Cranberry Orange Muffins

Full of natural orange flavor and fresh tart juicy cranberries, these perfectly sweetened Cranberry Orange Muffins are delicious! They are super moist with a tender crumb texture and the perfect way to start your day! 

Easy Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe

So cranberries! My husband loves them. Even raw! But for me, eating them raw is a no-go. I can’t just pop them into my mouth like blueberries. They are just too sour for my taste. But when used in baked goods with the addition of a little sugar all that tartness turns into something special. So in a recipe like my Cranberry Orange Bread or Cranberry Orange Cookies, I’m a big fan! 

And this recipe in some ways has aspects of both of those recipes! It’s a muffin, which is basically an individual-size quick break and it uses fresh orange. But these cranberry orange muffins aren’t sweet like cookies. They are perfectly balanced and rely on fresh fruit flavors, which makes them a perfect breakfast option that is on the healthy side. 

So if you like cranberries you are going to love these muffins! They are a great way to use that extra bag of cranberries you’ve got sitting in your fridge or freezer around the holiday season!​​

• Flour – Simple all-purpose flour is all you need for this recipe.
• Salt – A dash of salt balances the sweetness. 
• Baking Powder – Used as a leavening agent it helps the muffins rise.
• Orange Zest – Adds lovely hints of natural orange flavor
• Vegetable Oil – Any type of neutral vegetable oil like canola will work. 
• Milk – I always use whole milk or 2%, but any type of milk you have on hand is fine including dairy free varieties. 
• Orange Juice – Use fresh orange juice for the best flavor.
• Eggs – You will need large eggs to help bind the batter.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar is used to add a touch of sweetness. You can also use cane sugar.
• Brown Sugar – It has a natural touch of molasses in it that blends well with the orange. 
• Vanilla – I use vanilla extract but you can also use vanilla paste.
• Cranberries – You will need fresh or frozen cranberries.

This tasty muffin recipe is pretty simple to make! The batter takes just minutes to throw together and about 20 minutes to bake into beautiful cranberry orange muffins bursting with flavor!

Preheat The Oven And Prep The Muffin Tin

To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). It’s important that you turn the oven on first, so it’s hot once the batter is ready to bake. Then spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the muffins from sticking or use paper muffin liners if you prefer.

Make The Batter

Now, let’s start the batter! First, you need to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately. So combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and orange zest together in a large bowl.

Next, whisk together the vegetable oil, milk, orange juice, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.

Then add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and fold them together using a rubber spatula. Once there are no more large lumps of flour stop stirring. It’s important not to overmix the batter. 

Add The Cranberries

Before you add the cranberries to the batter, toss them together with a teaspoon of flour making sure to fully coat them in the flour. This helps to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins as well as helps to keep them juicy. Now, gently fold the cranberries into the muffin batter just until incorporated. 

Fill The Muffin Pan

First, divide the batter equally among the 12 muffin cups. I like to use an ice cream scooper to do this because it portions out the batter perfectly. Then if you like, top each muffin with a few more cranberries and sprinkle them with brown sugar.

Bake The Muffins

To bake, put the muffins in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are golden brown. A toothpick should come out clean when they are done. Then allow them to sit in the pan to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Can I Use Other Berries?

Yes, you can make this recipe using fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, cherries, or any other berries you like.

What Can I Add To The Muffins?

Muffin recipes are very versatile. You can easily add chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, or dried fruits to the batter. You can also add any variation of warm spices you want such as cinnamon or ginger.

Can I Make Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins?

Probably yes, but I’ve not tried. Just make sure to use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour that has xanthan gum in it, which acts as a replacement for the gluten that is naturally in all-purpose flour and the recipe should work perfectly.

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for about 2 to 3 days at room temperature or for about a week in the fridge. If you want to reheat them, just put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds or in the toaster oven for about 2 to 3 minutes.

You can also freeze the muffins for about 3 months in a sealed freezer bag. Then just allow them to thaw out at room temperature for a few hours before eating or reheating.

Other Delicious Muffins To Try

• Blueberry Muffins
• Pancake Muffins
• Banana Nut Muffins
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Chocolate Chip Muffins