Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

I can’t go very many days without baking muffins. I love muffins, and I have tried many recipes. If someone told me I could only have one muffin recipe, this very well could be the one I would choose. There is nothing else that quite measures up to a batter flavored with cream cheese. I think these muffins would also be great made with fresh blueberries or any dried fruit.

 
Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins
1 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Drizzle
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons 2% milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and pecans.
Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans to a wire rack. Makes 20 muffins.
For glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar and milk; drizzle over warm muffins.

The glaze is pretty and adds an extra bit of sweetness.