Cranberry Orange Muffins

Light, moist, and delicate, these cakey muffins have a subtle orange flavor that complements the dried cranberries perfectly. It’s an incredibly simple recipe to make and perfect for the holiday season!

Cranberries are an amazing, delightful ingredient that’s perfect for the holiday season. While I love the holiday staples, like pumpkin pie and apple crumble, it’s time to shed some light on the glorious cranberry. These cranberry orange muffins are so incredibly moist and bursting with flavor. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or serve them alongside your Thanksgiving turkey this year! You really can’t go wrong with these babies.

How to make cranberry orange muffins

These muffins can be made in about 5 minutes!

1. Combine the dry ingredients. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
2. Mix together the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, melted butter, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, and buttermilk.
3. Combine the two. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and gently whisk together until smooth. Then, fold in the dried cranberries.
4. Bake. Fill lined muffin cups evenly with batter, a little more than 3/4 of the way full. Place in a 400°F oven, and bake! That’s it.

I like to use both melted butter and oil in this recipe. Butter for taste and delicate crumb, and oil for fluffiness and moisture. And this muffin is all of those things – fluffy, moist and delicate. The buttermilk adds moisture as well.

Tips for making perfect cranberry orange muffins

• Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix the ingredients together just until combined. Overmixing will result in tougher, denser muffins, and we want them light and fluffy.
• Weigh your ingredients for accuracy. While you can certainly create delicious muffins by measuring your ingredients by volume, measuring by weight is the most accurate way to ensure proper measurements.
• Bake just until the muffins appear golden brown. To avoid dry muffins, pull them out from the oven as soon as they appear done and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Drizzle with melted white chocolate. For added indulgence, try drizzling these muffins with melted white chocolate once they’re cooled. This takes them over the top and makes them truly decadent!

More amazing muffin recipes:

• Pecan Pie Muffins: Another amazing holiday muffin recipe, these taste just like sticky pecan pie in muffin form.
• Lemon White Chocolate Muffins: Creamy white chocolate and zesty lemon come together for a rich, cake-like muffin.
• Strawberry Ricotta Muffins: These rich, indulgent muffins are extra moist and delicious.
• Peach Muffins: Want a muffin that tastes like summer? These are made with juicy peaches and cream for a sensational treat!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

YIELD: 12 standard-size muffins

 

Light, moist, delicate and cakey muffins with a subtle orange flavor and bursting with cranberries.

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Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup canola oil (or vegetable, safflower)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (one orange should be enough)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (1-2 oranges)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C degrees. Butter 12 muffin cups or line them with muffin liners.

2. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add sugar and mix. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, orange juice and zest, vanilla and orange extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula just until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in dried cranberries.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 8 minutes before removing from pan.

Recipe Notes

- Muffins are best the same day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Muffins can be frozen for up to 2 months.

If you love oranges, try this moist chocolate-orange cake:

Chocolate Orange Marble Cake