Nigella’s Christmas Muffins are made with flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clementines, milk, vegetable oil, egg, and dried cranberries, topped with demerara sugar for a festive treat ready in just 35 minutes!
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
🧡 Why You’ll Love This Christmas Muffins Recipe:
- Festive Flavors: The combination of clementine zest, warm spices, and dried cranberries captures the essence of the holiday season.
- Quick and Easy: With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, you can whip up a batch in no time.
- Versatile: Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a festive snack, these muffins are a hit at any time of the day.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prepare the batter in advance, making it convenient for busy holiday mornings.
❓ What Is Nigella’s Christmas Muffins Recipe?
Nigella’s Christmas Muffins Recipe combines plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clementine zest and juice, full-fat milk, vegetable oil, egg, and dried cranberries, topped with a crunchy demerara sugar crust, and baked to perfection.
🥚 Nigella Christmas Muffins Ingredients
- 250 grams of plain flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 100 grams caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or fresh nutmeg, grated)
- 2 clementines (or satsumas)
- Approx. 125 millilitres full-fat milk
- 75 milliliters of vegetable oil (or melted butter, slightly cooled)
- 1 large egg
- 175 grams of dried cranberries
- 3 teaspoons demerara sugar (for topping)
🧁 How To Make Nigella Christmas Muffins
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers or use silicone inserts.
- In a large bowl, measure and combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
- Grate the zest of the clementines (or satsumas) over the dry mixture and mix well. If preparing in advance, leave the zesting for Christmas morning.
- Squeeze the juice from the clementines into a measuring jug. Add milk until the total volume reaches 200ml (halfway between the ¾ cup and 1 cup marks).
- Add the vegetable oil (or melted butter) and the egg to the milk and juice mixture. Lightly beat until just combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until everything is just combined—avoid overmixing to keep the batter lumpy, which helps make the muffins light and fluffy.
- Gently fold in the dried cranberries.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cases. Sprinkle the demerara sugar evenly over the top of each muffin.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. The muffins should be golden brown and fragrant.
- Enjoy the muffins plain or with a spread of unsalted butter and marmalade.
💭 Recipe Tips
- Avoid Overmixing: Stir the batter until just combined to keep the muffins light and fluffy.
- Fresh Ingredients: Use fresh clementines for the best zest and juice flavor.
- Room Temperature Dairy: Ensure milk and egg are at room temperature for a smoother batter.
- Gentle Folding: Fold in the dried cranberries gently to prevent them from breaking and spreading color.
☕ What To Serve With Christmas Muffins?
Serve Christmas Muffins with a dollop of clotted cream, a spread of unsalted butter, a spoonful of marmalade, or a hot cup of tea or coffee.
🎚 How To Store Leftovers Christmas Muffins?
- At Room Temperature: Store leftover Christmas muffins in a cake keeper for up to 2 days.
- In The Fridge: Keep leftover Christmas muffins in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
- In The Freezer: Freeze leftover Christmas muffins in a ziplock bag or freezer container for up to 3 months.
🥵 How To Reheat Leftovers Christmas Muffins?
- In The Oven: Preheat to 350°F and heat leftover Christmas muffins on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- In The Microwave: Heat leftover Christmas muffins on a microwave-safe plate on HIGH for 30 seconds.
- In The Air Fryer: Reheat leftover Christmas muffins in an air fryer basket at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes.
FAQs
Why did my Christmas muffin come out flat?
Your Christmas muffin may have come out flat because the cell structure didn’t set properly, causing the air spaces created by the leavening to collapse.
What is the difference between Christmas muffins and cakes?
Muffins have more flour and liquid but less sugar and fat compared to cakes, affecting texture and sweetness.
Why are my Christmas muffins mushy in the middle?
Your Christmas muffins are mushy in the middle due to cooking at the wrong temperature or not cooking them long enough.
How do you keep Christmas muffins from falling apart?
Allow your Christmas muffins to cool slightly in the pan before removing them to prevent them from falling apart.
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
Nigella Christmas Muffins Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 168
- Total Fat 7.2g
- Saturated Fat 3.5g
- Cholesterol 27mg
- Sodium 190mg
- Potassium 168mg
- Total Carbs 24g
- Net Carbs 23g
- Dietary Fiber 1g
- Total Sugars 10g
- Protein 3g
Nigella Christmas Muffins
Description
Nigella’s Christmas Muffins are made with flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clementines, milk, vegetable oil, egg, and dried cranberries, topped with demerara sugar for a festive treat ready in just 35 minutes!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers or use silicone inserts.
- In a large bowl, measure and combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
- Grate the zest of the clementines (or satsumas) over the dry mixture and mix well. If preparing in advance, leave the zesting for Christmas morning.
- Squeeze the juice from the clementines into a measuring jug. Add milk until the total volume reaches 200ml (halfway between the ¾ cup and 1 cup marks).
- Add the vegetable oil (or melted butter) and the egg to the milk and juice mixture. Lightly beat until just combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until everything is just combined—avoid overmixing to keep the batter lumpy, which helps make the muffins light and fluffy.
- Gently fold in the dried cranberries.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cases. Sprinkle the demerara sugar evenly over the top of each muffin.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. The muffins should be golden brown and fragrant.
- Enjoy the muffins plain or with a spread of unsalted butter and marmalade.
Notes
- Avoid Overmixing: Stir the batter until just combined to keep the muffins light and fluffy.
Fresh Ingredients: Use fresh clementines for the best zest and juice flavor.
Room Temperature Dairy: Ensure milk and egg are at room temperature for a smoother batter.
Gentle Folding: Fold in the dried cranberries gently to prevent them from breaking and spreading color.