Christmas Morning Eggnog Cranberry Muffins

Merry Christmas!

For the past several years, I have made cream cheese cranberry muffins for breakfast on Christmas morning.  This year, I decided to change it up just a bit by getting some eggnog involved.  I firmly believe that it is acceptable to have eggnog all day on Christmas, so we might as well start with breakfast.

Eggnog Cranberry Muffins

Muffins:

2 1/4 cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup +2 Tablespoons sugar, divided

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

3/4 cup eggnog

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

4 Tablespoons cold butter

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 20 muffin cups with paper liners.  For the topping, in a small bowl combine sugar, flour, and nutmeg.  Cut in the cold butter, using a pastry blender or a fork, until you have pea size crumbs. 

For the muffins:  In another small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of the sugar with the softened cream cheese until well blended.  Whisk in eggs, one at a time until incorporated, then stir in eggnog, melted butter, and almond extract.  Toss the chopped cranberries and dried cranberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.  Add the dry ingredients to the eggnog mixture and mix until just blended, and no streaks of flour remain.  Fold in the cranberries.

Spoon the muffin batter into paper lined muffin cups.  Spoon the topping over the batter in each cup.  Bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the muffin tins for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.  Serve warm.  Makes about 20 muffins.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy