Got leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving dinner? Don't let it go to waste - turn it into these scrumptious Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake Muffins! They're soft, buttery, and layered with tangy cranberry sauce, then finished with a sweet streusel crumb topping. Perfect for the morning after Thanksgiving with a hot cup of coffee, these muffins feel bakery-style but are easy to whip up at home.
So... It's the day after Thanksgiving and you're left with a scary amount of leftover cranberry sauce in your refrigerator. Cranberry sauce is definitely not my favorite side, but I don't hate it either. I definitely prefer a more savoury cranberry chutney.
These scrumptious coffee cake muffins have cranberry sauce baked right into them! The muffin is soft and delicious, it's as rich and buttery as you'd expect... as if it's from the bakery down the street!
The tangy, sweet cranberry sauce is mellowed out by the muffin itself and the crispy sweet crumb topping. The muffins are also easier to send guests home with to enjoy than a whole coffee cake!
It's the best way to transform Thanksgiving leftovers into a bakery-style breakfast treat that is wonderful when paired with coffee. The fam will love these as opposed to eating straight cranberry sauce for dayysss.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
What beats soft, fluffy muffins with tangy-sweet cranberry layers made bakery-style with a streusel topping for crunch?! Not much!
- It's the best way to use up leftover Thanksgiving cranberry sauce for a sweet breakfast! Especially if you're still hosting guests.
- This post includes well-tested loaf pan instructions which is easier to throw together and less time consuming.
- Easy to scale up the recipe for brunch or holiday parties
The Ingredients
The Crumb Topping
- Flour, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom - for classic coffee cake flavor with a twist of cardamom which has a lovely floral flavor against the tangy sweet cranberry sauce.
- Butter - melted; hydrates the flour for that bakery-style streusel crunch.
- Pinch of salt - enhances the sweetness.
The Muffins
- Flour, baking powder, and cinnamon - dry ingredients that keep the crumb tender.
- Butter, white sugar, and brown sugar - for richness and sweetness.
- Eggs - provide protein structure.
- Buttermilk + sour cream - add moisture and tang.
- Cranberry sauce - the star ingredient! Homemade or canned works; simmer briefly if too runny.
If your cranberry sauce doesn't have orange zest or orange juice, I'd highly recommend adding orange zest for a bit of citrus that balances the muffin.
How to make Cranberry Sauce Muffins
If you're just in the mood for some delicious cranberry muffins, you can find the full recipe for my Spiced Ginger Cranberry Sauce! They're such a delightful holiday-themed treat.
You'll want to ensure the sauce isn't runny otherwise it'll leak out of the muffin - so simmer it for a few minutes if necessary.
Additionally, if you want these muffins to have a little citrus accent to it, add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the cranberry sauce if yours isn't made with orange juice.
The Crumb Topping
To make the coffee cake muffins, start off by making the crumb topping first. It needs to sit for the butter to hydrate the flour to get a particularly buttery crumb.
- Toss together the flour, sugar, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter into the bowl and give it another toss so that everything is incorporated.
- Set the bowl to the side while you work on the muffin batter.
The Coffee Cake Muffins
Start with preheating the oven to 375°F and lining a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Now, let's get started on the batter. The batter can be made with a stand mixer, electric beater, or just a whisk.
- Mix the all purpose flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside the dry ingredients.
- Now, for the wet ingredients. In the mixing bowl, add the softened butter with the white and brown sugars and beat it on medium speed until it's a pale yellow and fluffy. This will take 2-3 minutes.
- Then, add the eggs one at a time until they're fully incorporated.
- Lastly, add the buttermilk and sour cream and continue to mix until it's all smooth.
- Turn the mixer speed to the lowest speed and add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix just until it's incorporated. Do not over-beat the batter, otherwise the muffins will be incredibly dense.
Note: The batter will be a bit sticky and thick. Please, just trust me! These muffins will turn out soft and fluffy.
Assemble the Muffins
To assemble the cranberry sauce coffee cake muffins:
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of batter into the cupcake liners. Since the batter is thick, you'll need to spread it to the edges with a spoon.
- Then, spoon about ½ tablespoon of cranberry sauce directly into the center of the batter, leaving a bit of space on the edges.
- Split the rest of the batter to top off the muffins. Fill them to just about the top of the liner and use the back of a spoon to spread out the batter until it's flat and encases the cranberry sauce.
Make sure to spread the batter over the cranberry sauce to reach the edges of the liner. This is important - otherwise the cranberry sauce will leak out and the muffin will easily fall apart when removed from the wrapper.
- Add another teaspoon to half tablespoon of cranberry sauce on the top - this will act as kind of a glue for the crumb topping.
- Press the crumb topping into the top of the muffin so that it sticks and pile it high. The muffins will rise and expand in the oven, so the more crumb topping the better to get even coverage.
- Transfer the muffin pan into the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or just until the crumb topping is a light golden brown. Stick a toothpick into the center - if it's clean the the muffins are done!
- Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to set for about 10 minutes before serving.
Once they've set, enjoy the muffins fresh out of the oven or at room temperature.
Loaf Pan Instructions
Use the exact same amount of ingredients to make the batter and crumb. To assemble:
- Spray a loaf pan with neutral oil.
- Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to add about 5 scoops of batter to the bottom of the pan. Use a spatula to level out the batter.
- Scoop two spoons of cranberry sauce on top of the batter and spread it out evenly.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter and cranberry sauce.
- Press the crumb on top of the cranberry sauce.
- Place the loaf pan in a baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake at 375°F on the middle rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the loaf.
- Cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
More Leftover Cranberry Sauce Recipes
Still have more leftover cranberry sauce? Did you buy the tub from Costco and have regrets? Here are a few more ideas:
- Puff pastry baked in a muffin pan with brie, cranberry sauce, and a bit of rosemary
- A turkey sandwich with leftover stuffing, gravy, green beans, mashed potatoes, etc. Anything that was leftover can be piled straight into the sandwich
- Pull-apart bread stuffed with cranberry sauce and brie
- Overnight oats with layers of cranberry sauce
- Mix cranberry sauce with another fruit like apples or cherries for a cobbler
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Thicken runny sauce - Simmer canned or homemade cranberry sauce until it's jammy, otherwise it will leak.
- Don't overmix the batter - Keep the muffins soft and fluffy by mixing just until combined.
- Pile on the crumb topping - It spreads as the muffins rise, so extra ensures even coverage.
- Add orange zest - A teaspoon of zest in the cranberry sauce makes these muffins shine. If the cranberry sauce doesn't have citrus, add a bit of zest to the batter.
Storage Instructions
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Muffin dough can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 weeks if properly wrapped. When ready to bake, bring it to room temperature and then transfer to the muffin pan. The baked muffins can be frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Thanksgiving Dishes to try
Recipe
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Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin Pan jumbo-sized recommended
Ingredients
Crumb Toppings
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground green cardamom
- pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
Coffee Cake Muffins
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
Instructions
Crumb Topping
- Add the all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom into a mixing bowl. Give it a whisk to combine all the dry ingredients.
- Pour in the melted butter and stir everything together with a spatula. Set the crumb to the side to hydrate.
Coffee Cake Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix together the dry ingredients.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on a medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one by one until they're fully incorporated. Then, add the buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract and continue to beat until the wet ingredients are fully combined.
- Turn the mixer down to the lowest speed and add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Beat together just until combined, be careful not to mix it more than necessary.
- Spoon about a tablespoon of the batter into the cupcake liners. Spread it all the way to the edges. Add about ½ tablespoon of cranberry sauce directly into the center of the batter. Then, fill the rest of the cupcake liner to the top with the batter over the cranberry sauce. Spread it to all of the edges using the back of a spoon, being sure to encase the cranberry sauce at the edges.
- Lightly spoon ~1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce over the top of the batter.
- Give the crumb topping a quick mix. Top the muffins with 2-3 tablespoons of the crumb topping. Be sure to press them into the batter so they don't fall off.
- Pop the muffin pan into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumb is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the muffin pan from the oven and allow them to set for 5-10 minutes before removing them from the tray. Serve the muffins warm or room temperature.
Brandee says
Will be making these Thanksgiving weekend but I want to know where you got your muffin pan? it's gorgeous! Looks like something NordicWare would make
Shweta Garg says
Hi Brandee! Oh man, good question… I’m pretty sure I found this vintage brand called Ecko Ovenex on eBay or something. It bakes up super well!! I see one on eBay for $12 right now 😉 -Shweta
Erin Terrizzi says
Is there anyway to make these dairy free? They look amazing, but my daughter can't have dairy.
Shweta Garg says
Hi Erin, aww I'm sorry to hear that! There is a lot of dairy in this recipe that is crucial to the taste and texture of the muffins so I can't recommend substitutions for this. -Shweta
Christine Ramsey says
I haven't made these yet. Did you use whole or jellied cranberry sauce? Thx.
Shweta Garg says
Hi Christine, I use cranberry sauce made from whole cranberries. If you’re using jellied cranberry sauce, I’d recommend heating it so it melts and you can spoon it into the muffin molds. -Shweta
Mary says
These were great! I got 16 muffins out of it and they were really big! I was generous with my cranberry sauce. Haha. Thank u!
Shweta Garg says
Hi Mary! You gave me a good laugh hahah that’s enough muffins until Christmas!! I’m so glad you liked them. -Shweta
Alisa says
Making these for the first time and they're delicious. I did find they were too big for standard muffin pan and would likely make in 16 instead of 12 next time due to size.
Julia Farrell says
Fabulous recipe! I used a jumbo muffin tin and they came out perfect!!! Thank you for the recipe!
Terri says
Very beautiful muffins. A little labor intensive. Allow yourself plenty of time to assemble. Very tasty.
Shweta Garg says
Hi Terri, I'm so glad you liked them! - Shweta
Lee says
Can this be made in a loaf pan and any suggestion on baking time?
Shweta Garg says
Hi Lee, I haven't tried this so I can't confirm but generally muffins are really easy to convert to loaf form! I'd bake at a lower temperature and for something like 55 minutes. That said, this batter is really dense to start with but is fluffy after you bake so it may be hard to spread in a loaf pan. This made me extremely curious to try so I will test it once I see cranberries in my local groceries and report back! - Shweta
Shweta Garg says
Hi Lee, I wanted to follow up and let you know that I baked this in a loaf pan today and saw success! I updated my post to include what worked for me.
https://masalaandchai.com/leftover-cranberry-sauce-muffins/#loaf-pan-instructions
Elizabeth Burnette says
I am sooo happy to have found you on the Internet today!! Cranberries are my "Middle name" - I love them. I live in the State of Wisconsin where many cranberry bogs of cranberries are harvested every year. Love your recipes and am happy to learn that I can use canned berries and sauce in baking recipes. I raise a cranberry muffin to you.
Shweta Garg says
Hi Elizabeth,
That makes me so happy to hear!! I love making cranberry recipes and am so excited to add more over the coming months. Thank you for such a lovely comment! -Shweta
Chandra D Boggs says
I just made these and they are amazing. I was a little concerned with how thick the batter was that they would be dense and dry. Much to my surprise they are not. Definitely a keeper
Shweta Garg says
Haha totally fair, the batter is so thick!! But some magic happens in the oven 🙂
Jessica says
Such a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. My family loves these!
Shweta Garg says
Aww yay I’m glad the family loves them!
MLB says
Delicious! Makes giant muffins. I couldn’t even quite use all the batter in my 12 muffin cups. I didn’t use paper liners just sprayed the pans - muffins came out great!
Shweta Garg says
Aren’t they ridiculously good!? So glad you loved them!
Leigh says
These are okay. I wouldn't make again without significant alterations. I questioned 1 TB of baking powder but went with it ... The batter seemed much more leavened than necessary, not sure if that's a mistake. These would benefit from less sugar and more citrus/zest in the batter.
Shweta Garg says
Hi Leigh, that would be incorrect. This does require 1 tablespoon of baking powder. These muffins took me several trials to get the right texture and taste. If you disagree, you can search “coffee cake muffins” on Google and see every recipe uses about the same amount of leavening as well!
Sugar and citrus zest is a personal preference. You are free to drop the sugar (though I think it’s necessary to balance the tang from cranberry sauce, buttermilk, and sour cream) but it may make the muffins less moist. Add zest of your choice. Personally, my cranberry sauce already has a lot of orange zest and juice.
Crys says
The perfect tanginess and flavor! Omg. Hits the spot and uses up leftovers. One less thing to have to find room for on my fridge!
Rebecca Cordrey says
These are very good muffins, and I love that they use up the leftover cranberry sauce. I stumbled on this recipe after opening a can of jellied cranberry sauce instead of whole berry, so I hated to throw out a whole can! The recipe is kind of labor intensive, but they are very tasty
Shweta Garg says
Hi Rebecca, I’m so glad you enjoyed them either way! You should try the loaf pan method I have in the blog post - it’s much quicker and just as delicious.
xx, Shweta
Cecilia says
How much vanilla extract is required as per step 4 in the Cranberry sauce Coffee Cake Muffins??
Shweta says
Thank you for pointing out my mistake! I always measure vanilla extract with my heart but I recommend 1/4-1/2 teaspoon.