It’s that time of year again, when everything is pumpkin and spice. To maintain the seasonal spirit, this recipe adds cranberries. The list of ingredients is long, but the prep is simple and the results outstanding.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon each baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt

1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, cloves

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup each granulated sugar and packed brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 Tablespoon coarse sugar for topping (optional)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each muffin cup.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in dense muffins.

Gently fold in the cranberries and chopped nuts. The cranberries will burst a little as you mix, which will add pockets of tart flavor throughout the muffins.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. If desired, sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a little coarse sugar for a sweet, crunchy topping.

Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The muffins should be golden brown on top.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature