Eating Seasonally: Cranberry Orange Einkorn Muffins
Cranberries are the perfect example of eating seasonally—you can only find them fresh when they are in season! Unlike finding strawberries and corn in the grocery stores in the middle of winter, you will find fresh cranberries available in late November, early December and most likely not any other time. This is how eating used to be! Seasonal eating makes produce sweeter in more ways than one. Firstly, in-season produce is picked fresh at the peak of ripeness, so it contains the nutrients and the delicious flavor. Out-of season produce that it forced to grow in unnatural environments (like strawberries in winter) lack flavor and nutrients. Secondly, the anticipation of certain fruit in their specific season makes the indulgence so much better! I wait eagerly all year for cranberry season. I have a few favorite recipes that I love to make with them, like pear cranberry pie, orange cranberry sauce, and these delicious muffins. Because I’m not eating cranberries all year round, the wait makes these recipes extra special and creates a unique nostalgia linked to this time of year.
Seasonal eating requires a bit of thinking ahead. What recipes do you want to make this winter with cranberries? Now’s the time to grab them fresh! You can either freeze them whole, taking them out a bit at a time as you need them through the winter, or consider making the cranberry recipes now that you want to eat through the winter and freeze those. Eating seasonally can be flexible to you and your schedule. Learn more about seasonal eating by clicking here!
These muffins taste like Christmas in the best way. They are sweet with punches of tangy cranberries throughout. They are made with natural sweeteners, so they are healthy enough to eat for breakfast but delicious enough to enjoy as a dessert too. I have provided two different ways of making these muffins— either with einkorn flour or with oat flour for a gluten free version. I’ve been making these every December for a few years now and I’m thrilled to finally pass the recipe along to you. Happy baking!
what you need:
2 cups of all-purpose einkorn flour
2 1/2 teaspoons of aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/3 cup of coconut sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup of maple syrup or honey
1 large egg
1/2 cup of whole milk or coconut milk
1/4 cup of coconut oil or butter, melted
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Zest and juice of one large organic orange
1 cup of cranberries, chopped small
Topping Options:
Sprinkle of turbinado sugar before baking for a little crunch
Crumble topping before baking (1.5 tablespoons of butter + 3 tablespoons of sugar + 3 tablespoons of flour)
Swirl of cranberry sauce before baking (recipe is in my Harvest and Home ebook)
Maple cream cheese drizzle after baking (1/4 cup cream cheese + 1 tablespoon maple syrup + cream or milk until thin)
Why Einkorn?
When baking something that isn’t traditionally fermented (sourdough), I like to use einkorn flour rather than white flour. Einkorn is a low-gluten ancient grain and the only flour that hasn’t been hybridized. It’s full of many health benefits, the flavor is rich, and those with gluten intolerance can often eat einkorn without a problem!
Keep in mind that einkorn acts differently than regular wheat flour so it’s not a 1:1 replacement. This recipe is created specifically for einkorn and will require more milk if regular wheat flour is used.
To learn more about why I use the ingredients I do, check out my ebook Traditional Eating here!
Allergy-friendly swaps
Gluten-free: To make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the einkorn flour with the same amount of oat flour. To make your own oat flour you can blend oats in a high speed blender or food processor until a fine flour is formed. This makes a much fresher and cheaper oat flour than pre-packaged.
Egg-free: To make this recipe egg free, swap the egg for 1/4 cup of plain pumpkin puree or apple sauce.
Dairy-free: To make this recipe dairy free, use the alternatives provided in the ingredients: coconut oil instead of butter, coconut milk instead of cow’s milk.
to prepare:
step 1:
Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F. In large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar.
step 2:
In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, egg, milk, melted coconut oil, and vanilla.
step 3:
Zest the orange, squeeze the juice and add both to the wet mixture.
step 4:
Combine the wet and the dry mixtures, gently folding in the chopped cranberries.
step 5:
Line a muffin tray with unbleached liners and fill each with the dough until they are about 3/4 of the way full. Add toppings as desired (ideas above) or leave them as is.
step 6:
Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you are using a tin muffin tray, the baking time will be shorter. If you use a stone muffin tray like I do, the baking time will be a bit longer, so just keep an eye.
step 7:
Remove from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. They will firm up more as they cool, so wait at least 15 minutes before diving in. For best texture store in an airtight container in the cupboard.
I hope you enjoy these muffins as much as I do. Happy baking!
for more christmas recipes like this one…
From the heart of Kaetlyn’s Christmas Kitchen comes 11 recipes to enjoy this season. Comfort and Joy showcases quintessential December ingredients such as cranberries, chocolate, oranges, and more. Capturing nostalgia and merriment, these recipes are ones to look forward to when Christmastime rolls around each year.
In this ebook, learn how to make Einkorn Chocolate Craisin Cookies, Vanilla Pudding Cups, Cranberry Tacos, Sourdough Soft Pretzels, Christmas Candy Clusters, From-Scratch Chocolate Syrup, Maple Whipped Cream, Christmas Hot Cocoa, Einkorn Linzer Cookies, and Corn Syrup-Free Caramel Corn.
