Today’s recipe for cranberry banana walnut muffins is a delicious, yet healthy alternative to the “regular average Joe muffins” out there. You can make these cranberry banana walnut muffins entirely gluten-free or partially gluten-free. Try making them for a party or weekend treat. They are a true crowd pleaser! 
Cranberry Banana and Walnut Muffins (or Loaf):
List of ingredients:
- 1/3 cup of butter or extra virgin coconut oil
(NEVER MARGARINE) - 2/3 cup of sugar (I use sucanant or palm coconut sugar)
- 2 eggs (omega 3 or organic, free range variety)
- 4 tbsp milk – sour (mix with 1 tsp lemon juice or use yogurt or buttermilk)
- 1 tsp baking soda (always mix baking soda with 1 tbsp of lemon juice to prevent the “chalky” aftertaste).
- 1 tbsp orange rind
- 1 tbsp lemon rind
- 1 3/4 -2 cups of flour (gluten-free or a blend of ancient grain and gluten-free variety) Use the 2 cup measure if you use more fruit, otherwise use 1 3/4 cups of flour.
- 1/4 tsp of salt or less
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla (pure extract)
- 1 cup mashed bananas (3 very ripe bananas)
- 1/2 cup of walnuts chopped
- 1 cup of cranberries (dust them with flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of the muffin or loaf).
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Beat together the butter or extra virgin coconut oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add the lemon juice and baking soda mixture to the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl mash up the bananas and add them to the rest of the wet ingredients.
- Add both of the lemon and orange rind to the wet ingredients.
- Sift all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Place the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients.
- Add the yogurt on top of the flour mixture and fold all the ingredients together just until blended.
- Fold in cranberries and nuts at the end.
- Bake for 20-25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cranberry Banana Walnut muffins
I love the mild texture and taste of these muffins. Using lemon and orange rind gives it a wonderful “bite”. Bake them for your next holiday or business event, or as a treat for the weekend!
