If there is one thing that always seem to be leftover after the holidays, it's cranberry sauce. Without all the holiday dishes, it's hard to use up, but that's where these leftover cranberry sauce muffins save the day.
These tender gluten free muffins are are the best use of leftover cranberry sauce. They are sweet and fruity with a little crunch from the added walnuts. It is the perfect way to eliminate food waste and a pretty delicious breakfast too!
This small batch recipe makes six muffins and uses only ⅔ cup of cranberry sauce. If you have more leftover or more people to feed, you can easily multiply the recipe in the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes
This easy cranberry muffins recipe uses just a handful of common pantry ingredients, plus leftover cranberry sauce. It is both gluten free and dairy free as written.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Flour Blend for this recipe. You can use the gluten free flour blend of your choice, but ensure it contains xanthan gum or a similar binder. I don't recommend a single flour replacement, like almond flour.
- Non Dairy Milk - I use unsweetened coconut milk for most of my baking recipes, but any type of plant based milk will work fine. If you're not dairy free, use regular milk in the same measure.
- Leftover Cranberry Sauce - I used homemade cranberry sauce for this recipe, which had almost a jam-like texture. You should not used canned jelly kind of cranberry sauce as it won't work here. If your sauce is especially wet, you may want to reduce the amount of milk added to the muffins.
- Walnuts - Any type of nuts would work well here, but cranberry walnut muffins are a delicious combo.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - Use regular milk in place of the plant based milk. The measurement is the same.
- Cranberry Orange - Add a teaspoon of orange zest to the muffin batter for a citrus twist. You can also swap a little of the milk for fresh squeeze orange juice.
How to Make Muffins with Leftover Cranberry Sauce
Like my other gluten free muffin recipes, these easy cranberry sauce muffins
the muffin method for mixing. You will just need two bowls, a whisk and a spatula to prepare the muffin batter - no mixer is needed.
STEP 1: Combine the gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together to mix well.
STEP 2: Crack the egg into a separate bowl and whisk until it's frothy like soap bubbles.
STEP 3: Combine milk, oil, and vanilla extract with the beaten egg. Whisk again until smooth.
STEP 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold together with a rubber spatula until all of the flour is incorporated.
STEP 5: Add the cranberry sauce and all but 2 Tablespoons of the walnuts to the bowl with the muffin batter.
STEP 6: Fold the batter together a few times to swirl in the cranberry sauce.
STEP 7: Divide batter into a six cup muffin tin lined with parchment paper liners. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining walnuts and a little coarse sugar. Let the muffin batter rest for 10 minutes before baking.
Expert Tip
Allowing the batter to rest for 10 minutes before baking, gives extra time for the coarse gluten free flours to absorb the moisture. This helps to eliminate the gritty texture that many people complain about with gluten free baked goods.
Storage
Store leftover muffins in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb any extra moisture. You can keep them at room temperature, but they will last a little longer if you refrigerate them. Store for 2-3 days.
More recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Cranberry Sauce Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill
- 7 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 large Egg
- ⅓ Cup Non Dairy Milk
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ⅔ Cup Cranberry Sauce not jelly
- ½ Cup Walnuts chopped & divided
- 1 Tablespoon Turbinado Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Line a six cup muffin tin with parchment paper liners and set aside.
- Combine the gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together to mix well.1 Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, 7 Tablespoons Sugar, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Crack the egg into a second smaller bowl. Whisk until it's frothy like soap bubbles.1 large Egg
- Add the milk, oil, and vanilla to the beaten egg and whisk again until smooth.⅓ Cup Non Dairy Milk, 3 Tablespoons Oil, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula about 15 strokes.
- Add the cranberry sauce and 6 Tablespoons of chopped walnuts to the mffin batter. Fold together a few times to swirl the cranberry sauce.⅔ Cup Cranberry Sauce, ½ Cup Walnuts
- Divide the batter into six muffins. It should fill each muffin cup to the top.
- Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the remaining walnuts and the turbinado sugar.1 Tablespoon Turbinado Sugar
- Allow the muffin batter to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 °F (177 °C) and bake an additional 20-22 minutes until the tops spring back when gently poked.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then serve warm or move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
Cynthia says
These were awesome! My family wanted to know where I bought
Them. Even friends that aren’t GF loved them.
I'm so glad you and your friends enjoyed the recipe ◡̈