Cranberry Oat Muffins

ByDavid November 13, 2017March 19, 2021

Packed with fresh cranberries, these Cranberry Oat Muffins are a delicious way to start a chilly morning during the holidays!

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Gobble gobble gobble gobble! Somehow Thanksgiving (for those of us here in the States) is just 10 days away now. I have no idea how Turkey Day snuck up on us so quickly, but it’s time to start planning out that Thanksgiving meal. What are some of your essential Thanksgiving recipes? Are you trying any new ones this year? For us, macaroni and cheese is a must. (Yes, this isn’t a traditional Thanksgiving side, but it is in our house!) Macaroni and cheese and turkey. (Leftover turkey sandwiches on the Friday after Thanksgiving are the best thing ever!) Macaroni and cheese, turkey and pecan pie. (Let’s be honest. There’s no leftover pecan pie. Maybe I’ll make 2 pies this year!)

Aside from the good food and time spent with family, one of the Thanksgiving traditions that I’ve always found fascinating is how the president pardons 2 turkeys every year. This roots of this tradition date all the way back to 1863 when Lincoln was in the White House. But have you ever thought about where those pardoned turkeys come from? It’s not like they’re just living in the East Wing of the White House before they trot out to receive their official pardon!

It turns out that Minnesota sends 2 turkeys to Pennsylvania Avenue every year for the official pardoning ceremony. In fact, local 4-H members in Minnesota begin training the turkeys in August to prepare them for the light, noises, people and other festivities that come along with the ceremony. And speaking of other festivities, the trip itself is rather unique! The Presidential Turkey Facebook page shared these images from Honest’s and Abe’s (those are the turkeys) trip to DC back in 2015. Look at those cages! Can you imagine landing at Washington Dulles airport and passing these birds in the concourse?

But what do those turkeys do once they make their way out of the airport and grab a cab to their hotel? They set up shop in the hotel room, of course! This photo from 2014 shows Mac and Cheese (ok, so maybe macaroni and cheese isn’t that strange of a Thanksgiving side dish after all?) in their hotel room before the big ceremony. I used to aspire to being Santa at the end of the Thanksgiving Day parade (heck, I still do!), but now I’m adding Official Turkey Handler of Presidential Turkeys to that list. (I made that title up, but it sounds pretty official, right?) Can you imagine trying to sleep in a hotel room next to 2 turkeys? Hilarious! (Well, unless you’re the one actually trying to sleep…)

But enough turkey talk. Let’s talk Thanksgiving morning breakfast. I know the big meal of the day comes later on, but Thanksgiving breakfast deserves a bit of special attention, too. And these Cranberry Oat Muffins are the real deal way to start off the holiday! Cranberries are a classic American (and Canadian) berry, and they almost always make an appearance later in the day in the form of cranberry sauce. But how about adding some of those cranberries into these Cranberry Oat Muffins? These muffins are a delicious way to start off Thanksgiving…or any other day!

I baked these Cranberry Oat Muffins with Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Baking Flour. (I also used Bob’s Red Mill’s Old Fashioned Rolled Oats, too. Robbie loves oatmeal, and we always keep a steady supply of these rolled oats in our pantry.) I bake a lot, and I know I can always count on the quality of Bob’s Red Mill products.

Their Organic All-Purpose Flour is unbleached, unbromated and comes from certified organic U.S.-grown wheat. This flour doesn’t contain any additives, and it’s perfect for everything from breads to dinner rolls to cakes to these Cranberry Oat Muffins. If you like to bake (and who doesn’t during the holidays!?), then grab a bag of Bob’s Red Mill’s Organic All-Purpose Flour for your pantry! You can order online or find a local store that carries Bob’s Red Mill products near you.

Now that we have our Thanksgiving breakfast planned out, let’s turn our attention to the rest of the day. What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes? What about other family traditions on Thanksgiving? Will you be out at 4am on Black Friday hunting for deals? I can promise you that I’ll still be in bed at 4am on Black Friday. After all, I’ve got to get my sleep so I can chase a certain toddler around for the rest of the day! Happy (early) Thanksgiving, my friends!