Quick, simple and delicious. These are muffins, not dessert masquerading as a breakfast food.

This recipe was originally created for a Series of Unfortunate Cooking Classes I taught in a local elementary school in the fall of 2015. Find out more...

Makes about 2 dozen standard-sized muffins.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon Ceylon or cassia cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup milk, preferably whole

3/4 cups unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Set muffin papers in the muffin tin. 

2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and mix to combine.

3. Whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl and add the milk, butter and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, using a spatula to gently combine them into a smooth batter. Add the cranberries and mix to combine. 

5. Carefully pour batter into each muffin paper, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until they are slightly golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve them immediately or cool them on a rack.

Notes:

Like all muffins, these are of course best served hot from the oven. But if they last till Day 2, go ahead and eat them toasted and slathered with butter.