Cranberry Orange Muffin
intro
Bright zesty orange and tart juicy cranberries star in these tender, fluffy domed muffins, perfect for cozy mornings and holiday treat spreads.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and tin
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position, then preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper baking liners, or lightly grease each cup with non-stick spray or melted butter to prevent sticking.
Whisk dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine 240g all-purpose flour (reserve 1 teaspoon to toss with cranberries later), 100g granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to evenly distribute all ingredients, breaking up any small clumps of leavening.
Mix wet ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, combine 57g cooled melted unsalted butter, 2 room-temperature large eggs, 180ml room-temperature whole milk, 60ml fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Whisk for 20 seconds until the mixture is smooth, with no visible streaks of unincorporated egg.
Fold in cranberries
First, toss 170g fresh cranberries with the reserved 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour in a small bowl until every berry is lightly coated (this prevents cranberries from sinking to the muffin bottoms during baking). Pour the full wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient bowl, then use a flexible rubber spatula to fold gently only 8-10 times. The batter will be thick and lumpy, with small streaks of dry flour remaining—this is normal. Add the flour-coated cranberries and fold 2-3 more times to distribute evenly, taking care not to overmix, as overmixing creates tough, dense muffins.
Portion batter evenly
Use a 3-tablespoon (45ml) cookie scoop or measuring spoon to divide the batter evenly between the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each liner roughly 2/3 full. Do not press or pack the batter down into the cups, as this will create a dense, heavy crumb.
Bake and cool muffins
Place the muffin tin on the preheated middle oven rack, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 18-20 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of a middle muffin: it should come out with 2-3 moist crumbs attached, not coated in wet batter and not completely clean. Once done, remove the tin from the oven, let muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
2.If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before tossing in flour and adding to batter; thawed cranberries release excess juice that discolors batter and creates soggy muffin bottoms.
3.For a crunchy, sweet bakery-style top, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of coarse turbinado sugar over the portioned batter right before baking for extra textural contrast.
OMG these cranberry orange muffins are SO good! I whipped them up for my kids’ before-school breakfast this week and they begged for seconds every single morning. The tart cranberry paired with the bright orange zest is *chef’s kiss*
Tried these for my office potluck last week and people were hounding me for the recipe! Super easy to throw together even for someone who burns toast half the time, lmao. Only thing I added was a tiny orange glaze on top, chef’s kiss.
I swapped the regular milk for oat milk and used flax eggs to make these vegan, and they turned out perfectly! Moist, fluffy, not too sweet. 10/10 will be making these all fall and winter.
Wait, is 35 minutes total cook time right? I’m in a tiny dorm kitchen with a janky old oven and I need something I can make between study sessions without missing my next lecture.
I’ve been making cranberry orange muffins for 40 years and this recipe is the easiest one I’ve ever tried! My grandkids picked every last crumb off the plate when they visited over the weekend. I did add a pinch of extra nutmeg because that’s my little secret.
Total game changer for my Sunday meal prep! These stay moist in the fridge for 4 whole days, and they freeze perfectly too. I grab one on my way out the door to work every morning and it pairs so good with my vanilla latte.
I tossed in a handful of chopped pecans to these because I love a little crunch in my muffins, and y’all, it was unreal. The nuttiness balances the sweet-tart cranberry so well. Will absolutely be making these for our Thanksgiving brunch spread.
Wait, do you use fresh or frozen cranberries for this? I have a big bag of frozen cranberries in my freezer from last holiday season and I’m dying to use them up instead of letting them get freezer burnt.
Made these for our family day hike last weekend, and they held up perfectly in the backpack! No crumbing apart, not too messy, and everyone (even my super picky 10 year old) ate two. Great portable snack.
I made these for my husband’s first birthday as a married couple, and he said they’re better than the muffins his mom makes (don’t tell her, lmao). The orange flavor is so bright and not artificial at all, which I was worried about with some recipes.
I swapped the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking flour, and these came out so fluffy I couldn’t even tell they were GF! Usually GF muffins are dense and crumbly, but these were perfect. 10/10 for my GF crew.
These were the perfect post-practice snack for my daughter’s soccer team! All the girls were raving about them, and a couple of the other moms asked for the link to the recipe. So easy to make a double batch too!
Wait, is there a way to cut the sugar a little? I prefer my muffins less sweet, more of a breakfast vibe than a cupcake vibe. I don’t want to mess up the texture by cutting too much though.
I made a batch to leave in the office break room yesterday, and they were GONE in 20 minutes. People were leaving sticky notes on my desk asking when I’d bring more in. Total rockstar move, thanks for the easy recipe!
I live in super dry Arizona, and I was worried these would dry out fast, but they stayed perfectly moist for 3 days on my counter in an airtight container! The orange zest really makes the whole kitchen smell amazing while they bake, too.
I added a little white chocolate drizzle on top of these for my neighborhood holiday potluck, and people were fighting over the last one! The white chocolate pairs so well with the tart cranberry and citrus, it’s insane. Who else has tried fun add-ins?