Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post
These tender muffins, redolent with cranberries and warmly fragrant orange zest and cinnamon, are a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce from a holiday meal. Made with whole grain and almond flours and healthful oil, and sweetened with date sugar — essentially finely ground dried dates with a flavor similar to brown sugar, which may be substituted — they are not only absolutely scrumptious, they are better for you, too.
Storage: Leftover muffins can be stored in a container, with a lid slightly ajar, at room temperature for up to 3 days; sealing the container tightly may result in sticky muffins.
Where to buy: Date sugar can be found at health food stores, well-stocked supermarkets and online.
Whole-Wheat Cranberry Sauce Muffins
Ingredients
1/3 cup (80 milliliters) neutral oil, such as avocado, grapeseed, or canola, plus more for brushing pan
1 cup (120 grams) whole-wheat pastry flour, or 1/2 cup (63 grams) each all-purpose and regular whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup (60 grams) almond flour
3/4 cup (110 grams) date sugar or light brown sugar (see NOTE)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (275 grams) prepared whole fruit cranberry sauce
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3/4 cup (180 milliliters) whole or reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup (60 grams) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Directions
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Brush the wells of a 12-cup muffin pan with oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, almond flour, date sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda until combined. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil and eggs until combined, then whisk in the cranberry sauce and orange zest until combined.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet in two batches, alternating with half the milk at a time, until just combined. Stir in the nuts, if using.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 18 to 21 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean and they are golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a knife or offset spatula around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
If using brown sugar, increase the whole wheat pastry flour to 1 1/2 cups (180 grams), reduce the milk to 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) and whisk the brown sugar in with the liquid ingredients.
Serves 12
Per serving: Calories 221; Total Fat 10g; (Sat Fat 1g); Protein 4g; Carb 31g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol 32mg; Sodium 206mg; Total Sugar 17g (including 9 g added sugar)
