Cranberry Almond Muffins

Here is a wonderful recipe from our core member Michele - this recipe was originally created by Yun Cee of Astoria CSA. It’s a very quick and easy one but delicious. Let us know in the comments below if you tried it and send us pictures!

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour. plus a little more for pan

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter - soft, not melted. plus a little more for the pan

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup sugar (i use white)

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• 1/2 cup milk

Fruits/nuts:

• 1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries. coarsely chopped and mixed with about 1/4 cup of sugar. (set aside)

• 1 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter 12 cup muffin pan and dust with flour. Tap out excess. Set aside

2. Medium bowl - mix all of the dry ingredients together and set aside.

3. Large bowl:

• Cream butter and sugar together with a hand mixer so that it gets nice and fluffy and mixed. looks like little chunks.

• Add eggs. Continue to use hand mixer so that it gets really smooth.

• Add milk and extracts. Mix. Should only take like 30 seconds.

• You're done with the hand mixer now.

4. Dump the dry ingredients into the large bowl with wet ingredients.

• With a rubber spatula, FOLD the batter until they are just mixed. May be a little lumpy but that is totally okay. Do NOT over mix.

• Dump the cranberries and almonds and FOLD.

*To create soft and fluffy muffins. You have to fold with the rubber spatula. I do not use a hand mixer or a beater. I have found that using that equipment and/or over mixing creates dense, hard baking products (yuck!).

5. Use a large spoon and put it in the muffin pan.

6. Bake for about 25 minutes. I would put it in for 20 and then see if you need the extra 5 minutes. Should be a little golden brown "crisp" on the top and it's done