Cranberry Sauce Streusel Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Use leftover cranberry sauce to fill these coffee cake-like muffins, which can be mostly prepped ahead and finished on a morning after Thanksgiving. Serve with extra cranberry sauce alongside.

Streusel topping

¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces

Muffins

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature ½ cup packed light brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest 2 large eggs, at room temperature ¾ cup sour cream 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 1¾ teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ cup milk ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce, plus more for serving

To make the streusel topping: In a bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the butter and rub into the dry mixture with your fingers until you have pea-sized crumbs. Place in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter.

To make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a muffin tin and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugars and lemon zest until lighter in color, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the sour cream and the vanilla, mixing well after each addition. Stir the dry ingredients together, and add to the wet ingredients in two parts, adding the milk in between. Take care not to overmix.

Add the batter to the muffin tin so that it comes halfway up the sides of each cup. Spoon about 1½ teaspoons of cranberry sauce into the middle of each muffin, and top with remaining batter. The batter should come up just under the tops of the muffin cups. Sprinkle the batter evenly with the streusel topping.

Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pushed. Cool on a rack; serve with extra cranberry sauce for spreading.

Per serving: 269 calories, 15 g fat (9 g saturated), 66 mg cholesterol, 298 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle; styling by Amanda Gold Thanksgiving leftovers can be pressed into service the morning after: Mashed Potato Waffles, top, and Cranberry Sauce Streusel Muffins, above, make an easy breakfast.