Hello dear friends!

These gluten-free lemon cranberry muffins are bursting with bright tart flavours that will bring a splash of sunshine to your day. They feature Chandler Honey’s Cosmopolitan Honey, which takes these muffins to a whole other level! 

I wanted my first recipe of the year to be a special one to kick off 2022 in a bright and sunny way. And what better way than with these delightful muffins that are sure to put a smile on your face.

So why are these muffins so sunny and bright? Well, it’s thanks to my good friends, lemon and cranberry. Both are fruits that I adore in all their radiant glory. Cranberries are honestly one of my favourite fruits. I love how they are bursting with bright, tart flavours with every bite.

Let’s turn things over to lemon. Lemon is super versatile, has loads of health benefits, and tastes fantastic in baked goodies and savoury dishes. Is there anything lemons can’t do? Now, when you take these two spectacular fruits and put them together, something magical comes to life. The light zesty notes of the lemon paired with the tartness of cranberries, creates a harmonious blend of flavours. 

These muffins are a lovely balance between light, fluffy and moist. They have a slight buttery undertone and coconutty essence from the coconut flour and just oh so yummy! They are perfect with afternoon tea, a snack or a guilt-free sweet treat.

The special ingredient I have used is Chandler Honey’s Cosmopolitan Honey, that is infused with dried cranberries and lemon zest. Not only did it amplify the lemon and cranberry flavour beautifully, but the natural sweetness of the honey takes these muffins to another level of scrumptiousness.

For those of you who are not familiar with Chandler Honey, let me have the pleasure of introducing them to you.

CHANDLER HONEY

ABOUT

Chandler Honey is an incredible Canadian company that creates natural, locally sourced raw honey with a delightful twist. 

The honey is sourced from company owner, Tique Chandler’s, family farm in Scandia, Alberta, whose family have been creating honey since 1937.

All their honey is raw and unpasteurized. One thing is for sure—you can feel the love, care, dedication, and passion put into each jar of honey. Each flavour has its own character and taste, and comes in a beautifully designed jar, filled to the brim with creamy honey. 

Their Cosmopolitan Honey is a favourite of mine and the star ingredient in this recipe. Let’s take a look at its flavour profile before we dive into baking these delicious muffins.

COSMOPOLITAN HONEY

The Cosmopolitan Honey flavour first launched in the summer of 2021 as part of their Cocktail Collection series. So if you are looking to bring those summertime vibes to any season of the year, definitely check out their Cocktail Collection, including this honey. You will love it.

It has deep citrus notes from the lemon zest, followed closely by the tartness of the dried cranberries. The pair are sprinkled throughout thick, luscious honey, making for a beautiful product both visually and in taste. The combination creates a playful unison of tart and tangy flavours that are bright and bold yet not overwhelming, just perfectly balanced. 

I am thrilled to work with this fantastic company and create these muffins, so a big thank you to Tique Chandler! She is such a delight to work with and honestly such a passionate individual who puts her heart into her work with Chandler Honey, and it reflects in all their wonderful products.

To learn more about Chandler Honey and their enticing unique flavours, check out their website.

Sprinkles recipe fun facts:

• CHANDLER HONEY’S COSMOPOLITAN HONEY – contains immune boosting nutrients, antibacterial properties, beneficial enzymes, and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and zinc.
• LEMONS – are an excellent immune booster, helps with weight loss, great for iron absorption, and aids in digestive health as well.
• CRANBERRIES – contain a high level of antioxidants, lowers blood pressure, improves eyesight and cardiovascular health, and a common natural aid for UTIs.

So let’s dive into the recipe and make us some yummy Lemon Cranberry Muffins to enjoy, shall we? 

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Lemon Cranberry Muffins

These delightfully light, gluten-free muffins are bursting with bright lemon flavour and tart notes of cranberry. Naturally sweetened with Chandler Honey's Cosmopolitan Honey, they are a beautiful balance between sweet and tangy.

Author Priscilla S

Ingredients

Ingredients

Dry

• ⅓ cup coconut flour plus one extra tablespoon
• ½ tsp baking soda
• small pinch of sea salt

Wet

• 3 tbsp Chandler Honey's Cosmopolitan Honey** (loosen with 1 TBSP of water to equal ¼ cup of liquid honey)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted (room temperature)
• 2 eggs
• ½ tbsp vanilla paste (or pure vanilla extract)
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (optional, but enhances the lemon flavor)
• ⅓ cup fresh cranberries (or frozen) (reserve a handful for the top of the muffins before baking)

Equipment

• 6 cup muffin tin + baking cups (or silicone baking cups)
• whisk
• silicone spatula
• measuring cups & spoons
• metal spoons
• cooking spray (I used coconut oil cooking spray, or any cooking spray of choice)
• paring knife
• zester (or box grater with a zesting panel)
• cutting board
• citrus juicer (or squeeze by hand)
• small and large stainless steel bowl (or ceramic or heavy set glass bowl)

Instructions

Preparation

• Line muffin tin with baking cups and spray with cooking spray, set aside.
• Wash and dry the lemon, then roll on the cutting board a couple of times with your palm. Zest the lemon and set it aside. Cut in half, squeeze into a bowl, and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients, coconut flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
• If using fresh cranberries, pour into a bowl of cold water. The good ones will float to the top and should be nice and firm. Discard any dark/brown or soft cranberries. Rinse well through cold water, drain, and set aside. If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw. Just repeat the same steps as fresh cranberries. If there are large cranberries, cut them in half.
• Scoop out 3 TBSP worth of Chandler Honey's Cosmopolitan Honey and mix with 1 TBSP of warm water until you get a loose liquidy consistency that equals out to ¼ cup of honey. You will be amazed how a little goes a long way! If it is still too thick just add more water or if it is too runny add a little more honey.

Lemon Cranberry Muffins

• In a large bowl combine wet ingredients, eggs, Chandler Honey's Cosmopolitan Honey, coconut oil, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. Add in the lemon zest and whisk again.
• It's time to add the dry ingredients! Slowly add in half the mixture, whisk, and then add in the rest and whisk again until everything is well combined.
• Add in the lemon juice slowly and gently mix, as it will instantly react to the baking soda. It will foam and turn pale in colour. Let it stand for 2-3 minutes, the mixture will reduce in volume but not to fret, as it will be enough batter. The batter is also quite thick, similar to the consistency of mashed potatoes.
• Now we add in our beautiful cranberries! Reserve a handful to place on top just before baking to give a beautiful presentation and we can see those lovely little berries! Gently fold in the rest of the cranberries until the batter is well combined.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Scoop out the batter into lined muffin tin. Fill each cup until ¾ of the way. Press down the batter as it is quite thick and want to ensure you fill each one enough. Add 1-2 cranberries on the top of the batter and press down gently. Now place in the oven to bake!
• Bake in the oven for 25-27 minutes or until golden brown. Be sure to do the toothpick test to make sure they are done. Let them cool and remove to a platter. You now have yourself a batch of glorious lemon cranberry muffins! Now all that's left to do is enjoy!

Notes

* YIELDS 6 MUFFINS

** Chandler Honey's Cosmopolitan Honey uses beautiful, unpasteurized, raw honey, which means the flavours are concentrated so you don't need a lot. Even a little bit ends up being the perfect amount of sweetness, which means you are left with more honey in your jar to enjoy (yay!). However, if you are someone with a sweet tooth feel free to add a little more honey to the batter.

*** If you would like to amp up the lemon flavour, you can add more lemon juice to the batter. 

NOTE: These muffins don't rise as high as all-purpose flour-based muffins, but let me assure you they will give you the same satisfaction.

BATCH BAKING: Want more muffins? No problem! Just double up the recipe. 

Enjoy!

This recipe and post are created in collaboration with Chandler Honey, all opinions are solely my own.

The post Lemon Cranberry Muffins – featuring Chandler Honey {gluten-free, dairy-free} first appeared on Pure Sprinkles.