This cranberry orange muffins recipe strikes a delightful balance between sweet and tart. The cranberries pop with flavor in every bite, making these muffins both satisfying and easy to prepare.
I adore muffins, even those without chocolate. If you follow this blog, you know I often sneak in chocolate chips, much to Christopher’s dismay — but not with these muffins. Adding chocolate would change their bright, citrusy profile, and I wanted to preserve the memory of these muffins from my childhood.
Helpful tips
- If you don’t have frozen cranberries, dried cranberries will work, though they will make the muffins slightly sweeter.
- Frozen cranberries are essentially fresh cranberries preserved at peak ripeness, so you can use them straight from the freezer without thawing.
- I stock up on cranberries during the holidays so I can enjoy them year-round.
- A pastry blender is great for breaking up clumps when mixing dry ingredients.
- Always wash citrus before zesting. Use a little unscented hand soap and a vegetable brush, then rinse thoroughly under cold water.
- You can use store-bought orange juice or squeeze one ounce of fresh juice from the orange you zest — fresh adds a lovely brightness.
- If you like larger muffins, fill the cups to the top; for domed tops, fill them about 3/4 full.
- I skip streusel or glaze to keep the muffins’ flavor balanced between sweet and tart.
- Store muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for a few weeks, or freeze them in a single layer inside a zip-top bag.
How to make cranberry orange muffins
Pre-step
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Gather a mixing bowl, muffin tin, paper liners, and a rubber spatula. Line your muffin tin with liners — I make ten larger muffins.
Step one
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Step two
Whisk or use a pastry blender to break up any lumps and ensure the dry ingredients are evenly mixed.
Step three
In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: egg, milk, Greek yogurt, oil, orange juice, and vanilla.
Step four
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
Step five
Zest one orange with a microplane and measure one ounce of orange juice. Prepare the cranberries and chopped pecans.
Step six
Fold in the orange zest, cranberries, orange juice, and pecans. Fold gently to distribute the fruit and nuts without overworking the batter.
Step seven
Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups. I fill them to the top for larger muffins; reduce to 3/4 full if you prefer domed tops.
Step eight
Optionally place a cranberry on top of each muffin for garnish. Bake at 400°F for 22 minutes, then remove from the oven.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Bite into one and enjoy the bright pop of cranberry with the warm orange notes.
These cranberry orange muffins are a favorite in our household. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Other delicious muffins
- Chocolate
- Date nut
- Pistachio
- Lemon
- Banana
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1.75 cups spelt flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (plain)
- 1/2 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 ounce orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Addons
- 1 zest orange
- 1/2 cup pecans (chopped)
- 1 cup frozen cranberries (or dried)
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners. I made 10 muffins.
-
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until evenly distributed: spelt or all-purpose flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
-
Add the wet ingredients — egg, milk, Greek yogurt, oil, orange juice, and vanilla — and stir until just combined.
-
Fold in the orange zest, cranberries, and pecans. Be careful not to overmix.
-
Spoon the batter into the liners (fill to your preferred level). Bake for 22 minutes.
-
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Serve, smile, and enjoy.
Equipment
Notes
- If you don’t have frozen cranberries, dried cranberries will work but add more sweetness.
- Frozen cranberries can be used directly from the freezer without defrosting.
- A pastry blender helps break up clumps when mixing dry ingredients.
- Wash citrus thoroughly before zesting using unscented soap and a brush, then rinse well.
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice from the zested orange adds a bright flavor for just one ounce.
- Fill muffin cups according to your preference: full for larger muffins, 3/4 for domed tops.