Cranberry Orange Muffins: Bright, Fresh, and Tender
These Cranberry Orange Muffins are soft, tender, and bursting with tart cranberries and bright fresh orange flavor. They’re easy to make and perfect for breakfast, brunch, holidays, or an afternoon snack.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease the cups.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk, fresh orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Combine the Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the muffins dense.
- Add the Cranberries: Gently fold the fresh or frozen cranberries into the batter, spreading them evenly throughout without crushing them.
- Fill the Muffin Pan: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Fill each cup generously, leaving enough space for the muffins to rise.
- Bake: Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool further.
- Serve: Serve the cranberry orange muffins warm or at room temperature. Enjoy them with coffee, tea, fresh fruit, or a drizzle of optional orange glaze.
Notes
- Recipe Tips: Fresh orange zest gives these muffins their brightest citrus flavor, so use a fresh orange rather than bottled orange flavoring when possible. Fresh or frozen cranberries both work well.
- Cranberries: If using frozen cranberries, you can add them directly to the batter without thawing. This helps prevent excess moisture from changing the texture.
- Don't Overmix: Fold the wet and dry ingredients together just until combined. Overmixing can make the muffins dense instead of soft and tender.
- Storage: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer storage. For longer-term storage, freeze individually wrapped muffins.
- Freezing: Freeze completely cooled muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat before serving.
- Optional Orange Glaze: For a sweeter finish, drizzle cooled muffins with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and fresh orange juice.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 19 g
- Calcium: 45 mg
- Iron: 1.5 mg
- Potassium: 100 mg