Cranberry Clementine Muffins

Could there BE a more perfect holiday breakfast treat than these Cranberry Clementine Muffins? Sorry, watching Friends and channeling my inner Chandler Bing. I’m too tired to be witty on my own tonight.

Really though, they are quite festive and delicious. Cranberry-orange is a classic combination and, of course, you could use any type of orange, but the cute little clementine is a little sweeter and very nice with the tart cranberries.

I’ve added oatmeal for texture and I used a couple tablespoons of monk fruit sweetener so I could reduce the sugar load. I think you could use an all-purpose gluten-free flour or oat flour with good results if you are avoiding wheat.

Serve alongside Smoked Salmon Hash with Lemon Dill Sour Cream or Classic Quiche for a lovely brunch!

Cranberry Clementine Muffins

(makes 12 muffins)

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

Wet Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon clementine peel zest

juice of 4 clementines (about 1/3 cup)

1 egg

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener (sub with 1/4 cup sugar)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350º F

Thoroughly coat a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Pick through the cranberries to take out any spoiled or unripe ones, then rinse with cold water in a colander/strainer. Lay them out on a towel to dry while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Rinse and dry four clementines. Use a zester/fine grater to yield about 1/2 teaspoon of zest from two or three of them. Cut each clementine in half and juice them. Place the zest and the juice in a medium/large mixing bowl.

Whisk in the egg, oil, milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is well combined.

In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, monk fruit sweetener, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the cranberries to the dry ingredients and stir to coat them. Add the wet ingredient mixture and stir to fully combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Use an ice cream scoop or small measuring cup to fill the prepared muffin pan. The batter should come up about 3/4 of the way in each spot.

Bake in the preheated 350º F oven for 20 -25 minutes. The edges should be browned and the top of the muffin should spring back when pressed. Cool the muffins on a rack.