In the aggregate, the flavor profile of these Cranberry Lime Muffins is intriguingly neutral – taming the natural acerbity of both fruits. This allows you to focus squarely on the cranberry – which still seems tart – and the the lime – which still seems bright and vibrant – without feeling that you need to brace yourself against either of them. You wind up enjoying their flavors in a refreshing way.
The muffin’s crumb is beautifully muffinovian: soft and a little bit spongy … the perfect foil for the lime peel and almonds. The tops are just the right kind of crunchy-chewy around the edges, but with an added complement of caramelization in the topping.
Cranberry Lime Muffins
6
jumbo muffinsWith the exception of the lime, which need processing, it’s easy to throw these muffins together by hand with a knife, a spatula, and a whisk.
Ingredients
- Topping
1½ oz. (1 heaping ¼-cup) old-fashioned oats, divided
4 oz. (½-cup) brown sugar
1½ oz. (6 Tbs) sliced almonds, chopped
¾ oz. (2 Tbs) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp nutmeg
1½ oz. (3 Tbs) of butter, melted
- Batter
10 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose flour
7 oz. (1 cup) sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp cardamom
1 tsp salt
1 lime
6 oz. (¾ cup) milk, warmed
3 oz. (6 Tbs) butter, melted
3 oz. (⅓ cup) Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1¼ oz. (¼ cup + 1 Tbs) sliced almonds
6 oz. (2 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
Directions
- For the topping:
- Chop half of the oats to a fine mince.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the chopped oats with the remaining oats, sugar, almonds, flour, and nutmeg. Stir in the butter. Set aside.
- For the muffins:
- Line a 6-count, jumbo muffin tin with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, powder, soda, cardamom, and salt. Set aside.
- Cut the lime into eighths, remove the seeds if there are any, and toss the lime pieces into a food processor. Process it to a fine, juicy mince, 1 minute. Scrape it into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the milk, butter, yogurt, and eggs, and whisk to combine. Fold this mixture into the flour mixture, just until no dry flour remains. Fold in the nuts and berries.
- Spoon into muffin cups. Sprinkle with topping. Gently push the topping partially into the batter. Bake until the tops are significantly browned, and a tester comes out with no moisture whatsoever, 40 minutes. Cool until you can safely handle them (about 10 minutes), then remove them from the pan and fully cool them on a rack.
Notes
- The lime should produce about 3½ oz. of mince.
- Resist the temptation to add more cranberries. You won’t be able to fit all the batter in the tin if you do that.
- It may seem like there’s too much topping for the muffins. You have to keep pressing it gently down onto the batter – not all the way in, but enough to that you can make room for more – and gently press that down, too. If you have any large clumps in the topping, crush them as you sprinkle the topping over the muffins. The clumps are fine; they’ll bake right and taste great, but a finer topping will be prettier in the finished muffin.
- Resist also the temptation to taste the batter. It’s so delicious, you’ll wind up eating it all without bothering to make muffins … which will save on paper liners, so at least there’s that. You’ll find yourself thinking, “Am I eating raw cranberry?” Yes, and you’re loving it. I know, unbelievable.
The Backstory
I’ve loved cranberry since I was a little kid. I remember the day – I remember the city, the grocery store, and the aisle I was standing in – when it first occurred to me as a young adult that I could have cranberry sauce whenever the hell I wanted! I spent many of my college years eating it straight from the can. Eventually, I discovered fresh cranberries – one of the last remaining truly seasonal fruits – and have been finding new ways to eat them ever since.
Social Learning
These muffins can be challenging to get out of the pan. Here’s what to do: if the muffins have mushroomed over their cups and created “muffin tops,” run a plastic knife around their edges to make sure they’re not stuck to the pan. Then, you may be able to carefully lift them out. If you fear that the tops will tear off the muffins, even though you’re sure they’re not sticking – and they may – lay a clean tea towel over the pan. Invert a second cooling rack over the tea towel, then invert the entire contraption – the pan along with both racks – all at once. Remove the top rack, and carefully lift the pan. If all the muffins don’t fall out, shake the pan a bit. Once the muffins are out, toss the pan in the sink, replace the inverted rack over the muffins, and re-invert the whole thing. Remove the top rack and tea towel. You’ll loose some crumb, but not much.
If you want one of these muffins to take the place of a light meal, then one is a single serving. Otherwise, find a friend to split one with. Half a muffin and two cups of a mild, breakfast-blend coffee is a perfect breakfast.
I’ve considered frosting these muffins with a chili-cream-cheese frosting or a chili-yogurt glaze, but frosted muffins confuse me.
Cranberry Lime Muffins
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! Thank you, Kesor. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything.
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wow. I love the way you describe the flavors! They’re really pretty, inside and out!
mimi rippee recently posted…Ginger Spice Truffle Balls
Thank you! I really love them.
The only things missing from my pantry in order to make these are limes, cardamom, and the big-muffin pans. Our favorite online retailer will deliver the muffin pans later today, and I’ll pick up the limes and cardamom at my favorite grocery. Then, it’s onward to what sounds like a luscious treat!
shoreacres recently posted…An Old Carol for a New Year
I hope you enjoy them! You could live without the cardamom; I think they’d still be great. Also, I’m sure you could make them standard size, adjusting the baking time. But I love them jumbo size.
I got the pans, and I made the muffins, and they’re just as delicious as I thought they’d be. In fact, they might have been better. They certainly have gone into my regular rotation now. I’ve been asked for the recipe twice, and have introduced a couple more friends to your blog.
shoreacres recently posted…Take Two Poems, and Call Me in the Morning
How cool! I’m so glad you like them, and I send you a heartfelt thanks for the shoutout. This makes my day!
I have a lot of cranberries left over and will make this to at least use up the opened bag. It sounds delicious!
anne recently posted…Meal Plan Phooey!
That’s exactly why I made them! I hope you love them as much as I do.
I love the crumb of these beauties…tender, soft and spongy..simply heavenly with the spiced nutty oaty topping!
angiesrecipes recently posted…Halloumi Wraps
Thanks, Angie!
Jeff,
These muffins look AMAZING- I love the sound of lime and cranberry and the cardamom put me over the edge! Can’t wait to try these. Yum!
Thanks, Judee. Next time I make these, I might consider upping the cardamom, because it’s pretty subtle.
Not sure I’ve ever combined lime and cranberry and it sounds fantastic. Love that you can taste each one separately, but together. 🙂 ~Valentina
Thanks, Valentina! It’s a really nice combination.
Cranberries are terrific in baked goods, aren’t they? Love the idea of eating raw cranberries in the batter — I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a raw cranberry (well I probably did once, but only once!) Gotta make this just so I can experience that. 🙂
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Southwest-Style Chicken (or Turkey) Chowder
🙂
Love this combination, Jeff. I don’t think I’ve ever had cranberry and lime together before. I will have to see if cranberries – either fresh or frozen – are still available. Definitely saving for next year, hoping I will be able to host a Thanksgiving weekend brunch again.
Thanks, David! Won’t it be nice to host a brunch again!
I was literally licking my lips as I read this piece, mouth watering. Now you have me craving your delicious recipe. It’s beautiful too, dotted in gorgeous crimson jewels.
Eva Taylor recently posted…Broccoli, Avocado and Cilantro Soup
Thank you so much, Eva!
I’ve always had cranberry with orange, never with lime. What an interesting combination. Bet the flavor is quite a bit different. This do look delicious!
mjskitchen recently posted…A Spicy Chicken Vegetable Soup
Same here – I thought the lime might be nice, and it really is!
Jeff, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of cranberries by all the cranberry recipes I’ve done on my blog. Ha ha. But I’m not sure I’ve ever combined lime and cranberry together. It sounds like an amazing flavour combination and I can’t wait to try it!
Neil recently posted…Easy Curry Pasta
It’s a great combo!
Hello! I really like your muffins, this times I’m kind of a cranberry and lemon person, it seems like I could eat them all day long! Bye
Not parisienne recently posted…Et si on se faisait une petite cure détox?
What a great idea! I’ve made these muffins with an orange before instead of the lime, but not with a lemon. I wonder what that would be like?
I love the word “muffinovian”, Jeff. It actually relates well what you mean by it – I feel like it should be included in the Macquarie dictionary in 2021! These muffins sound absolutely delicious and, like Neil, I love the flavour combo – definitely new and intriguing. Thanks for sharing and happy New Year!
Katerina recently posted…Chocolate brownie pancakes [refined sugar and dairy free]
Haha, thank you, Katerina. 🙂
WOW Jeff these sound absolutely amazing and look to die for! I love the flavor combo here–the warm spices, cranberry, lime, DELICIOUS! And crumb toppings are my weakness haha. I too am a cranberry fan, and remember the first time I realized how much I LOVE fresh cranberries. Excited to make these!
I hope you enjoy them!
Love anything with cranberry and the topping on these muffins is just gilding the lily! So beautiful and that crumb! YUM! Now I want one for my dessert!
Thank you, Christina!
Just wondering, with the lime I wasn’t sure what to do. Do you mean to process the whole lime after removing the seeds? Or just process the inside of the lime? Thanks.
Yes, the whole lime!
Did these today. If I do them again, I would not do the blender thing and juice and zest instead. At times it made the muffins too bitter because of the rind. Other than that great.
I didn’t find it to be bitter, but I have a taste for bitter things … so maybe it just didn’t register that way for me. Nonetheless, I’ve no doubt that zesting and juicing would be more refined! Thanks for the comment!