Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix in a Jar
Brighten your mornings with this delightful Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix in a Jar! This fun and thoughtful gift idea combines tart cranberries, creamy white chocolate chips, and a perfect muffin mix—all beautifully layered in a jar. Perfect for holiday gifts, special occasions, or simply to enjoy at home. Easy to make and even easier to love!
Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix in a Jar
These cranberry white chocolate chip muffins are AMAZING!
Don’t let the cranberries throw you. I know they can be tart, but I’ve compensated for that in the recipe. I promise. If you think you aren’t a cranberry fan, I hope this will change your mind.
Ingredient Notes
The Muffin Mix
The muffin mix comes from my recipe for Make-Ahead Muffin Mix. You’ll need to make some of this up in order to make this muffin mix in a jar. The whole batch is BIG, so feel free to halve the recipe, or even quarter it. It’s pretty forgiving.
This muffin mix is incredibly easy to use, so if you want to make the whole batch, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, and you’ll probably find plenty of uses for it. I will go in and update the post for some of the new flavor varieties I have been making, like Pumpkin Chocolate Chip with Cream Cheese Topping, Caramel Apple Pie, and a few others.
I will ALSO get a post up for Microwave Protein Mug Muffin Mix, which also uses the muffin mix.
The Cranberries
I recently acquired a freeze dryer, so I have access to freeze-dried cranberries. I have no idea if they are available commercially, but it’s not likely.
SO…if you have a freeze dryer and want to make some, they will totally work in this recipe!
BUT, if you do not have a freeze dryer, have no fear – you can use regular dried cranberries. They work great in this recipe.
AND…if you don’t have dried cranberries at a local grocery store and don’t want to purchase them online, you can sub in Craisins here. (Shelf life will be considerably shorter but if you’re giving this as a gift that shouldn’t be a problem.)
When I developed the recipe I actually used craisins, so I know they work. 😉
Shelf Life
I don’t recommend a long shelf-life if you use the craisins – you’re looking at probably about a year. But if you’re giving this muffin mix as a gift, that shorter shelf life likely won’t be a problem.
If you use the freeze-dried cranberries you’ll have a longer shelf life, possibly up to five years. You’re only really limited to the shelf-life of the baking powder.
Optional Streusel Topping
When I make these Cranberry White Chocolate Chip muffins, I almost always add a streusel topping.
Although they are delicious without it, I think it just absolutely takes these muffins to the next level.
Honestly. I’ve had folks tell me I should sell these because they look and taste like they came from a gourmet bakery.
So I will add that into the recipe card.
However, there isn’t room for the streusel ingredients in the jar, so the topping will need to be made from scratch at the time of baking the muffins.
If you’re giving the muffin mix in a jar as a gift, you can opt to include instructions for the streusel topping, or just leave it out. It does require one “special” ingredient, so you might want to leave the topping out.
Or you could make up a baggy or small pint or half-pint jar with the streusel ingredients and give instructions to just add melted butter.
Hmm, I should probably just add that as a side option…
Additional Notes
Muffin Tin Liners
This muffin mix makes bakery-style muffins with big, domed tops! They are simply gorgeous!!
Because of that, I recommend that you use tulip-style muffin tin liners to avoid them spilling out all over each other.
I just find that having the higher sides helps keep the muffin itself “contained”.
Do you have to use liners? NO. These will still bake fine without liners.
Portioning
I use a #14 disher/scoop to portion the muffin mix and find it to be the perfect size for these.
I actually have a couple of these scoops in this size. Here’s a link to my favorite one – a Norpro 4 tablespoon scooper.
If you don’t have a scooper, use a 1/3 cup measuring cup.
Or just eyeball it – you want the batter to fill the muffin recess pretty much to the top, or just slightly below.
Batch Size
This muffin mix in a jar will yield ABOUT 1 dozen muffins, depending on how full you fill the muffin cups on your tin.
I think that’s it, folks!
Hopefully I’ve given you all of the important info.
Let me know if you make these up and what you think of them!!
Happy holidays! 🙂
Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix in a Jar
EQUIPMENT
- 12 muffin tin liners tulip-style works best here as these are tall muffins
INGREDIENTS
For the muffin mix in a jar:
- 2 1/2 cups prepared Make-Ahead Muffin Mix
- 2 tablespoons powdered eggs (if you don't want to buy powdered eggs, omit this and add 2 eggs fresh at time of making the muffins)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or freeze-dried cranberries (Craisins may be used if storage will only be short-term)
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Needed for making the muffins:
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado)
- 1 1/8 cup water
For the optional streusel topping (not included in the jar):
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose white flour
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Ghirardelli sweet white chocolate powder (optional, but highly recommended)
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
INSTRUCTIONS
For the muffin mix in the jar:
- Using a funnel, add all mix ingredients into a clean, wide-mouth quart-sized mason jar in the order listed above. (You may need to tap down the ingredients towards the end to get them all to fit in.)
- Clean rim of jar, add oxygen absorber onto top of ingredients (optional), place lid on jar, and use jar sealer attachment with your vacuum sealer to seal lid to jar. Make sure the lid has sunk down in the middle (when pressed the lid should not push down or pop back up).
- Add ring (helps keep the lid from popping off when jostled), label with contents and date.
- Store in a cool, dry location. Or gift to anyone who could use some love. 😉
To make the muffins:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Carefully remove lid of jar and discard (also discard oxygen absorber if present).
- Pour contents of jar into a medium-sized bowl.
- Add in vanilla extract, oil, and water. (Also add in 2 eggs if you did not use the egg powder in the jar.)
- Stir gently until combined, but be careful to not overmix. Also be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure you have wet all ingredients.
- Line muffin tin with paper liners (tulip-style works best here) or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Using a #14 scoop or a 1/3 cup measuring cup, pour batter into recesses of prepared muffin tin.
For streusel topping:
- In separate bowl, add in flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and white cocoa powder (if using).
- Mix with a pastry cutter or fork to break up any clumps from the brown sugar.
- Add in melted butter and mix with pastry cutter or fork until clumps are the size of small peas.
- Pour by rounded tablespoon on top of each filled muffin recess (add it directly on top of the batter and lightly spread around if needed).
To bake:
- Bake muffins in 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden on top and baked through.
Made these for a neighborhood party and they were a huge hit! Definitely recommend the white chocolate streusel topping!