Cranberry-Pecan Muffins

• 1 3/4 cups toasted pecans
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing muffin tins
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 cups fresh cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grind 3/4 cup of the pecans in a food processor and set aside.
3. Chop the rest and set them aside.
4. Butter 18 muffin cups very well.
5. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar together.
6. Mix in the orange zest.
7. Add the eggs 1 at a time.
8. Mix in vanilla.
9. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground pecans.
10. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just to combine.
11. Gently stir in the cranberries and the chopped pecans.
12. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
13. Bake until the tops spring back when touched in the center, about 30 minutes.
14. Let cool in tins slightly before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

pecans, unsalted butter, sugar, orange zest, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, kosher salt, milk, fresh cranberries

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5512 (may not work)