Chocolate Cranberry Muffins

I’ve definitely been on a baking kick lately – unsurprising, as baking is my meditation. Baking is part science experiment, part art project: you need to know which flavor combinations work well together, as well as what ingredient combinations you will need to elicit the proper chemical reactions that result in the best texture.

In other words, baking allows me to nurture my academic as well as my creative sensibilities.

I had a craving for blueberry muffins last week, but I didn’t have any blueberries, and we didn’t have time to pop over to the grocery store.! I did, however, have some extra dried cranberries from my coffee cake recipe that I wanted to use up, and some extra chocolate chips laying around….. and it turned out pretty well!

I love using both baking powder and baking soda in my gluten-free baking – it definitely helps lighten baked goods, which can get pretty dense when using gluten-free flour. The yogurt/sour cream moistens the batter, but also lightens it and adds a tang that helps to offset the chocolate and compliment the cranberries.

If you don’t like cranberries, dried cherries or even dried ginger would work well in these muffins!

Chocolate Cranberry Muffins
SERVES: 12

1 1/2c GF Flour
1/2c oatmeal
1t baking powder
1t baking soda
1/2t salt
1/2c butter, melted
1/2c brown sugar
1/4c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2c unsweetened almond milk
1/3c DF sour cream/plain yogurt
1c dried cranberries
1c DF chocolate chunks

Mix dry ingredients in bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, chocolate, and cranberries).

Add butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream, and stir until combined.

Use ice cream scoop to divide batter equally among 12 muffin tins.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out of center clean.

Serve warm, or store in refrigerator for 6 days.