Blood Orange Cranberry Muffins

Its been a long time since I've made muffins for the blog.  Back when I first started this blog, I made them all the time!  As a matter of fact, that is what the kids at Clarkson used to look for in the office, was muffins!  Well, in my search of recipes on allrecipes.com, I came across a new recipe called Cute Cranberry Tangerine Muffins.  After reading the recipe, I decided it was one that I was willing to try.  However, since I still had blood oranges I decided to use them since I didn't have tangerines.  Then, at the last minute, right after I stirred in the cranberries, I decided to grab the bag of mini chocolate chips in the cupboard and put about 1/3 cup in the mix.

These muffins are tender on the inside with a crispy top - and I love them that way!  I just have a few things I might do different next time.  I'd probably reduce the heat to between 350 and 375.  Original recipe calls for 375 and I felt that they were getting a little dark around the edges before the inside was completely cooked.  I also think I would reduce the sugar to start - to at least 3/4 cup and if still too sweet for me, drop to 2/3 cup.  I think they were sweet to me because of the chocolate chips, but even with out them I would probably cut the sugar just for my own taste.  I also added a teaspoon of vanilla to the milk mixture.  The recipe didn't call for a flavoring and maybe it didn't need it, but after tasting the batter, I figured it wouldn't hurt.  All in all, this is a great keeper recipe!

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Blood Orange Cranberry Muffins

February-9-2013

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup blood orange juice
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• blood orange zest from 3 oranges (or 3 tbsp if you want to measure)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (if your worried about too dark muffins, reduce heat to no less than 350 degrees F). Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Place dried cranberries and blood orange juice in a glass 1 cup measure then microwave for 90 seconds; remove from microwave, stir, and set aside to cool.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Using hand mixer, mix butter, blood orange zest, and sugar in a separate large bowl, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat eggs into butter mixture, one at a time, until thoroughly combined.
Gently fold flour mixture into the butter mixture, alternating with milk in two additions, until batter is just mixed. Fold cranberries and juice into batter. Fold in chocolate chips.  Using large cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.Bake in the preheated oven until muffins are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then remove and place on rack to finish cooling (if you can wait that long before eating one!)

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 12 muffins