Cranberry Orange Muffins are wonderfully sweet and tart! These quick and easy muffins are a great choice for a simple breakfast treat or a snack.
Cranberry Orange Muffins
These Cranberry Orange Muffins are one of my favorites to whip up for a breakfast treat or just for snacking. There’s nothing fancy about them. They’re just really good muffins that I think you’ll love every bit as much as we do!
I like to take full advantage of cranberry season with plenty of cranberry treats. I tend to have lots and lots of cranberries on-hand this time of year, and these Cranberry Orange Muffins are a great way to enjoy the wonderful flavor of those berries.
What You’ll Need
This is a very simple muffin recipe made with simple ingredients. You’ll start with some basic baking ingredients that you’re very likely to have on-hand. Just add cranberries and some orange zest and juice for lots of amazing flavor.
- All-purpose flour – Measure by weight if possible. Otherwise, spoon and sweep.
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Orange zest and juice – If you need a refresher, I’ve got some simple tips for zesting.
- Unsalted butter
- Sour cream – This is what gives the muffins their wonderfully soft texture. Full-fat sour cream works best.
- Eggs
- Cranberries – Fresh or frozen will work. If using frozen, there’s no need to thaw them.
- Sanding sugar – This is optional, but I love the little sparkle and extra sweetness that a sprinkling of coarse sugar adds to these muffins.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins
As with most muffins, these mix quickly and easily. There’s nothing unusual here if you’re familiar with the Muffin Method. You’ll just need a mixing bowl, a mixing spoon, and some measuring cups to go from ingredients to batter in short order.
Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease 12 standard muffin cups or line them with paper liners. (I like to use liners when I know I’ll need to transport the muffins or when they’re likely to be a grab-and-go treat. Keep in mind that liners tend to give you softer edges, whereas not using liners gives you crisper edges.)
Combine the dry ingredients and sugar. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest. Make a well in the center.
Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together the cooled butter, sour cream, eggs, and orange juice.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add the butter mixture to the well in the flour mixture. Stir just until combined. The batter will be thick, thanks to the sour cream.
Add the cranberries. Gently stir them into the batter.
Portion the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the prepare muffin cups. I like to use a scoop to transfer the batter. Not only does that make the process quicker, but it also helps make sure that you’ll get the same amount of batter in each cup for even baking. If you like, sprinkle the tops of each with sanding sugar.
Bake the muffins. Check for doneness after 20 to 24 minutes. The muffins should be golden brown, and a pick inserted into the center should come out clean.
Cool the muffins. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer the muffins from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Store Cranberry Orange Muffins
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The muffins can be reheated briefly in the microwave or for a few minutes in the oven until heated.
How to Freeze Cranberry Orange Muffins
Place the cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container or bag. For extra protection, first wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Properly stored, the muffins should keep up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for an hour or so at room temperature.
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Cranberry Orange Muffins are a simple celebration of sweet, tart cranberries with a hint of orange.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- zest of 1 medium orange
- 1/2 cup (113) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup (170g) sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
- 1 cup cranberries
- sanding sugar, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line or grease 12 standard muffin cups.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest. Make a well in the center of the mixture.
- Combine the cooled butter, sour cream, eggs, and orange juice. Add to the flour mixture, and mix just until combined.
- Gently stir in the cranberries.
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, using about 3 tablespoons of batter per cup. If desired, sprinkle the tops of each muffins with sanding sugar.
- Bake 20 to 24 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
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8 Comments on “Cranberry Orange Muffins”
These look wonderful! Can you tell me if you used fresh or dried cranberries? Thanks for posting.
Hi, Angela. I used fresh cranberries.
Can’t wait to try. Did you chop the cranberries or leave whole?
Hi, Barb. I left them whole, but you can chop them if you prefer.
Hi! I love your muffins! Do you know the calories per muffin? I baked these before I started to count calories. Thank you!
Thanks, Bernice! I’m working on adding nutritional information for all of my recipes, so it will hopefully be available soon.
The flavor of these muffins is wonderful with the combo of melted butter, sour cream, cinnamon, orange juice with the cranberries. They come together to make a perfectly delicious muffin that is not too sweet. This recipe is a keeper to make for cranberry season.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Julie!