Recipe Update: Cranberry Nut Muffins

It's a new year. 

2014. 

I often think of the new year as a time for updates. A time for fine-tuning what's already in place. A time for little tweaks that help perfect what's already going well.

This recipe has always been one of our family favorites, and this year, I felt that it needed a new year's update.  

I made the flavors more vibrant by adding freshly-grated nutmeg, fresh-squeezed orange juice and even more grated orange zest. I brought out the nuttiness by toasting the walnuts before chopping them up and throwing them in. I substituted half of the flour for whole wheat flour to make the muffins a bit healthier. 

Here's to a fabulous new year! 



Cranberry Nut Muffins
recipe adapted from my earlier post

This recipe yields 24 muffins. They're best when fresh, but they're still tasty when frozen and reheated. 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly-grated nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice, with pulp (juice of two oranges)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted 
1 1/2 cup cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin in advance. 

In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and sugar). Add wet ingredients, stirring until combined. Add the toasted walnuts and cranberries at the end. 

Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.