Nigella’s Christmas Muffins are made with plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, clementines, full-fat milk, vegetable oil, egg, dried cranberries, and demerara sugar. This delicious Christmas muffin recipe creates a festive treat that takes about 40 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 12 people.
Ingredients Needed:
- 250g plain flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (or a fresh grating)
- 2 clementines (or satsumas)
- Approx. 125ml full-fat milk
- 75ml vegetable oil (or melted butter, slightly cooled)
- 1 large egg
- 175g dried cranberries
- 3 tsp demerara sugar (for topping)
How To Make Xmas Muffins:
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan) / gas mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases or silicone inserts.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Grate the zest of the clementines or satsumas into the bowl and mix.
- Prepare the liquid ingredients: Squeeze the juice from the clementines/satsumas into a measuring jug. Top up with milk to reach 200ml. Add the oil (or melted butter) and the egg, then lightly whisk.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. A lumpy batter is fine, as overmixing makes heavy muffins.
- Add cranberries and fill cases: Gently fold in the dried cranberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases. Sprinkle the tops with demerara sugar.
- Bake the muffins: Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and risen.
- Serve: Enjoy warm, plain, or with butter and marmalade. Perfect for a festive breakfast!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter: Stir the ingredients just until they come together. Overmixing will make the muffins dense and tough.
- Use fresh clementines: Fresh clementine juice and zest will give the muffins a vibrant citrus flavour. Avoid using bottled juice for the best taste.
- Measure liquid ingredients correctly: Make sure the milk and juice together reach exactly 200ml to keep the muffins light and moist.
- Fold cranberries gently: When adding dried cranberries, fold them in gently to avoid crushing them and keeping them evenly distributed.
- Check the muffins at 18 minutes: Ovens can vary, so start checking at the 18-minute mark to avoid over-baking and drying out the muffins.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Let leftovers xmas muffins cool to room temperature first. Then, put them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Cool leftovers xmas muffins completely, then freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 muffin (out of 12)
- Calories: 234 kcal
- Total Fat: 7.49 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.28 g
- Cholesterol: 16.6 mg
- Sodium: 139 mg
- Potassium: 69.6 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 39.78 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.65 g
- Sugars: 20.48 g
- Protein: 3.1 g
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
- Nigella Coffee And Walnut Loaf Cake
- Nigella Emergency Brownies
- Nigella Lawson Chocolate Pavlova
- Nigella Burnt Basque Cheesecake
- Nigella Chocolate Log
Nigella Xmas Muffins
Description
Nigella’s Christmas Muffins are made with plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, clementines, full-fat milk, vegetable oil, egg, dried cranberries, and demerara sugar. This delicious Christmas muffin recipe creates a festive treat that takes about 40 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 12 people.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan) / gas mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases or silicone inserts.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Grate the zest of the clementines or satsumas into the bowl and mix.
- Prepare the liquid ingredients: Squeeze the juice from the clementines/satsumas into a measuring jug. Top up with milk to reach 200ml. Add the oil (or melted butter) and the egg, then lightly whisk.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. A lumpy batter is fine, as overmixing makes heavy muffins.
- Add cranberries and fill cases: Gently fold in the dried cranberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases. Sprinkle the tops with demerara sugar.
- Bake the muffins: Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and risen.
- Serve: Enjoy warm, plain, or with butter and marmalade. Perfect for a festive breakfast!
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter: Stir the ingredients just until they come together. Overmixing will make the muffins dense and tough.
- Use fresh clementines: Fresh clementine juice and zest will give the muffins a vibrant citrus flavour. Avoid using bottled juice for the best taste.
- Measure liquid ingredients correctly: Make sure the milk and juice together reach exactly 200ml to keep the muffins light and moist.
- Fold cranberries gently: When adding dried cranberries, fold them in gently to avoid crushing them and keeping them evenly distributed.
- Check the muffins at 18 minutes: Ovens can vary, so start checking at the 18-minute mark to avoid over-baking and drying out the muffins.
Xmas Muffins