These Cranberry Orange Muffins are some of my favorite winter treats! They have the best crispy sugar crust and are filled with fresh orange and cranberry flavors (with a secret warming hint of cinnamon!).
This recipe uses my favorite fluffy muffin base that is used in these blueberry muffins with lemon and cardamon, the best raspberry chocolate chip muffins, and these cream cheese and apple butter muffins! The Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins inspired this base and it has always been my go-to; it makes the best fluffy muffins with a great texture.
I love muffins. I love that they have more flavor and are just a little denser than cake, which makes them so satisfying to bite into. These are full of cranberry and orange flavors and are an easy treat to throw together for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
These are constantly on my Thanksgiving breakfast menu, along with the best hoe cake (aka fried cornbread or corncakes). They also make great gifts for loved ones for the holidays!
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⭐ Why I love this recipe:
- They are bursting with the best flavors of winter! These muffins have the best flavors of the citrus season! The base is an orange muffin, and then loads of fresh cranberries are mixed in.
- Crunchy sugar top with a moist, fluffy center! These two textures give these muffins the most satisfying bite!
- Easy To Make: This recipe is so simple and comes together all in one bowl!
📋 Key Ingredients:
- Eggs: eggs serve as a reliable binding agent for all the ingredients while helping make the muffins rise.
- All-purpose flour: AP flour is responsible for providing the muffins with structural integrity, holding everything together.
- Sugar: sugar is what gives these muffins their delightful sweetness and flavor.
- Cranberries: These little red gems are the secret stars, adding tartness and color while creating fruity pockets in the muffins. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries.
- Orange Zest: The orange zest adds a refreshing and aromatic twist, infusing a burst of orange flavor to complement the cranberries and balance the sweetness.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 How to make this recipe:
Step 1. Start by pressing the orange zest into the sugar, then beat with the butter until light and fluffy.
Step 2. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well mixed. Followed by the milk and vanilla.
Step 3. Fold in the dry ingredients until just a few streaks of flour remain. Then, fold in the cranberries.
Step 4. Add the batter to a lined muffin pan, sprinkle the sugar on top of each muffin, and bake for 30 - 35 minutes.
💭 Expert tips!
- Avoid excessive mixing of the batter; achieving the ideal muffin texture relies on simply blending the batter.
- To introduce a delightful crunch and a nutty taste, incorporate chopped nuts either into the muffin batter or sprinkle them on top.
- Opt for room-temperature milk and butter to ensure smooth integration with the other components.
📖 Variations and Substitutions
If you are a nut fan:
- Cranberry Orange Walnut Muffins: Add ½ -1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for a nutty crunch.
- Almond Orange Muffins: Mix in chopped almonds for a subtle almond flavor.
A Chocolate version of these muffins would also be delicious!
- Chocolate Orange Muffins: Add ½ cup chocolate chips or chunks for a delightful chocolate-orange combination.
- Chocolate Cranberry Muffins: Combine 1 cup chocolate chips with cranberries and leave out the orange zest!
Add different spices for a gingery or floral muffin!
- Cranberry Orange Ginger Muffins: Add 1-2 teaspoons of grated ginger for a spicy kick.
- Cranberry Orange Cardamom Muffins: switch out the cinnamon for ground cardamom for a unique twist.
FAQ's
You can, but that would make a sweeter and less tart muffin. I would add 1 ½ cups of dried cranberries to ensure that great cranberry flavor comes through.
Store these muffins in an air-tight container at room temp for 2-3 days and up to 5 days in a refrigerator.
I would make a simple orange glaze of powdered sugar and orange juice.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Bakery Style Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Muffin
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Cranberry Orange Muffins are some of my favorite winter treats! They have the best crispy sugar crust and are filled with fresh orange and cranberry flavors (with a secret warming hint of cinnamon!).
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup softened butter
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups cranberries
- 3 teaspoons coarse sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 and line a muffin pan.
- Start by pressing the orange zest into the sugar, then beat with the butter until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until well mixed.
- Next, mix in the milk and vanilla.
- Toss 1 tablespoon of the flour in with the cranberries then fold in the remaining flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon until just a few streaks of flour remain. Then, fold in the cranberries.
- Add the batter to the lined muffin pan and sprinkle the sugar on top of each muffin.
- Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop to add the batter to the muffin tin - this makes sure your muffins are uniform and makes scooping batter so much easier.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can refrigerate or freeze the cookie dough balls, just bring them to room temperature before baking. This can take about 1 hour for refrigerated dough and 2 hours for frozen dough.
- *Measure your flour properly. This is my best baking tip! I typically fluff my flour then scoop and level.
elizabeth says
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