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Recipe for How to Make Cranberry Sauce Muffins

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Do you have leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday dinner? In this post, I will share a recipe for making Cranberry Sauce Muffins. It is one of those simple recipes that you will enjoy.

Cranberry sauce is one of those staples to have at holiday dinners. You can use the leftover side dish to make cranberry sauce muffins, whether it is canned or homemade cranberry sauce. This is the best way to use leftover cranberry sauce! These cranberry sauce muffins are so simple to make and taste so delicious!

If you’ve got a ton of leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday feast, don’t toss it—bake it into these moist, delicious cranberry muffins! This easy muffin recipe is a great way to repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers into something new and irresistible.

With hints of orange zest, a fluffy texture, and just the right amount of sweetness, these festive muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or snacking all through the winter months. Whether you’re working with store-bought cranberry sauce, your own cranberry sauce, or even a can of cranberry sauce, these muffins are super forgiving and incredibly flavorful.

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Freshly baked homemade cranberry sauce muffins on a white ironstone dish with scattered cranberries on a wooden surface. A broken muffin displays a soft, moist interior. Cozy and inviting.

Why You’ll Love These Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins

  • Great way to use up leftovers – especially a big batch of cranberry sauce
  • The perfect mix of sweet cranberry sauce and citrusy brightness from orange zest
  • Simple ingredients you already have—like all-purpose flour, olive oil, and sour cream
  • Comes together quickly in one large bowl with the help of a stand mixer or electric mixer
  • Makes for easy Thanksgiving morning or next-day breakfast muffins

Equipment Needed

  1. Stand mixer or electric mixer
  2. Large bowl and separate bowl
  3. Muffin pan or muffin tray
  4. Cupcake liners or muffin liners
  5. Measuring cup, spoons, and a spatula
  6. Wire rack for cooling
Two golden-brown cranberry sauce muffins in liners are displayed on a white ironstone dish and wooden surface with scattered cranberries, conveying a cozy homemade feel.

Ingredients for Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins

These easy cranberry orange muffins come together with simple pantry staples and are the perfect way to use up extra cranberry sauce—store-bought cranberry sauce, jellied cranberry sauce, or your own cranberry sauce.

Dry Ingredients (in a separate bowl):

  1. 2 cups all-purpose flour
  2. 1 tbsp baking powder
  3. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  4. ½ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients (in a large bowl):

  1. 1 egg (room temperature)
  2. ½ cup brown sugar
  3. ¼ cup white sugar
  4. ¾ cup milk
  5. ¼ cup vegetable oil (or substitute with olive oil if preferred)
  6. 1 tsp vanilla extract

Add-in:

  1. 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce (any cranberry sauce works!)

How to Make Cranberry Sauce Muffins

  1. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or lightly grease.
  3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the egg, sugars, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla until smooth.
  5. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Fold in the cranberry sauce, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
  7. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  8. Bake for 18–22 minutes until the tops are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

If you’re a fan of my delicious and easy recipe for Blueberry Muffins, you must try this recipe for homemade Banana Chocolate Chip muffins. These muffins make a perfect snack or a quick breakfast!

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Too much flour? Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level off. Don’t scoop!
  • Are muffins too dry? Ensure your eggs and sour cream are at room temperature, and don’t overbake.
  • Is the batter too thick? Add a splash of orange juice or milk to loosen it.
  • No crumb topping? Just sprinkle a little sugar on top before baking for a crunchy top.

Storage & Freezing

  1. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.
  2. Freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Warm in the oven or microwave before serving.
Cracked cranberry muffin top with a broken half atop a wooden surface, surrounded by scattered red berries, conveying a cozy, homemade feel.

FAQs About Cranberry Sauce Muffins

A split cranberry sauce muffin on a wooden table with scattered cranberries radiates a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Another muffin in a wrapper is partially visible.

How to make Cranberry Sauce Muffins

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes

Do you have leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday dinner? Here is a recipe with you on how to make Cranberry Sauce Muffins. It is one of those simple recipes that you will enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 egg (room temperature)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil (or substitute with olive oil if preferred)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce (any cranberry sauce works!)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or lightly grease.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the egg, sugars, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Fold in the cranberry sauce, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
  6. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  7. Bake for 18–22 minutes until the tops are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes

Jellied cranberry sauce, whole berry cranberry sauce, or fresh cranberry sauce all work well.

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Too much flour? Spoon flour into your measuringcup and level off. Don't scoop!
  • Are muffins too dry? Ensure your eggs and sourcream are at room temperature, and don't overbake.
  • Is the batter too thick? Add a splash of orangejuice or milk to loosen it.
  • No crumb topping? Just sprinkle a little sugaron top before baking for a crunchy top.


Storage & Freezing

1. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room
temp for up to 3 days.

2. Freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Warm in the
oven or microwave before serving.



Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 12
Amount Per Serving Calories 213Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 17mgSodium 236mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 1gSugar 20gProtein 3g

Calculated Nutrition is an estimate.

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2 Comments

  1. Dusty, thank you for this delicious recipe. I was about to get rid of my leftover cranberry sauce before I came across your post, I’m glad you posted. Let me tell you, the muffins came out great my kids even love them and they aren’t to keen on cranberry sauce. Thank you again from my kids and me. Can’t wait for the next surprise recipe that you post. Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Excellent snack too.

  2. Another delicious recipe. Love finding ways to repurpose food that might have gotten thrown away. Anything with cranberry is a winner. These are very moist, and honestly just delicious.

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