Buttermilk Cranberry Muffins

Name: Buttermilk Cranberry Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 1-1/2 dozen (about 1-1/4 cups cranberry butter).
Ingredients: 1 heaping cup cranberries, coarsely chopped; 3/4 cup sugar, divided; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 cup butter; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1-1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature; 2 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate; CRANBERRY BUTTER:; 1 cup dried cranberries; 1 cup confectioners' sugar; 1/2 cup butter; 1 tablespoon lemon juice

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 25 min. YIELD: 1-1/2 dozen (about 1-1/4 cups cranberry butter).

I've been making these muffins and this cranberry butter for years, and I have never met anyone who didn't like them. I'll usually buy several bags of fresh cranberries when they're available and freeze them to use throughout the year. I've also discovered that powdered buttermilk works well. —Jane Yunker, Rochester, New York

Ingredients

1 heaping cup cranberries, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup sugar, divided
3 cups all-purpose flour
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg, room temperature
1-1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate
CRANBERRY BUTTER:
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Combine cranberries with 1/4 cup sugar; set aside. Sift together flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Lightly beat together egg, buttermilk and orange juice concentrate. Add egg mixture and sweetened cranberries to dry ingredients, stirring just until well-combined. Spoon batter into 18 buttered muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in muffins comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
3. For cranberry butter, puree dried cranberries in food processor or blender. Add sugar, butter and lemon juice; process until smooth. Refrigerate until serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 muffin with about 1 tablespoon cranberry butter: 270 calories, 11g fat (7g saturated fat), 38mg cholesterol, 302mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.