Easy Cranberry Apple Muffins (w/ Flax Seed)

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These Cranberry Apple Muffins are hearty and wholesome! The flax seed, apples, and dried fruit make this a healthy yet suprisingly delicious muffin! Packed with vitamin C, fiber and omega fatty acids, it will kick your digestive track into gear! Flax seed is a plant protein full of fatty acids and fiber. In one tablespoon of whole flax seeds you will find 2.8 grams of fiber.

I love that this Cranberry Apple Muffin recipe is half white flour and half wheat flour. The white flour adds some fluff to the texture and lightens the wheat flavor while still giving you some whole grain nutrients. This recipe has inspired me to swap out half of the white flour for wheat flour in other muffin recipes as well. I love to experiment with healthier alternatives to white flour and find that I get better results if I leave at least half of the white flour in the recipe.

Picking Apples for Cranberry Apple Muffins

Apples are also a great source of fiber and vitamin C. You can peel the apple, but I never do, the skin doesn’t seem to get in the way when eating. Certain apple varieties are better for baking. You don’t want an apple that turns to mush or loses it’s flavor during the baking process.

Keep in mind what apple varieties you enjoy but make sure its a baking apple. I like HoneyCrisp or Pink Lady apples. Red Delicous apples tend to have a softer texture, which i don’t like, but this may be a good option if you want a softer bite and less crunch. For more apple talk, HERE is a more detailed article on apples to use in pies and in general baking.

How to Make Cranberry Apple Muffins (with flaxseed)

The dry ingredients for Cranberry Apple Muffins include wheat flour, white flour, ground flaxseed, teaspoon of salt, white sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. If this is the first time you are making these muffins make sure to get ground flaxseed. The wet ingredients include milk, egg, oil, apples, and dried fruit.

You will need a preheated oven set at 400 degrees. Have the muffin tins prepared with liners or grease with butter/spray butter. You will use 2 bowls for mixing. First, mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then mix the wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry blend and stir just until mixed.

We mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and then together to prevent over mixing, which will help you to achieve a moist muffin.

Bake for 15 to 18 min. Use a toothpick of butter knife, insert into the center of a muffin. When the toothpick or butter knife comes out almost clean, with a few moist crumbs, then the muffins are done. Let the muffins rest in the pan for about five minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store on your counter in an air tight container for up to 5 days.

These muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap individually or place in an air tight container for freezing. I love these muffins with a light smear of butter on top! To me, the dried cranberries look like little red jewels. You can also substitute the craisins for raisins or omit them altogether.

Tips for Making Moist Muffins…..

• Add a couple tablespoons of sour cream, greek yogurt, or buttermilk
• Do not over mix the batter. Mixing the dry and wet ingredients seperatly will help you not to overmix the batter.  
• Do not over fill the muffin tin
• Use paper liners
• Rotate the pan halfway through the bake time to ensure an even bake
• If the recipe calls for oatmeal or flax seed, you can soak either in the milk for 10 min. before adding to recipe
• Do not over bake the muffins, keep an eye on the timer, make sure the muffin springs back upon touching the top. Use a toothpick or butter knife to stick into the center, ideally the toothpick should have a few moist crumbs on it. It will also bake a little more as it rests in the hot pan.

Additional baked goods here…..

Easy Cherry Chocolate Cake (with chocolate ganache frosting)

Best Monster Cookie Bars (without butter)

Gingersnap Pie Crust (with pecans)

“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him……the people who give you their food give you their heart.”

– Cesar Chavez