Step 1

Freeze the cranberries hard.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with paper liners or spray them well.

Step 3

Cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Step 4

Add the vanilla and almond extracts as well as the grated orange rind, mixing in completely.

Step 5

Scrape down and add the eggs one at a time.  Beat until light and completely combined.

Step 6

In the meantime, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix together.

Step 7

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

Step 8

Add the flour and milk alternately, starting and ending with the flour in thirds and the milk twice.

Step 9

Last, place the cranberries in a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop.  Add to the batter and mix in just until well combined.  The batter will be stiff at this point because the cranberries are frozen.

Step 10

Fill the cups 3/4 full.  This applies to whatever size you are using.

Step 11

Sprinkle the tops liberally with the sugar/nutmeg mix.

Step 12

Regular size muffins – bake  24 to 26 minutes – makes about 20 muffins

Step 13

Mini size muffins - bake 117 to 20 minutes - makes about 40

Step 14

Texas size muffins - bake 27 to 30 minutes - makes about 10 to 12