Wholesome Snack: Whole Wheat Cranberry Muffins

Whole Wheat Cranberry Muffins! A wholesome muffin made with whole wheat flour, bursting with cranberries and topped with crumbly tumbly walnut topping, we think you could love this muffin.

Love Muffins.

Confession: More recently than I’d like to admit, most of my muffins originated in a box. I know…I KNOW. Sassy foodies everywhere are all turned off. I’m not one to disparage a good “convenience” product – they’re convenient. And when you’re flying through your day, shuffling kids, work, and a dozen other tasks, convenience is often a top priority. I get it. But that’s not what these Cranberry Muffins with Walnut Crumb Topping are all about. These muffins…these muffins are about the love.

A deliciously warm, homey aroma of cinnamon and hot walnuts filling the kitchen as your homemade beauties bake…love.

Bright pops of cranberries bursting through a soft golden crumb…love.

The way that sweet walnut crumb topping tumbles off all those lovely-lofted muffin tops…love!

What makes these whole wheat cranberry muffins so good?

A good muffin is the perfect base for any number of flavor combinations. And, we’re big fans of hand-held snacks that can go where we do. One of my favorite things about this particular recipe is that it feels really wholesome! The whole wheat, the walnut crumble, the fresh cranberries….this recipe is so good.

Does whole wheat flour make muffins heavy?

Short answer, yes. If you swapped whole wheat for all purpose flour at a one for one substitution, you’d be left with a heavy, dense muffin that tastes a lot like I imagine sawdust would. That’s why I rarely substitute whole wheat one for one. A good rule of thumb is to use approximately 50 percent whole wheat flour in your recipes to maintain a more tender (better tasting) muffin. Note: if you aim to swap whole wheat flour in your other favorite muffin recipes, you’ll also want to pay attention to the leaveners. Even though you’re going for “wholesome,” you still want to achieve the highest rise possible!

Here’s the other reason I like using whole wheat flour in this recipe: the cranberries pack big flavor, and “mask” some of that characteristic whole wheat flavor. So, you get the benefit of the whole wheat, a more tender crumb (by blending in the all purpose flour), and good flavor with a bright aftertaste, thanks to those fresh berries. Win, win, win!

How do you make a crumb topping for muffins?

The top of a muffin. One of the little joys in life. So much to love about those lofty domes of freshly-baked goodness. If you go to the trouble of making muffins from scratch, it’s especially nice if they emerge from the oven looking positively scrumptious. For me, that means a little extra adornment on top. For blueberry muffins, I use a sprinkle of coarse sugar. For lemon-poppy seed muffins I drizzle a simple lemon icing. For these whole wheat cranberry muffins, I think this walnut crumb topping is terrific. The toasty walnuts have the most delicious smell, add great crunch, and who can resist nibbling off those buttery, crumbly little bits that tumble off the top? Not me. Definitely not the sweet muffin man who stalks my oven.

Give these love muffins a try, friends, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. In the fast-paced world of daily life, there is definitely still a place for fast muffins. But today…bake up some love.

Made with 1/2 whole wheat, loaded with pops of bright and tangy cranberries, and finished off with a crunchy Walnut Crumb Topping.

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Cranberry Whole Wheat Muffins With Walnut Crumb Topping

Author Mary

Ingredients

Muffins

• 1 c. All-purpose Flour
• 1 c. Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 2-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• Zest Zest of 1 Lemon
• 1/2 c. Butter Softened
• 1 c. Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 c. Whole Milk
• 2 c. Fresh Cranberries

Walnut Crumb Topping

• 1/2 c. All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 c. Chopped Walnuts
• 1/2 c. Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 5 Tbs Butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a muffin pan, by spraying with cooking spray or lining with paper liners. Set aside. 

2. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt,  baking powder, cinnamon, and the lemon zest). Mix the dry ingredients together with a fork until combined. Set aside.

3. Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing between. 

4. Gradually add one-third of the dry ingredients and then the milk, alternating between the two until all ingredients are fully incorporated. DO NOT OVER-MIX!

5. Using a spatula, gently fold the cranberries into the muffin batter. 

6. Spoon muffin batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each 2/3 full. 

7. Working quickly, add the Walnut Crumb Topping ingredients (except the butter) to a small bowl. Using a fork, stir the dry ingredients until combined. With the fork, "cut" the butter into the dry ingredients. (Mash the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is in pea-sized pieces and evenly dispersed.)

8. Top each muffin with a spoonful of Walnut Crumb Topping. Gently press the topping down into the muffin batter so it doesn't spill right off. 

9. Bake muffins at 375 degrees F until golden and muffins spring back to the touch. (A toothpick will come out clean 🙂 ) Enjoy!

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