Oh, these muffins are so good! Everyone at my house loves them for breakfast and as a snack. They’re perfect during the holidays, but we’re happy to eat them any time of year. I wouldn’t exactly call them “healthy,” but they’re certainly not the unhealthiest muffins I’ve eaten either. And I’ve tweaked the recipe just a bit to make them a little healthier.
These muffins are delicious the day you make them, but they’re actually even better the next day. (That often seems to be true of baked goods.) You can make a double batch and freeze some, or make a double batch and let your family eat all of them over the course of 3-4 days! Stock up on canned pumpkin now while it’s plentiful, and back away through the holidays and throughout the winter.
Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
Print recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup unbleached white or white whole wheat flour (up to 3/4 cup of white whole wheat can be used)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or soured milk*
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter (refined coconut oil, light olive oil or any light-tasting oil)
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cups dried sweetened cranberries
Directions
| Preheat oven to 375. Grease 12-14 muffin cups or line with paper liners. (The recipe is supposed to make 12 muffins, but I find that it often makes more.) Measure flour by spooning it into dry measuring cups and leveling with a knife. Combine flour, soda, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Mix with a whisk. | |
| Combine sugar, pumpkin, buttermilk or soured milk, brown sugar, oil and egg in a large mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until well blended (2-3 minutes). Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix. Stir in cranberries. | |
| Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, until muffins spring back when pressed lightly in the center. Cool slightly, remove muffins from pans, and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container when completely cool. Recipe adapted from Cooking Light. | |
Notes
*Sour milk can be made by adding 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk.
To make these Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins as healthy as possible, use the best quality ingredients you can afford. When possible, use non-GMO or organic ingredients.
Christine says
We make a very similar muffin at our house… We use finely ground oatmeal instead of flour (you may have to add a little extra liquid), and we also add in 1/2 – 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts.
GC says
Thanks Christine. The ground oatmeal sounds like a good swap for flour. And everything is improved with the addition of walnuts!
Gaye
dishofdailylife says
I could go for a couple of those for breakfast! My kids would love them too!
GC says
Thanks Michelle. They are one of our favorites.
Gaye
cgroneman says
These look amazing! I love how you have combined such fabulous ingredients to make this muffin healthy, yet packed full of flavor and yumminess. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe Gaye. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
GC says
Thanks for including it in your roundup post, Carrie.
Gaye