These Cranberry Orange Muffins are full of tangy cranberries, sweet flavor thanks to the orange juice, and are incredibly moist. Did I mention they are also covered in a delicate orange glaze? These sweet muffins are perfect not only for breakfast but also for brunch, lunch, or a mid-afternoon snack!
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Cranberry and orange is the perfect flavor combination that most people don’t even know the awesomeness of. The 2 go together just like peanut butter and chocolate, lemon and blueberry, and is a flavor combination that if you have not tried yet you for sure need to.
These moist cranberry muffins are perfect for breakfasts, snacks, and packing in the lunch box. They are soft and flavorful and one of our favorites.
These cranberry orange muffins are simple to make and made with basic ingredients which makes them perfect for making in the morning for breakfast. Just add the ingredients together in a bowl, mix them up, put the muffin batter into a muffin tin, and bake. Once they are baked, let them cool for a few minutes and then add a dollop of butter and enjoy.
These muffins are light and fluffy and oh so delicious. You won’t be able to stop at just one they are that good! Every single bite of these muffins is loaded with cranberries and orange flavors. Topped with a sweet orange glaze just adds to the amazing flavor, and while you can leave the glaze off I highly suggest adding it. The glaze adds just a bit more orange flavor to the muffins making them perfect.
Easy Muffin Recipes
- Blueberry Streusel Muffins
- Mini blueberry muffins
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Banana Coconut muffins
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Blueberry Banana Muffins
Tips for Making the best homemade Muffins
Gently stir the batter. When you are mixing the batter you don’t want to over stir. You also want to make sure you don’t mash the banana chunks when you add them in to the mix.
Room temperature ingredients. Having room temperature milk, butter and eggs when making muffins is going to give you perfectly fluffy muffins every time. When you use room temperature ingredients you get a smooth mixture that traps the air when mixing and then gives you fluffy muffins as they bake in the oven.
Best Muffin tin liners. When making muffins I love using silicone muffin cups because they bake nicely and then we can reuse them. I never have to worry about not having muffin cups when baking. You can also get the mini muffin silicone cups to use in the mini muffin pans, which are great for the younger kiddos or if you don’t want to have regular muffins.
Can I Make these into Mini Muffins?
Yes you can. You can use a regular sized muffin pan or a mini muffin tin when you are making these muffins. If you are using a mini muffin tin then you will want to cut down on the bake time by half, then check the muffins.
Fresh or frozen Cranberries?
You can use fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries to make these orange cranberry muffins. I prefer to use fresh but if you can not find fresh frozen will work just fine.
How Long Do Muffins Stay Fresh?
At room temperature, these muffins will stay fresh for two to three days. If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, these muffins will stay fresh for about a week.
How to Serve Homemade Muffins
I’m a big fan of eating muffins warm straight from the oven! Otherwise, I always pop them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to warm them before enjoying them.
Can I Freeze Homemade Muffins?
Yes! These Muffins are perfect for freezing. Allow them to cool completely, then place in a freezer ziploc bag in a single layer. Lay flat in the freezer. They’ll last for up to 6 months frozen – though if your house is anything like mine, they’ll disappear way before that.
To enjoy later, just pop your frozen muffin in the microwave for 30-45 seconds and you’re good to go!
Cranberry Orange Muffins Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange extract or zest from 1 fresh orange
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- Orange zest (optional)
How to Make Cranberry Orange muffins
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Prepare the muffin tins with non-stick spray or paper liners and set it aside.
Set the butter on the counter so it can soften.
In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon) and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with a paddle attachment (if using a stand mixer) until creamy (approximately 1 – 2 minutes) then add in the white granulated sugar and beat the ingredients together for another 3 – 4 minutes until they are creamy and thoroughly combined.
Turn the mixer to low and add in the eggs, one at a time. Next, add in the orange extract and the vanilla extract.
Next, add in the milk and the orange juice. Continue mixing on low until everything is thoroughly mixed together.
Turn the mixer off and add in ½ of the dry ingredients, turn the mixer back on low, and mix. Then repeat that process until you have mixed the dry and wet together completely. However, make sure that you are not overmixing the batter.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Fold in the cranberries and if using orange zest in lieu of the orange extract, add your zest now.
Scoop the batter into the muffin tins filling each tin approximately 2/3rd of the way full.
Place the muffins into the oven and BAKE FOR 3 MINUTES at 425 THEN lower the temp to 325 and continue baking 15 – 20 minutes. You will want to start watching your time at the 15 minute mark as each oven bakes differently.
To test for doneness, remove the tin from the oven and stick a toothpick or cake tester into the middle of the muffin. If it comes out clear, the muffin is done.
Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin then remove to a wire rack to allow them to continue cooling. While they are cooling, prepare the glaze.
How to Make orange glaze
To make the glaze, in a medium sized bowl, add in the powdered sugar and the orange juice and stir together with a spoon. If the glaze is too dry, add more liquid. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar.
Test the glaze and if you feel it needs more orange flavor, add in ¼ teaspoon of orange extract or orange zest at a time until you get the desired flavor you are looking for.
Using a spoon, spread the glaze over the muffins and allow them to finish cooling.
Serve and enjoy.
More Cranberry Recipes
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Muffins Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange extract or zest from 1 fresh orange
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Orange Glaze ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- Orange zest optional
Instructions
How to Make Cranberry Orange muffins
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Prepare the muffin tins with non-stick spray or paper liners and set it aside.
- Set the butter on the counter so it can soften.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon) and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with a paddle attachment (if using a stand mixer) until creamy (approximately 1 – 2 minutes) then add in the white granulated sugar and beat the ingredients together for another 3 – 4 minutes until they are creamy and thoroughly combined.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in the eggs, one at a time. Next, add in the orange extract and the vanilla extract.
- Next, add in the milk and the orange juice. Continue mixing on low until everything is thoroughly mixed together.
- Turn the mixer off and add in ½ of the dry ingredients, turn the mixer back on low, and mix. Then repeat that process until you have mixed the dry and wet together completely. However, make sure that you are not overmixing the batter.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Fold in the cranberries and if using orange zest in lieu of the orange extract, add your zest now.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin tins filling each tin approximately 2/3rd of the way full.
- Place the muffins into the oven and BAKE FOR 3 MINUTES at 425 THEN lower the temp to 325 and continue baking 15 – 20 minutes. You will want to start watching your time at the 15 minute mark as each oven bakes differently.
- To test for doneness, remove the tin from the oven and stick a toothpick or cake tester into the middle of the muffin. If it comes out clear, the muffin is done.
- Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin then remove to a wire rack to allow them to continue cooling. While they are cooling, prepare the glaze.
How to Make orange glaze
- To make the glaze, in a medium sized bowl, add in the powdered sugar and the orange juice and stir together with a spoon. If the glaze is too dry, add more liquid. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar.
- Test the glaze and if you feel it needs more orange flavor, add in ¼ teaspoon of orange extract or orange zest at a time until you get the desired flavor you are looking for.
- Using a spoon, spread the glaze over the muffins and allow them to finish cooling.
- Serve and enjoy.
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