Cranberry Muffins for a Thanksgiving Breakfast

I found a Cape Cod Muffin recipe in an ancient cookbook—the November 1937 edition of American Cookery.    I wanted to update the recipe and try it for one of our Thanksgiving breakfasts while the family was here.

Cape Cod Muffins
Adapted from American Cookery, November 1937 .

3/4 c. whole cranberries, washed and halved
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 t. fine sea salt
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 egg
1 c. milk
4 T. melted butter
zest of one lemon

Place cranberry halves in a small mixing bowl and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Toss to combine.  Set aside.

Let cranberries set in sugar while the rest of the ingredients are assembled.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and  prepare muffin tins.

In a larger mixing bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.  Whisk to combine.

Measure milk in a two cup measuring cup.   Break an egg into milk and beat mixture with a fork.    Whisk in butter.

Add the liquids quickly to the dry ingredients and stir, but do not over beat.   Fold in the cranberry/powdered sugar mixture and lemon zest.   Place the mixture into the muffin tins filling them two-thirds full.

Bake at 400 degrees for  twenty minutes.  Let set for five minutes and then remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes one dozen muffins.

I didn't mess with the wire rack. I just flipped them out a bit.

The only adaptions I made to the original recipe was to rewrite it in modern recipe form and add the lemon zest and cinnamon.  (To see the original recipe, click here.)

I have been musing (especially after reading a lot of muse-worthy blogs) regarding the holidays.   What does it mean?   Is it about the food?  Is it about family?   Is it about fellowship?   Is it about simply giving thanks and reflecting on the past year?

Thanksgiving is a bit of all of these.

Can one have Thanksgiving without the turkey and (heaven forbid) sweet potatoes?   Definitely.

Can one have Thanksgiving without the pumpkin pie and pecan pie?   Absolutely.

Can one have Thanksgiving without family?   Not so much, I think.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Ten Things For Which I Give Thanks

  1. My loving husband.
  2. My health.
  3. That I have the luxury to have the time, energy, and resources to blog about food.
  4. That I live in this country.
  5. All of my nieces and nephews—watching them grow up is such a blessing.
  6. My garden and green house.
  7. My cat (at least most of the time).
  8. My family.
  9. My friends.
  10. The holidays!

Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving surrounded by food, family, and friends.


 

6 comments to Cranberry Muffins for a Thanksgiving Breakfast

  • I think it’s really charming that you did a retro recipe for Thanksgiving, apropos. I am thankful that I have a great blog like yours to read.

  • Liz

    Your list is perfect! SO much to be thankful for…and I’d be thankful for a basket of these yummy muffins in my kitchen. Hope you’re having a marvelous Thanksgiving~

  • Sorry, I am a bit slow. I am reading this a day after. I love that you updated an old recipe. Yes, I have so many things to be thankful for, it would take quite some time.

  • What a pretty presentation Eliot! Loving these delights for a festive morning indeed. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from Canada – xo

  • I agree, the most essential ingredient to Thanksgiving is having family with you. I was watching a show called “in the middle” and the wife was flipping out that family was cancelling coming to her dinner, saying “Thanksgiving without family is just overeating!” Too true! lol. These muffins sound so fabulous and I love you got them from a vintage cookbook. I love keeping history alive by making old recipes, though I haven’t done it in a while. Your thanksgivings are great and I ditto them all!