BEST Cranberry Sauce Muffins

Not sure what to do with that leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday meal? You're going to love these cranberry sauce muffins! We're taking this breakfast treat to the next level with a delectable mashup of croissant-meets-muffin + cranberries that's so delicious.

There’s really no wrong or right way to use your leftover cranberry sauce when adding it to your baking recipes. In this leftover cranberry sauce muffins recipe the sauce is used as a thin filling spread over crescent roll dough that is rolled up and baked in a muffin pan.

These cranberry muffins are truly quick and easy to make and you may find yourself finding excuses to have leftover cranberry sauce in your home, even without a holiday nearby!

Or maybe you’ll end up making fresh cranberry sauce just so you can have these awesome cranberry muffins again. No judgment at all from here. I have even done that myself.

Looking for more tasty ways to enjoy cranberries? Try this delicious cranberry balsamic sauce and our popular cranberry margarita.

Why You Will Love This Cranberry Sauce Muffin Recipe

• Use Up Leftover Cranberry Sauce. An easy and tasty way to repurpose your leftover cranberry sauce, turning it into a delightful breakfast or snack.
• Muffins But Better. Croissant dough replaces the muffin batter and is rolled up and baked in a muffin pan. Croissant + Muffin = Cruffins!! They have the shape of a muffin but the texture of a croissant.
• Easy to Make. These muffins cook up so soft and tasty. Even better they're totally customizable to make this recipe your own.

Ingredients

Here's a look at the simple ingredients you need to make these cranberry muffins.

• Refrigerated Crescent Rolls: The foundation of these wonderful cruffins. You can use any size or brand of refrigerated crescent rolls for this recipe. I used the original small-sized crescent rolls. If you use larger crescent rolls, you will need to increase the baking time.
• Leftover Cranberry Sauce: Use your leftovers from your holiday dinner. I love this Easy Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce. Whole berry or jellied cranberry sauce can both be used for this recipe. Just make sure to mash the cranberry sauce up with a fork before spreading it out onto the crescent rolls.
• Flour: Just a bit for dusting your work surface.
• Powdered Sugar: Totally optional but I like to add a sprinkle of it over the top before serving.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

Cruffin Variations

• Add Nuts: Add a sprinkling of your favorite chopped or crushed nuts on top of cranberry sauce like hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, or walnuts to give your cruffins added crunch.
• Add Spices: Add a light dusting of cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice for a warm flavor blended with your cranberry sauce.
• Toppings: Add a drizzle of a simple glaze of blended milk and powdered sugar or your favorite frosting over the top.
• Add Some Citrus: Add some lemon or orange zest over the top of your cranberry sauce.

How to Make Cranberry Sauce Muffins

There is honestly no more satisfying way to deal with Thanksgiving leftovers than to bake something like these cranberry muffins with leftover cranberry sauce. Here's how to do it.

1. Open both cans of croissants.
2. Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Make sure the perforations are no longer there as best you can.

3. Spread the cranberry sauce over the top of one layer of dough.
4. Lay the second layer of crescent dough on top.

5. Starting at one of the short ends of the dough, roll up the dough using firm yet gentle pressure.
6. Make 5 slices into the rolled dough so you end up with 6 pieces.

7. Place each roll in a prepared muffin tray or tin.
8. Bake for 18- 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a cooling rack.

9. Top with powdered sugar and serve!

⭐️ Hint: Make sure to taste your cranberry sauce before spreading it on your crescent dough to make sure you don't want to add anything else to it like sugar.

If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our cranberry apple sauce.

Storage

Storing: Store your leftover cruffins in an air-tight container for about 2 days at room temperature or in the fridge. You can also freeze cooled cruffins for up to a month in freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

What to Serve with Cruffins

They pair with a dollop of cranberry sauce for dipping, turkey, stuffing or green beans on the side for a post-Thanksgiving treat.

Enjoy them for breakfast with a glass of cranberry juice, your favorite cup of coffee, or a cup of spiced herbal tea.

Spread with butter, homemade almond butter, jam, or this bacon butter for a savory and sweet combination.

Serve them up for a post-holiday brunch with other favorites like my jalapeno breakfast casserole, easy sheet pan breakfast, or some pancake sausage bites.

Tips

This is a straightforward recipe but there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Watch the Edges. Stay away from the edges when spreading the cranberry sauce on the dough so the filling doesn’t spill out.
• Using Whole Berry Sauce? If you’re using whole-berry cranberry to make muffins, try and mash the berries a bit before spreading them on top of your crescent dough. It will make rolling much easier.
• Bake in the Center. Place your muffin tray in the center of the oven to allow for the most even heat distribution.
• Don't Over Bake. Keep an eye on the baking time while your muffins are in the oven. This prevents them from becoming too dark as all ovens vary slightly in temperature.

FAQ

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More Easy Muffin Recipes

Looking for something completely different? Try our Coffee Doughnut Muffins, perfect for coffee drinkers! Here are some recipes you may also like to try.

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

This post was originally published November 2020. It has been updated with new images and content.