Chocolate makes everything better. Add in some dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
  • For a little extra sweetness, drizzle with a simple glaze icing made with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.

How To Make Cranberry Sauce Muffins

These cranberry stuffed muffins may look difficult to make with the crumble topping and cranberry surprise inside - but they are very simple to make!

Just follow these quick instructions for preparing your muffins from scratch right now.

Milk, brown sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
Flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt are added to the mixing bowl.

First step is to make the muffin batter.

To get started, combine the milk, brown sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the bowl. Use your whisk to incorporate the dry ingredients into the milk mixture until a smooth batter forms.

Don't over-mix the ingredients. Over-mixing could result in thick and dense muffins.

A tablespoon of batter is added to the liners in the muffin pan.
A layer of cranberry sauce is added over the muffin batter.
A layer of muffin batter is added over the cranberry sauce in the muffin pan.

Second step is to add the muffin layers.

Once the batter is prepared, grease a muffin pan or line it with paper liners and add one tablespoon of batter to the bottom of each cup in the pan.

Use the back of your spoon to smooth the batter across the bottom of the cup to create an even bottom layer.

Then, spoon one tablespoon of cranberry sauce into the pan on top of the batter. Spread the sauce evenly over the top of the batter.

Next, add another tablespoon of batter on top of the cranberry sauce. Use the back of the spoon to carefully smooth the batter on top of the sauce, trying not to disturb the sauce underneath.

Crumble Topping Ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Crumble topping is added over the muffin batter in the muffin pan.

Third step is to add the streusel topping.

Once you have your muffins layered, it’s time to prepare the streusel topping.

Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter to a medium bowl. Stir the ingredients together until everything starts to stick together and small crumbles form.

Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of the muffins in an even layer. Lightly press the crumbles into the top layer of the muffin batter to help them stay in place as the muffins bake.

Baked Cranberry Sauce Muffins cooling on a wire rack.

Fourth step is to bake the muffins.

Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How To Store Muffins

To Store. You can keep your muffins at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight container to ensure they stay fresh and moist.

To Freeze. For long-term storage, the Muffins can be kept in the freezer. After the muffins have cooled, arrange them on a baking sheet or flat plate and place them in the freezer for 12 hours until they are frozen solid.

Once the muffins are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer storage bag or freezer-safe container. Store them in the freezer for up to two months.

When you are ready to enjoy them, place the muffin in the refrigerator to thaw overnight or allow it to rest at room temperature for around one hour.

Recipe FAQs

What type of cranberry sauce is best for muffins?

You can use any type of cranberry sauce you have on hand to fill your muffins. I used jellied cranberry sauce from a can as the filling for my muffins.

Whole-berry cranberry sauce also works in this recipe. You can also use homemade cranberry sauce as the filling for your muffins.

How do I know when the muffins are done?

Bake time for these muffins is 25 minutes in a pre-heated oven. But oven temps can vary, so baking time may vary. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the muffin. It should come out clean.

Cranberry Sauce Muffins on a round wooden serving board.

If you love muffins as much as we do, here are a few more muffin recipes to try.

My family enjoys these cranberry muffins as a post-Thanksgiving breakfast treat. I love them because they are easy to make and delicious.

I hope you enjoy this Cranberry Sauce Muffin recipe! If you try it, please come back and rate it. Leave me a comment below; I love to hear from you!

Cranberry Sauce Muffins on wire cooling rack.

Cranberry Sauce Muffins Recipe

Author: Judy Wilson
These delicious Cranberry Sauce Muffins are perfect for using leftover cranberry sauce to create an easy breakfast muffin or snack.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 289 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cranberry sauce

Crumble Topping Ingredients

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • cup butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin pan with liners or grease each muffin cup with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Ina large bowl, whisk together the milk, brown sugar, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract.
  • Add in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and stir just until combined.
  • Use a tablespoon to spoon the batter into the bottom of each muffin cup.
  • Top the batter with 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce.
  • Add another 1 tablespoon of batter on top of the cranberry sauce. Lightly press the batter down to fill the cupcake liner, being careful not to disturb the sauce.
  • Prepare the crumble topping by stirring together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter until the ingredients begin to clump together
  • Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of each muffin, lightly pressing it into place.
  • Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

You can store these muffins at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container to ensure they stay fresh and moist.
You can use any type of cranberry sauce you have on hand to fill your muffins. I used jellied cranberry sauce from a can as the filling for my muffins. 

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 293mgPotassium: 95mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 339IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 2mg
The nutritional information provided is approximate and should only be used as a general guideline. It is an estimate that will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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