Cranberry Orange Muffins

Exceptionally delicious Cranberry Orange Muffins are a must make this holiday season! Incredibly moist with a wonderfully tender crumb, this cranberry orange muffin recipe is beautifully flavored with fresh oranges and dried cranberries. Truly a memorable addition to any holiday breakfast or brunch! Hosting brunch this year? Make sure to try my Lemon Blueberry Bread and Cranberry Orange Bread!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Last week my next door neighbor dropped of my yearly delivery of oranges (from their tree).  It’s a special treat I look forward to each year (usually just after Christmas). I can see their giant orange tree from my yard, but can’t quite reach it, so it’s sweet that they bring me a big bag of oranges when they ripen each year. 

I usually just make juice or smoothies with the oranges, but since I am a baker through and through I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to work up a recipe using the delicious fruit.

Cranberry Orange Muffin Recipe

I had a bag of dried cranberries left over from some Christmas baking, so I thought some cranberry orange muffins could be a nice treat.  As I usually do when I have a recipe idea, I searched through my cookbooks and the internet for recipe ideas. I found a few that sounded good… read up on all the reviews and notes in each recipe, and added a few ideas of my own to create the final recipe. 

I often have to make (and adjust) a recipe several times before I’m happy with it, but these were wonderful the first time!  Of course you are welcome to adjust it to your tastes… substituting some of the flour with whole wheat flour would add some health benefits, or you could go the other way and and top them with a glaze made with some powdered sugar, a bit of butter and orange juice. 

When To Serve Muffins

The aroma of these Cranberry Orange Muffins baking will immediately get you in the mood for the holidays! You’re going to love how moist and flavorful these muffins are. Packed with sweet orange flavor and studded with tart cranberries in every bite. These muffins will make a fabulous addition to holiday celebrations and would be perfect for Christmas brunch.

Searching for more incredible muffin recipes? Check out my Pumpkin Muffins, Raspberry Lemon Muffins, and Morning Glory Muffins!

Cranberries offer a perfectly tart flavor that pairs amazingly with oranges. If you haven’t tried this amazing flavor combination, let today be the day! So refreshing and light, these muffins are sure to be a new favorite. Try out some of these tasty cranberry recipes:

• Cranberry Pistachio Cookie Bars
• Easy Cranberry Almond Scones
• Cranberry Orange Cookies
• Cranberry White Chocolate Bars
• Extra Delicious Cranberry Orange Bread

What You’ll Need

Grab yourself a cup of hot tea or coffee and these ingredients to make this cranberry orange muffin recipe:

• Dried Cranberries – use the dried sweetened cranberries for this recipe.
• Fresh Grated Orange Zest – The lightness and zesty flavors of the orange zest is a must.
• Fresh Orange Juice – The key is using fresh-squeezed orange juice. Nothing is better than that flavor, but you could use store-bought if you are in a hurry.
• All-Purpose Flour – Keeps the muffins together and provides structure.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda – these two ingredients are the leaveners in this recipe.
• Salt – Adding a little bit of salt to baked goods brings out the natural sweetness.
• Ground Ginger – this is optional but I love that little zest it adds to the muffins.
• Unsalted Butter – You’ll need the butter at room temperature before beginning.
• Granulated Sugar – You’ll just need some plain white granulated sugar, and it’s just the right amount.
• Eggs – The eggs are important to bind the ingredients. If you are egg-free, you can swap them for ¼ cup of yogurt, applesauce, or mashed banana.
• Vanilla Extract – Nothing is better than some pure vanilla extract. Once in a while, though, I will swap it for almond extract, and it’s incredible.
• Orange Extract – Helps to amp up the orange flavor in these muffins.
• Cooking Oil – Use vegetable, canola or light olive oil.
• Milk – any fat content will work here but I recommend whole milk.

Making The Muffins

These muffins take just minutes to pull together and about 20 minutes to bake. You can enjoy the muffins while still warm, or when cooled.  They are best the day they are made, but are still very good the following day. Let’s get started!

1. Preheat oven line a muffin/cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. Zest and juice one whole orange.
3. Combine orange juice and cranberries in a small saucepan and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring as needed.  
4. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger in a large bowl and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, orange zest and sugar until light and fluffy. You’ll want to use either a hand mixer or stand mixer for this step.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the eggs (one at a time), vanilla extract, orange extract, and oil. Blend until well combined.
7. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk (add about half of the flour mixture, then some milk, then the rest of the flour, and the rest of the milk). Finally, fold in the dried cranberries. 
8. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan and bake muffins for about 20 minutes
9. Cool muffins on a wire cooling rack.

Tips For The Ultimate Cranberry Orange Muffins

Check out these tips to ensure you have amazing muffins:

• Measure the ingredients precisely otherwise the muffins may end up dense or not as appealing.
• Use fresh ingredients so the muffins rise properly, and you get the best flavor.
• Use parchment or good quality liners so the muffins don’t stick to the paper. I used these exact muffin liners. They are Panettone liners that are freestanding and a bit larger than standard muffin liners. Here is another option with a different print.
• Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick, there should be moist crumbs, but not wet batter when you remove.

FAQs

How long do these muffins last? If kept in an airtight container, the muffins will last 3-4 days. It can be kept at room temperature. They are best the day of and the second day.

How many muffins will this recipe make? If you are making standard size muffins, you will end up with 12 muffins. If you make large muffins using large liners or a jumbo muffin pan, you can expect 8 muffins. 

Can I freeze this cranberry orange muffin recipe? Yes, you can. Let the muffins cool completely then wrap with plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Put it in an airtight container or freezer safe bag. The muffins will last 4 to 6 months and can be thawed on the counter before serving.

Variations To Try

We love these muffins just the way they are, but sometimes we like to add in some extra yummy goodness. Here are a few ideas:

1. Add any of your favorite nuts like walnuts, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts.
2. Use lemon zest and juice instead of orange for a tantalizing flavor.
3. Toss in ¼ – ½ cup of raisins to the dough for a fun twist.
4. Top with the glaze below and sprinkle with some chopped Candied Orange Peel.

Optional Glaze

These muffins are delicious on their own but if you’d like to add a glaze here’s what you’ll need: 

• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, orange juice, and melted butter in a bowl. If it’s too thin, add an additional tablespoon of powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze all over the top of the muffins and let it set. Add another layer of glaze if you want.

More Orange Recipes

1. Chocolate Orange Cake
2. Cranberry Orange Bread
3. Orange Zest Sugar Cookies
4. Candied Orange Peel
5. Cranberry Orange Cookies

How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Exceptionally delicious Cranberry Orange Muffins are a must make this holiday season! Incredibly moist with a wonderfully tender crumb, this cranberry orange muffin recipe is beautifully flavored with fresh oranges and dried cranberries. Truly a memorable addition to any holiday breakfast or brunch!

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients

 

• 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest the zest of one whole orange
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 2 tablespoons oil vegetable, canola or olive
• 1/2 cup milk any fat content but whole milk preferred

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• Zest one whole orange (making about 1 Tablespoon of zest) and set aside.
• Squeeze the juice from that one orange (about 1/3 cup).
• Put the orange juice (if needed, add some prepared orange juice to the fresh juice to make 1/3 cup) and the cranberries in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer about 5 minutes, stirring as needed. Turn off heat and set aside.
• In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, orange zest and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Scrape down the side of the bowl, then add in the eggs (one at a time), vanilla, orange extract, and oil. Blend until well combined.
• Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk (add about half of the flour mixture, then some milk,then the rest of the flour, and the rest of the milk). Fold in the cranberries. Do not over mix.
• Scoop batter into prepared muffin/cupcake pan.
• Bake muffins about 20 minutes (test with a toothpick, there should be moist crumbs, but not wet).
• Cool muffins on a wire cooling rack.

Notes

Yields about 8 large or 12 medium (standard) muffins.

Tools Needed

hand mixer or stand mixer | muffin liners (Panettone liners that are freestanding) or this one OR use a standard muffin pan

Optional Glaze 

• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, orange juice, and melted butter in a bowl. If it’s too thin, add an additional tablespoon of powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze all over the top of the muffins and let it set. Add another layer of glaze if you want.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 146mgPotassium: 64mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 306IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg

Keyword cranberry orange muffins

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published January 9, 2011.