Diner Style Cranberry Walnut Muffins (Secret Recipe Club)

One of the things I love most about the Secret Recipe Club is that it exposes me to some great blogs that I've never seen before.  This month is no exception.  Amber, who writes Bluebonnets and Brownies, is originally from Texas and currently lives in the great state of NJ :)  As soon as I received my assignment I headed right over to the blog (as usual) and immediately fell in love.  Amber's got some great recipes - it was tough to pick just one!

One thing NJ is well known for is their diners.  The fact that you can go pretty much anywhere in the state and get a kick ass meal round the clock is awesome.  So when I saw Amber's recipe for these muffins, which were called "diner style", I had to try them out.

These muffins were delicious!  I'm not sure I agree that they're diner style, though.  The muffins I usually see in the diners around here are way bigger (yeah, I guess if I had a big muffin pan, mine would be too) and fluffier.  Still, they were good, and very easy to make.

I'm looking forward to trying more of Amber's recipes...be sure to check out her blog if you haven't done so before!

Diner Style Cranberry Walnut Muffins
from Bluebonnets and Brownies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
3 cups pancake mix
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
3/4 cup cranberries (I used frozen, which I thawed first)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
turbinado sugar for topping (optional...I wanted to use it and forgot!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cream sugar and butter together in mixing bowl.  Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.  Add pancake mix in one cup at a time, also fully incorporating each time.

Scrape bowl down then add milk while mixing on low speed.  Fold cranberries and walnuts in by hand.

Spoon mix into paper lined cups evenly.  Sprinkle with sugar if using.  Bake for 25-35 minutes.  Cool before removing from pan.