These stud muffins achieve sky-high, crusty domes with some uncommon baking wisdom (like a hotter oven and spacing them out in the tray). If you want a perfect, no-fail muffin recipe to enjoy fresh cranberries, this is it!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Resting Time2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry, muffins
Servings: 8muffins
Calories: 397kcal
Author: Chef Sara Furcini
Ingredients
2 1/2cups10.75 ounces or 305 grams all-purpose flour
2teaspoonsbaking powder
½teaspoonsea salt
½cup4 ounces or 113 grams whole milk, at room temperature
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
1cup7 ounces or 200 grams granulated sugar
½cup4 ounces or 113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
2large eggsat room temperature
2 ½cups8.8 ounces or 250 grams fresh cranberries at room temperature
Cooking spray or avocado oil for coating the pan
8teaspoonsgranulated sugarfor garnish
Instructions
Create the dry and wet mixtures. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the whole milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
Cream the butter with the sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter. Beat on low for 30 seconds then increase to medium-high until light and fluffy and doubled in volume, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape the edges of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate, scraping down the bottom and sides after each addition.
Combine the wet and dry mixtures with the creamed butter-sugar mixture. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredient mixture in three equal parts, alternating with the wet ingredient mixture in two parts. Beat until just combined, then scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl once more and give the mixture a stir to make sure no visible flour clumps remain. Take ½ cup of the cranberries and pinch them between your fingers so they pop and release some of their juices; add to the batter and mix on high for 5 seconds to incorporate. Immediately reduce the speed to low and add the rest of the cranberries, mixing until incorporated evenly throughout the batter, another 30 seconds.
Rest the batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Note: While not strictly necessary, this step will ensure that the flour hydrates and the muffins have a more uniform size and texture.
Prepare the muffin tray. While the batter rests, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400F using the convection setting, if available. Prepare two muffin tins by spraying the inside and border of every other cavity generously with cooking spray. Use your fingers to spread the oil to coat. Alternatively, coat generously with a high-heat, neutral oil (avocado oil works great).
Scoop and top with sugar. Use a 4-ounce ice cream scoop to fill each sprayed cavity with batter for a total of 8 muffins (ex. 6 cavities filled in the first tin and 2 in the second). Sprinkle the tops of the batter with the granulated sugar, aiming for 1 teaspoon per muffin.
Bake and cool. Bake each muffin tin for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the muffins are domed, golden brown around the edges, and spring back when touched lightly in the center. A skewer inserted into the center of a muffin should come out with a few crumbs attached. Cool the muffins in their muffin tin on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then use an offset spatula to run underneath the edges of the cranberry muffin tops to prevent them from sticking in the pan. Be careful to just run the spatula under the edges and avoid cutting too deeply into the muffin bottom, which will cause the muffins to tear in half when removing.
Carefully remove and serve. After unsticking the outer edges of the muffins, continue to rest until completely cooled. Do not try to turn these top-heavy muffins out while they are still warm or they will rip. To remove, carefully run the offset spatula underneath each muffin top once more and gently begin to pry, tilting upwards, working your way around until the muffins gently lifts. Serve immediately or same day or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.