Cranberry Apple Muffin Recipes

The word muffin is derived from the French word moufflet, which means a soft bread or from the German word muffe, which is a type of cake. There are two types of muffins: the English and American. The English muffin is made using yeast, a natural leavener, while the American muffin uses chemical leavener, such as baking powder or soda.

Cranberry is known as a super fruit, as it is high on nutrient content and antioxidants. The apples are rich in flavonoids and a variety of vitamins, and is known to keep various disease at bay. Hence, the perfect adage, "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away". Following are a few muffin recipes that combine the tangy or spicy taste of cranberries and cinnamon respectively, with the sweet luscious taste of apples.

Cranberry Apple Muffins
Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour, 1 cup
• Chopped cranberries, cup
• Peeled and chopped apple, cup
• Quick cooking oats, cup
• Raisins, cup
• Egg, 1
• Melted butter, cup
• Granulated sugar, cup
• Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp
• Baking powder, 1 tsp
• Salt, tsp
• Vanilla extract, 1 tsp

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. In another bowl, mix together butter, egg, sugar, salt and vanilla, blend it well and stir in cranberries, apple and raisins. Fold in the flour mixture and spoon into the muffin pans, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake in pre-heated oven at 400 F, until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin, comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool and serve warm.

Spiced Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour, 2 cups
• Eggs, 2
• Small tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, 3 cups
• Ground cinnamon, tsp
• Ground nutmeg, tsp
• Ground ginger, tsp
• Ground allspice, tsp
• Sugar, cup
• Salt, tsp
• Baking soda, 1 tsp
• Frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed, 1 cup
• Buttermilk, cup
• Wheat germ, 2 tbsp
• Walnuts, cup

In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt together. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, apple juice concentrate and buttermilk. Stir flour mixture and wheat germ into the egg mixture until ingredients have blended well. Stir in about 2/3 chopped apples and chopped walnuts. Spoon batter into greased muffins cups, filling each about 2/3 full and top muffins with remaining chopped apple and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake apple muffins at 375 F, until tops spring back when pressed lightly with fingertip. Cool for 5 minutes in pan on a rack and the muffins are ready to eat.

Apple Muffins
Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour, 2 cups
• Peeled, cored and chopped apple, 1 cup
• Egg, 1
• Milk, 1 cup
• Baking powder, 2 tsp
• White sugar, cup
• Ground cinnamon, tsp
• Salt, tsp
• Melted butter, cup

Shift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. In another bowl mix milk, egg and butter. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture, just until blended well. Fold in chopped apples and spoon batter into greased or paper lined muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven at 400 F, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cinnamon Apple Muffins
Ingredients:

• Flour, 3 cups
• Eggs, 2
• Finely chopped tart apples, 2 cups
• Packed brown sugar, cup
• Sugar, cup
• Milk, 1 cup
• Melted butter, 2/3 cup
• Baking powder, 3 tsp
• Ground cinnamon, 2 tsp

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon together. Add all remaining ingredients to it and stir until flour mixture is moistened and well blended. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin cup pans. Bake at 375 F until lightly browned, later cooling them before removing from pan for eating.

Muffins are relished by all and make a great picnic snack. They are easy to carry and one can take along a variety of different flavored muffins, to keep the taste-bud tingling.