Wholesome Seeded Cranberry Muffins

Name: Maple Pecan Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: About 24 cookies
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose plain flour; 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda); 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/2 tsp maple flavoring (optional); 1/2 cup (114g) butter, at room temperature; 1 cup (200g) soft dark brown sugar, packed; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1/2 cup (118ml) pure maple syrup; 1 1/2 cups (165) chopped toasted pecan nuts (see notes); 1 TBS cream cheese, room temperature; 1 TBS butter, room temperature; 1 TBS whole milk; 1/2 cup (65g) icing sugar, sifted

Monday, 19 May 2025

Every once in a while, I like to bake myself a batch of muffins. Sometimes I will downsize the recipe I am using and other times I will keep the recipe as a full recipe, freezing the excess so that I have tasty muffins waiting in the freezer for me to indulge in when the craving hits!

This wholesome Seeded Cranberry Muffin recipe I am sharing with you today is one of my favorite muffin recipes. It comes from the pages of my Big Blue Binder and is a muffin I have been baking for many, many years.

Wholesome because of all the different seeds included in the mix as well as the dried fruit. I am a huge fan of seeds. They are full of nutrients and good for the digestion!

I am truly mad about muffins. I adore muffins, especially muffins that are not like cake. When I eat a muffin, I don't want a piece of cake, or muffins that are like eating cake. I want them to be wholesome and somewhat nutritious. I also don't want them to be huge. Some of those bakery and store baked muffins you can get are more like cake then they are a muffin and are the size of two or three regular muffins.

You wouldn't sit down and eat two or three muffins in a sitting, but when you eat one of those, you might just as well.

I want a muffin as it is supposed to be. Slightly raised with rounded pebbly tops. The insides filled with nice holes. Perfect for spreading with a tiny pat of butter.

This delicious muffin recipe suits me to a "T" on many levels. It is wholesome and not overly sweet. It is loaded with goodness, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, poppyseeds, as well as dried fruit in the way of cranberries.

You can feel good about eating one of these. I promise you!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE WHOLESOME SEEDED CRANBERRY MUFFINS

I usually keep all of these things in my larder and freezer. That way I can whip up these delicious muffins anytime I want to indulge in one!

25g pumpkin seeds (1 ounce) plus extra for sprinkling (1/2 cup)
25g sunflower seeds (1 ounce) plus extra for sprinkling (1/2 cup)
225g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp poppy seeds
115g demerara sugar (1/2 cup turbinado) plus extra for sprinkling
80g dried cranberries (generous 1/2 cup)
250ml plain bio yogurt (1 cup)
75ml sunflower oil (1/3 cup)
1 large free range egg, beaten

I used raw, untoasted and unsalted seeds for these muffins. I always keep them in the cupboard as I also put them into my homemade granola.

Demerara sugar is a coarse type of granulated sugar which is in its most natural state. Here in North America it is known as Turbinado sugar. In the U.K. it is very common for people to use Demerara sugar in their coffee so it is also known as coffee sugar.

If you are not a fan of dried cranberries you can use any kind of dried berry or fruit. Cut the larger ones, such as apricots, prunes or dates, into smaller pieces. Dried blueberries are very nice in these.

Bio yogurt is not necessary. You can use any plain full fat yogurt. I used bio as that is what I had. I love using Greek yogurt.

No sunflower oil? No problem! Substitute any mild flavored oil in it's place. Rapeseed, Grapeseed, light olive, etc.

HOW TO MAKE WHOLESOME SEEDED CRANBERRY MUFFINS

They are not hard really. Making muffins is a doddle. Just remember not to overmix the dough and you will have an excellent muffin with a beautiful texture. Check out my hints and tips for the best muffins below!

Line a muffin tray with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.

Pop the sunflower and pumpkin seeds onto a baking tray and toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, poppyseeds, cooled seeds and the cranberries in a large bowl.

Whisk together the oil, yogurt, and egg. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the wet ingredients and stir together just to combine. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of each with a few seeds and some demerara sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Tip out to cool on a wire rack. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST MUFFINS

Here are my hints and tips for making sure that your muffins turn out beautifully every time:

1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. Make a well in the dry ingredients, carefully pour in the wet ingredients, then stir the mix a couple of times to roughly combine.

2. Don't over mix your muffins. The most important rule of muffin making is to not over stir the mix. What you really want is to just moisten the ingredients. Do not stir or beat the batter until it is smooth and lump free. You want the final mix to be lumpy, and thick with a few floury streaks.

3. Add your flavors last. While spices should be added with all the other dry ingredients, additions like fruit and nuts should be added last. Give the batter one more light-handed stir once you've added them in just to combine.

4. Line the pans. You can choose to either grease the muffin tin or line it with paper liners. If you choose to forgo the liners, make sure you grease the base and sides of the cups with oil spray or a little melted butter. If you're not going to eat the muffins for a while, do use paper liners as these will keep the muffins fresher for longer.

5. Don't overfill your pans. Aim to fill the cups ¾ full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the cups. Often if your tins are over filled the muffins will rise to the top and then collapse on themselves.

6. For extra interest, add a flavorful sprinkle on top. Once the muffin cups are all filled, you can choose to sprinkle the tops with more fruit, nuts or a crumble topping, even sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar, for even more taste and or crunch. As the muffins rise these toppings will cook into the tops of the muffin.

7. Protect your baking pan. If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, half fill the empty ones with water. This will help the muffins bake evenly and will help to protect your pan from buckling.

8. Cooling them down. Once you remove the muffins from the oven, let them sit in their pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. This is especially important for muffins that aren't in a paper liner, as it will help them from falling apart. However, remove them after five minutes otherwise you risk them going soggy as they cool in the pan.

9. Freeze extras for later. Muffins freeze beautifully, so if you can't enjoy them all on the day they're baked, wrap them in plastic wrap tightly, and put them in the freezer for later. They will keep for about 3 months and reheat wonderfully in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high from frozen.

These are really delicious muffins loaded with plenty of texture and goodness. I loved all of the seeds and of course the dried cranberries. Altogether I would call this a delicious muffin. Not too sweet and full of goodness with a real wholesome quality that is quite moreish!

Are you as mad about muffins as I am? I just adore them. If you are, perhaps you would also enjoy the following tasty options! Is there such a thing as a bad muffin? I think not!

ORANGE MUFFINS - Buttery, moist and stuffed with plenty of orange flavor from the outside in. These are winners all round! I like to stud mine with dried currants, but you may like raisins, or nuts, or blueberries, etc. You may even prefer them to be plain. One thing is for sure, you will enjoy these moist and delicious muffins. Fresh orange flavors filled with an optional fruit and sweet glaze. You can't go wrong!

CINNAMON ROLL MUFFINS - Prepare yourself to fall in love with this small batch muffin recipe with makes six gorgeously delicious muffins. They embody all the flavors of your favorite cinnamon rolls, except they are muffins, not a yeast bread. I am of the school that cinnamon flavored anything is good. It doesn't really matter too much what it is and these are OMG good!

Wholesome Seeded Cranberry Muffins

Yield: 10

Author: Marie Rayner

Quick to make and perfectly wholesome muffins to help get you set up for the day ahead.

Ingredients:

25g pumpkin seeds (1 ounce) plus extra for sprinkling (1/2 cup)
25g sunflower seeds (1 ounce) plus extra for sprinkling (1/2 cup)
225g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp poppy seeds
115g demerara sugar (1/2 cup turbinado) plus extra for sprinkling
80g dried cranberries (generous 1/2 cup)
250ml plain bio yogurt (1 cup)
75ml sunflower oil (1/3 cup)
1 large free range egg, beaten

Instructions:

How to cook Wholesome Seeded Cranberry Muffins

Line a muffin tray with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.
Pop the sunflower and pumpkin seeds onto a baking tray and toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Let cool.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, poppyseeds, cooled seeds and the cranberries in a large bowl.
Whisk together the oil, yogurt, and egg. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour in the wet ingredients and stir together just to combine. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of each with a few seeds and some demerara sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Tip out to cool on a wire rack. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

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Meals of the Week, May 11 - 17th 2025

Sunday, 18 May 2025

Here I am with another Sunday Meals of the Week post. This is the day I generally share with you all of the main meals that I have cooked for myself in the previous week. A delicious recap of how I have been feeding myself.

I determined when I moved into my own place that I as not going to become one of those people who ate out of cans and boxes, not while I had the ability to cook for myself that is. I am a person who loves to cook and I think I would be rather bored eating ready-meals and frozen dinners. So as long as I can cook, I WILL cook!

I also hate waste so I always try to use up everything that I have as much as possible. Its very hard sometimes, so I tend to shop for myself every few days now rather than once a week. I find that the fresh ingredients like salad, etc. just don't last any longer than a few days. I would rather go a bit more often and throw out less.

If, along the way, I can inspire some of you with some of your menu planning, then that makes me very happy.

Here are my meals for the past week. If I have eaten out, (which I did twice this week, once at my sister's and once at a restaurant) I have endeavored in most cases to provide you with a recipe that you can make at home. I have also tried to make all my meals senior and budget and small family friendly. You can certainly double up on any of the recipes if you are feeding more than a few people!

I hope you enjoy reading this post as much as I enjoyed eating the meals and writing it up!

SUNDAY, May 11th - Dinner at Cindy's

On Sunday I had dinner at my sister's place. She had cooked a ham, and we had boiled new potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts on the side. It was delicious.

In its place I am sharing my recipe for Classic Baked Ham. Such a simple and delicious thing to make and enjoy. Cindy cooked hers in the air fryer to save having the oven on for a long time. That is a smart idea and doesn't heat up the kitchen! Delicious!

MONDAY, May 12th - Creamy Boursin Chicken

Juicy, golden-seared chicken cutlets smothered in a rich, velvety garlic and herb Boursin cheese sauce. This is a dish using simple ingredients with maximum flavor! Perfect for a cozy dinner, served with fluffy mashed potatoes or buttery rice. You’ll want to lick the plate clean!

I didn't have any potatoes on the day so I had to make do with some rice. I added some cooked frozen petit pois on the side. This was a really delicious meal that went down a real treat! I highly recommend!

TUESDAY, May 13th - German Casserole

This was something I had not cooked in a very long time. My sister had given me some ham to bring home with me and I used it in this delicious and yet very simple casserole. This is a great casserole that uses up leftovers in a very delicious way! Simple and easy to make and a quick bake. You will need leftover cooked ham and potatoes. To be honest I used canned potatoes from my store cupboard which I sliced up. These get layered in a casserole dish along with some sauerkraut and onion. An egg mixture is poured over top and then you scatter a healthy amount of cheese over everything and bake. It is truly delicious!

I enjoyed this with a simple mixed salad. I was also able to take some to my next-door neighbor who really enjoyed it as well! You know what they say, a joy shared is a joy doubled!

WEDNESDAY, May 14th - Dinner out with Dad and Hazel

I went out to the Big Scoop with my father and his friend Hazel on Wednesday night. I had not been out to dinner with them in a while. I wasn't sure that Hazel was going to be there, and I hated to think of my dad eating all on his lonesome. I did invite him to come here, but he likes to flirt with the waitresses, and he can't do that here. ha ha Anyways, Hazel ended up showing up as well.

I had a cheeseburger and chips. In its place I am sharing my recipe for Smash Burgers. I probably would have enjoyed them a lot more than the ones from the restaurant. I am always really thirsty after eating there and I don't add any salt to my meal. I think they really season everything too much.

My homemade smash burgers are really delicious, and I am not just saying that. Delicious burgers, nicely browned on the outsides and filled with cheese. I like to serve them on toasted soft buns with lots of pickles, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, etc. But you can pick your own garnishes. Whatever you choose, your family will love these.

THURSDAY, May 15th - Mediterranean Style Marinated Chicken

This is my favorite way to cook chicken thighs when the temperatures start to rise. I always cook extra to have with salads or sandwiches, etc. Juicy chicken thighs soaked in a zesty marinade of lemon, garlic, olive oil, and fragrant herbs. They are then grilled to perfection for a smoky, golden finish. I use my Cuisinart countertop Griddler to cook it. It always comes out juicy and perfect.

I served it with a side of Dirty Martini Pasta for the win! It went perfectly together!

FRIDAY, May 16th - Baked Haddock with a Buttery Cracker Topping

Fish for Friday with one of my favorite fish recipes! My sister and family love this as well. This is based on a fabulous recipe which I found on the NY Times cooking site. The original recipe used cod. I subbed haddock. This is one of the most delicious fish recipes I have ever tried.

Flaky haddock fillets are topped with a buttery cracker crumb infused with lemon zest, garlic, and herbs, then baked to perfection. Light, flavorful, and irresistibly crunchy I served with some boiled new potatoes and a mix of roasted veggies. Delicious as always.

SATURDAY, May 17th - Coconut Chicken Curry

I was really craving some Indian food and so I made myself a curry for my Saturday night supper. This simple Coconut Chicken Curry is a real favorite. It is light and fruity and not overly spicy. I don't really do extra spicy food well these days!

Tender chicken simmered in a luscious coconut milk sauce, infused with warm spices, fresh ginger, and a hint of citrusy orange zest. Finished with mango chutney and fresh herbs, it’s the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and aromatic. I enjoyed with some simple steamed rice and veggies. No such thing as poppadom here. Sigh. I wish there was! I miss them! They always go down so well with a delicious curry!

I hope that we can go to eat at a new Indian Restaurant which has opened in the next town to us when my brother is here visiting next week! If not, maybe I can cook everyone an Indian meal here at home! Sounds like a plan!

And those were my meals of the week for the past seven days! I think I did really well. I had a delicious week filled with lots of the things I love. You can't beat that!

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!

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Maple Pecan Cookies

Saturday, 17 May 2025

I usually like to bake myself a bit of a treat at the weekend. Old habits die hard, I guess. Sometimes it will be a cake, other times a pie, sometimes a cookie. This weekend I decided to bake myself some cookies. I usually small batch most of my recipes now, but I also wanted to have enough to share with Sheila next door.

I found this delicious looking Maple Pecan Cookie recipe on a page called Broken Oven Baking Co. Not only did I have all of the ingredients in house already, but it promised not to make a huge batch of cookies, and they really did look delicious!

When my children were growing up it seemed as if I was always baking cookies. They never lasted very long in the cookie jar. I only ever very rarely bought cookies. Most of the time they were homemade, by me.

They had their favorites as well. Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Molasses Crinkles, Sugar, Oatmeal. If it was a cookie and home baked, they were all in. I am sure I baked fresh cookies every second day or so. That's what it is like with five hungry mouths to feed!

I did not mind really. I got to enjoy them also. Sometimes I would make rice crispy squares for a night snack. They loved those as well. Just the recipe on the box.

This is an old photo of them circa 1989 of the youngest four helping to clean out the rice crispies pot after my having mixed them up. They always loved helping. I think that was their favorite part! That baby is 37 now! Good times!

I think one of my favorite roles in life has to have been being a mother, and now it is being a grandmother. My grandbabies don't live as close to me as I would like them to, but being back in Canada now it is still a lot closer than it was when I lived in the U.K.

I think the next time they come for a visit we will have to make rice crispy squares or bake some cookies together. What do you think?

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MAPLE PECAN COOKIES

Just a few simple baking cupboard ingredients and some maple syrup. Oh, and pecans. You need pecans. A most delicious cookie to be sure! Do make the drizzle if you can. It really adds a lot! Everything is pretty self-explanatory!

2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose plain flour
1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp maple flavoring (optional)
1/2 cup (114g) butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) soft dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup (118ml) pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cups (165) chopped toasted pecan nuts (see notes)

For the cream cheese drizzle:

1 TBS cream cheese, room temperature
1 TBS butter, room temperature
1 TBS whole milk
1/2 cup (65g) icing sugar, sifted

HOW TO MAKE MAPLE PECAN COOKIES

As simple to make as any other cookies. There is nothing complicated about these! These are milk and cookie cookies!

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.

Using an electric hand whisk beat the butter and the brown sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, maple syrup and maple flavoring (if using).

Stir in the flour, mixing together only until there are no dry streaks visible, and scraping the sides of the bowl. Fold in the toasted pecan nuts.

Scoop out in 2 TBS measures and roughly shape into a ball using the palms of your hands. Place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Press down lightly with your fingertips. (Not too much, just a bit.)

Bake, one cookie sheet at a time, in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes. When done the cookies should have turned color on the edges and bottoms. They may still look fudgy in the center. Not a problem as they will continue to cook after you remove them from the oven.

Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, then scoop out onto wire racks to finish cooling completely.

To make the glaze whisk together the butter and cream cheese until evenly mixed. Stir in the icing sugar and milk, until smooth. Drizzle decoratively over half of the cookies. You can also dip the edge in. It is your choice.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

These are excellent cookies. The original recipe said that it made 14 cookies, but I got way more than that. I can only think that her cookies must have been HUGE. I made normal sized cookies and got about 24.

These were lovely cookies, with nice crisp edges and chewy middles. I cut back a bit on the spices and added some maple extract to really bring out the maple flavor as some reviews on the original recipe had said they couldn't really taste the maple. The end result was a delicious maple cookie that had plenty of maple flavor and was loaded with toasted nuts.

The cream cheese drizzle icing was a really lovely touch. Not only pretty to look at but very delicious as well! I really enjoyed these cookies! They freeze well without the glaze!

If you are a true cookie monster like me, you will probably also enjoy the following delicious cookie options! I can promise you that they are both incredibly edible and deliciously moreish!

I would never lie to you!

QUARTER CUP COOKIES - These incredibly moreish cookies are made from exactly 1/4 cup of each of the main cookie ingredients, aside from the flavorings and soda. The end result is a delcious cookie that everyone enjoys. They were originally called 10 cup cookies, but that made far too many cookies for me, so I reduced everything to 1/4 cup!

LEVAIN BAKERY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES - A copycat recipe of the infamous Levain Bakery cookies. These are excellent oatmeal raisin cookies. The recipe makes nine very large cookies. Each one weighing in at almost half a pound each. These are a real indulgence, with plenty of nutty oats and sweet raisins. You could make them smaller but then they wouldn't be Levain.

Yield: About 24 cookies

Author: Marie Rayner

Maple Pecan Cookies

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 40 Min

These are crispy edged with chewy middles and lots of maple flavor and toasted pecans. Very moreish! There is an optional cream cheese drizzle frosting as well. You can either drizzle or dip.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose plain flour
1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp maple flavoring (optional)
1/2 cup (114g) butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) soft dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup (118ml) pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cups (165) chopped toasted pecan nuts (see notes)

For the cream cheese drizzle:

1 TBS cream cheese, room temperature
1 TBS butter, room temperature
1 TBS whole milk
1/2 cup (65g) icing sugar, sifted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.
Using an electric hand whisk beat the butter and the brown sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, maple syrup and maple flavoring (if using).
Stir in the flour, mixing together only until there are no dry streaks visible, and scraping the sides of the bowl. Fold in the toasted pecan nuts.
Scoop out in 2 TBS measures and roughly shape into a ball using the palms of your hands. Place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Press down lightly with your fingertips. (Not too much, just a bit.)
Bake, one cookie sheet at a time, in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes. When done the cookies should have turned color on the edges and bottoms. They may still look fudgy in the center. Not a problem as they will continue to cook after you remove them from the oven.
Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, then scoop out onto wire racks to finish cooling completely.
To make the glaze whisk together the butter and cream cheese until evenly mixed. Stir in the icing sugar and milk, until smooth. Drizzle decoratively over half of the cookies. You can also dip the edge in. It is your choice.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Notes

Toasted nuts always taste better when baking. To toast your nuts, spread them out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in a 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4 oven for 8 to 10 minutes. They should smell nice and nutty. Leave to cool before using.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!

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Wholesome Seeded Cranberry Muffins