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These cranberry orange muffins are sweet, moist, and full of flavor!
I LOVE cranberry orange muffins! They have a bright, refreshing taste that just hits the spot.
My fiance and kids couldn’t agree more. The batch I made the other day only lasted until the next morning!
These muffins are great for breakfast or a mid day pick-me-up. Try them out, I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Do I have to use fresh cranberries?
Although I prefer to use fresh cranberries when they’re available, you can also use frozen.
If you’re using frozen cranberries, do not defrost them. Add them to the batter when they are frozen, and bake the muffins a few minutes longer, until the toothpick comes out clean.
How do you prevent the cranberries from floating to the top of the muffins?
When baking with fresh cranberries, they tend to float to the top. There is nothing wrong with this, but if you want the cranberries to be evenly distributed throughout the muffins, simply toss them with a little flour before folding them into the batter.
There is no need to do this with frozen cranberries, as they will stay evenly distributed while baking.
How do you store these muffins?
Store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Quickly zap them in the microwave to reheat them.
They can also be kept in the freezer in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator, for an hour at room temperature, or for a 30 seconds to a minute in the microwave.
How do you make cranberry orange muffins?
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour (+1 teaspoon if using fresh cranberries)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 1/2 cups of sugar
- 3/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice
- the zest of 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries
Orange Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425º F. Then, spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray, or line it with muffin/cupcake liners.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set it aside.
Step 3: Next, add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl (except the cranberries) and whisk until well combined.
Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently mix until everything is just combined. Don’t over mix.
Step 5: Fold the cranberries into the batter. If you’re using fresh cranberries, coat them with 1 teaspoon of flour before adding them to the batter.
Step 6: Divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups. I like to add a few more cranberries (not floured) to the top of each muffin for a nice presentation, but this is optional. Bake at 425º F for 5 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 375º F and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Step 7: While the muffins are baking, go ahead and make the glaze. Add the orange juice to a bowl, and add about half of the powdered sugar. Mix it together, and continue to add powdered sugar a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. You may not use all of the powdered sugar.
Step 8: Once the muffins are done baking, let them cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack or a plate. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins, and serve warm or let them cool all they way through. Enjoy!
Try these other baked goods!
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour +1 teaspoon if using fresh cranberries
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- zest of one orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
Orange Glaze
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º F. Then, spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray, or line it with muffin/cupcake liners.
- Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set it aside.
- Next, add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl (except the cranberries) and whisk until well combined.
- Fold the cranberries into the batter. If you’re using fresh cranberries, coat them with 1 teaspoon of flour before adding them to the batter.
- Divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups. I like to add a few more cranberries (not floured) to the top of each muffin for a nice presentation, but this is optional. Bake at 425º F for 5 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 375º F and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
- While the muffins are baking, go ahead and make the glaze. Add the orange juice to a bowl, and add about half of the powdered sugar. Mix it together, and continue to add powdered sugar a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. You may not use all of the powdered sugar.
- Once the muffins are done baking, let them cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack or a plate. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins, and serve warm or let them cool all they way through. Enjoy!
Notes
- I always prefer to use fresh cranberries when available.
- When zesting the orange, do it over your mixing bowl to make sure you get all of the oils from the orange.
- Store the muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, 5 days in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer.
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