Clementine Glazed Cranberry & Walnut Muffins

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These Clementine Glazed Cranberry & Walnut Muffins are great in the fall when you are looking for those cranberry and walnut flavors and they are a great addition on a brunch buffet. But, I always have frozen cranberries in the freezer and walnuts are a staple around here, so I make these all year round. We have them for breakfast or as dessert and they make regular appearances at brunch. And, since I’ve lightened these up with great ingredient swaps, I never feel guilty about having them on hand.

I like that I can make these and use some of my favorite substitutions and no one even knows. I don’t have to make an announcement that I’ve used fat-free Greek yogurt or my trusty stand in, Land ‘o Lakes light canola butter. I’ve stopped telling people I use Lakanto monk fruit or Swerve sugar substitutes because no one knows the difference and the calories I save and the saturated fat I get rid of are so worth it. They are just good and everyone loves them.

Do take note that the batter is more like a dough so it doesn’t pour. There is enough moisture so you don’t have to worry about them being dry. The crumbly sugar top is great with this because the muffin is not very sweet on it’s own.

Use fresh cranberries if they are in season and you can find them. But, frozen works just fine and yes, you can easily substitute another berry like blueberries, raspberries or strawberries. You can also change up the nuts you use. You decide.

To get started, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line your 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Put it to the side.

You definitely want to toast the walnuts for a couple of minutes in a small skillet on the stove top. This really brings out the flavor. Watch them carefully since they can burn quickly. Shake the pan a couple of times to keep them moving. Allow the nuts to cool.

Next, in a large bowl, make the crumb topping by mixing the flour with the sugar and light brown sugar substitutes, baking powder and salt. Add the butter, then add the walnuts and press the topping mixture into clumps with your hand. Put the topping to the side. As always, you can use regular white and brown sugars. That is your decision and you just substitute in a 1 to 1 ratio.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour with 1/2 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, mix the yogurt with the eggs and butter. Add the dry ingredients and mix to create a batter. Note: this batter is very thick…closer to dough.

Toss the cranberries with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and fold into the muffin batter. If you are using frozen cranberries, be sure to thaw them and drain them well. You don’t want the excess liquid in the batter.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and press down to fill the cup. Top with the crumb topping. Gently press the topping onto the muffins so it adheres. Bake for 20 minutes until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Put the muffins on a rack set over a baking sheet covered with tin foil for easy cleanup.

Finally, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar with the clementine juice until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm muffins using a fork or spoon and let it set. Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature.

Did you like this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment below. Looking for other yummy muffin recipes? I’ve got both sweet and savory recipes for you to try. Be sure to check out some of these:

Blueberry Streusel Muffins (no added sugar)

Ham and Cheese Brioche Muffins

Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal Muffins

Crabby Mini Cornbread Muffins

Monkey Bread Cheese and Garlic Muffins

Healthy Start Kodiak Muffins