Blood Orange Cranberry Muffins
Have you ever noticed how different months are different colors? October and November are brown and orange, December is red and green, and March is green. Well, February is no different. Red, pink and white are in every store window and school office from one end of the country to the other. Why is everything red and pink? Because Valentine’s Day is Friday!
Now, I know that people often think of having a nice dinner out or special chocolate dessert for the heart holiday, but when I think of a holiday, I like to think about how I can celebrate it all day long. It starts when we wake up and goes until bedtime. Sure, a nice dinner out is the standard, but who says it has to be? Why can’t you go out to a nice breakfast or lunch instead? Better yet, why not stay in and have breakfast in bed? Breakfast in bed is my favorite! But when you have 2 little boys, that’s kind of hard to come by. Still, a heart-themed breakfast at home can be wonderful, especially when you make something special. Something that comes from the heart rather than the store.
Those homemade gifts are the gifts that always mean the most to me. The ones that are made by hand. The ones that are messy, but clearly took time, effort and plenty of heart. While chocolate is usually the ingredient of choice for Valentine’s Day, I can’t do chocolate first thing in the morning. I know chocolate chip muffins and pancakes are a thing, but to me, those are just cupcakes and fluffy cookies in disguise. And while I love cupcakes and cookies, they are absolutely not breakfast food.
No, when I think of muffins, I think of berries and citrus, oatmeal and cinnamon, knives slathered with melted butter… all things you’d find on a breakfast menu. So, keeping that in mind, I looked at fruits that were available this time of year and would still keep with the Valentine’s theme. I ended up with citrus and cranberries. But I didn’t use any old citrus, I chose something red… blood red.
Blood oranges are everywhere right now. Not only is the color stunning, but the flavor really pops. Unlike other oranges out there, blood oranges are sweet, but not too sweet, making them the perfect accompaniment to those tart, little cranberries. When you mix them together, you end up with a delectable pink-tinted muffin that’s a great way to say “I love you” on Valentine morning. The fact that they go so well with a cup of tea or coffee makes them the perfect present. Sure, chocolate is the more obvious choice, but that’s a nighttime treat and as I said, I like to celebrate all. Day. Long.
Notes
Adapted from Pretty.Simple.Sweet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon blood orange zest
- 1-3/4 cups pastry flour
- 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup half & half
- 1/2 cup fresh blood orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper muffin cups.
- Whisk together the sugar and orange zest in a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix to combine.
- Whisk the eggs with melted butter in another bowl. Add the sour cream, milk, orange juice, and vanilla extract and stir until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg and butter mixture and mix until just combined.
- Slice several cranberries in half. Fold all the cranberries into the batter until combined.
- Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean and the tops are golden. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite tea or coffee.
