Cranberry Orange Muffins (video)
Brighten up your day with these amazing cranberry orange muffins. They are packed with delicious tangy cranberries and fresh orange flavor. These soft and fluffy muffins only take about 30 minutes to make from start to finish. 
We’re in the midst of winter here in Ontario. The mornings are dark, so it’s challenging getting up out of bed sometimes. It’s especially hard when you look outside and it feels like it’s still night time. However, when you have a tasty breakfast to look forward to, it can really help motivate you to start your day. 
Why this recipe is so great:
- All made by hand with everyday ingredients – All you need is two bowls, a whisk, and a spatula to make these delicious cranberry orange muffins. There are no fancy ingredients: you just need an orange and some cranberries and you can whip up these muffins in a matter of minutes.
- Moist and bursting with flavor – These muffins are incredibly moist and bursting with the bright flavors of citrus and tangy cranberries.
- Even better than Starbucks and McDonalds – These muffins are not as tooth-achingly sweet as the Starbucks or McDonald’s ones. They contain much more cranberries and are made with real orange flavor. And the best part is they are made fresh by you, with no preservatives.
- Here are some reviews:
“I’ve been searching for a muffin recipe like this! This recipe is now in my favorites! These muffins came out perfect and they were moist and soft for days. I used frozen cranberries and they were delicious! With other recipes, the muffins have turned out dry and a bit heavy. Not this time! Thank you so much for sharing this!” – Tara
“Just made these and oh my! They are delicious! Better than a well-known coffee shop chain muffin that I wanted to replicate. Just the right amount of cranberries and a lovely zesty flavour. Perfect for Christmas!” – Kayleigh
How to make cranberry orange muffins:
(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)
- You start by tossing some flour, baking powder and salt together.
- Then in another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, milk, orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients together. Fold in the fresh cranberries.
- Spoon the batter into a muffin pan. Top with more cranberries if desired. Bake at 425F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven to 375F and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.
How to substitute with frozen or dried cranberries:
- Frozen – Do not thaw. Add the frozen cranberries into the batter as if you were using fresh cranberries and bake for a few minutes longer until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Dried – Soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes to soften. Pat them dry with a paper towel and add to the batter as instructed. Please note that the taste and texture of dried cranberries are not the same as fresh. They are a bit sweeter and a bit chewy.
Make-ahead option:
These muffins can be made the night before, which makes them a great time saver in the morning. It allows you to have a few more minutes in your warm comfy bed knowing that breakfast is already done. Also, if you are really pressed for time, you can just grab one of these scrumptious muffins to go.
How to store cranberry orange muffins:
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you store them in the fridge, you can warm up the muffins in the microwave for about 30 seconds or in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes.
How to freeze cranberry orange muffins:
Place the muffins in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to label and date. When ready to consume, thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for an hour. Then reheat in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes to freshen up the muffins. 
The texture of these cranberry orange muffins is moist, soft and fluffy. The taste is bold and vibrant with bursts of tart cranberries and speckles of orange zest throughout the muffin. These muffins also make a great afternoon snack, especially when you need a little pick-me-up. There is just something about the flavor of oranges and cranberries that really perk you up.
You might also like:
- Cranberry Orange Scones
- Cranberry Orange Baklava
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Blueberry Streusel Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
Print
BEST Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Category: breakfast, snack
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Brighten up your day with these amazing cranberry orange muffins. They are packed with delicious tangy cranberries and fresh orange flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 & 1/2 cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp (15g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (2.5g) salt
- 1/2 cup (125ml)) vegetable oil
- 1 & 1/4 cups (250g) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
- zest of one orange (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (62ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 &1/2 cups (150g) fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 12 cup muffin tray with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, milk, orange juice, vanilla and orange zest. Slowly add to the dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined, then fold in the cranberries. Divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temp to 375°F and bake for another 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you store them in the fridge, you can warm up the muffins in the microwave for about 30 seconds or in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes.
To freeze: Place the muffins in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to label and date. When ready to consume, thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for an hour. Then reheat in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes to freshen up the muffins.
How to substitute with frozen or dried cranberries:
- Frozen – Do not thaw. Add the frozen cranberries into the batter as if you were using fresh cranberries and bake for a few minutes longer until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Dried – Soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes to soften. Pat them dry with a paper towel and add to the batter as instructed. Please note that the taste and texture of dried cranberries are not the same as fresh. They are a bit sweeter and a bit chewy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 22.4 g
- Sodium: 117 mg
- Fat: 10.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.9 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 31.2 mg
This post was originally published on Jan 13th, 2017 and has been recently updated with more information.
Unbelievable! These are delicious ❤️
OMG.These muffins are sooo delicious 😋
Absolutely fantastic recipe. It is easy to follow and yields delicious moist muffins. I substituted blueberries the second time around and it came out just as great.
These were wonderful! I substituted monkfruit sweetener for the sugar as my husband is diabetic. They were moist, tender and well received. They were just the right amount of sweet. I will definitely make these muffins again and whole heartedly recommend them. I will be trying some of “littlesweetbakers” other recipes.
Thank you and I hope you enjoy my other recipes just as much!
Hi Lily,
I’m in Nova Scotia…
These are the best muffins! I used frozen cranberries and they worked perfectly.
I plan on making these with raspberries so I’ll see how they come out.
Thank you,
Lois
You’re very welcome and nice to meet a fellow Canadian! Enjoy the raspberry version. Oh try lemon zest instead because lemon raspberry is a great combo!
Hi Lily, Have you ever added Pecans to the muffins?
I have not but other people have and it’s great, so go for it!
This is THE best Cranberry Orange Muffin recipe. I have thrown out all other recipes I had for this type of muffin as they taste great, look great, and always turn out perfectly! They are moist and delicious!
Thank you for your rave review, Donna – much appreciated! xoxo
Made this for the first time, and this recipe is a keeper. I used a mix of oat flour, whole wheat and plain flour to make it healthier. Also used only one cup of whole earth baking blend sugar. It turned out perfect.
I wanted to make these muffins a little more healthy for my husband. To do this, I substituted 1cup whole wheat flour for part of the 2-1/2 cups white flour and 1/2 cup applesauce for the 1-1/4 cups oil. My husband really enjoyed the nutty flavor.
Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Sue, and I am from Toronto, Ontario, but now live in New Brunswick. I tried these muffins this morning. They are absolutely the best cranberry muffins I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot of them because they are one of my husband’s favourites! They were sooooo easy! I used less sugar (as I’m diabetic), so that I could enjoy one also. At the age of about 5 or 6, I was baking with the gas stove we had, and I had (play cake tins & mixes that you added a bit of water to), while my grandma supervised me. I developed a passion for baking, and later on, cooking full course meals. Maybe my baking experience is what helped me become diabetic later in life. I am sure I will find more of your recipes that I will try! Thank you.
Hi Sue, you’re very welcome and nice to meet you too! Thank you for your kind words and for sharing a bit about yourself. I always enjoy meeting a fellow Canadian:)
I did make these and they are yummy!
My go-to muffin recipe. I sometimes do 375 for 20min, when I don’t want to bother changing the temp… a little less golden on top but still works well. I also sometimes use a different citrus fruit when I don’t have orange (lemons, grapefruit… I might try limes next!)
I have made this recipe three times and each time fantastic!! I use extra cranberries frozen and some dried ones soaked and a little less sugar just a tiny bit and some whole wheat pastry flour plus unbleached and a little extra orange zest and yum yum yum…..and I make this recipe into smaller muffins , 24 instead of 12 and they are perfect size! ( and less calories per muffin)
HIGHLY recommend this recipe:)
Delicious! These turned out great. I’m not sure I’d want to make them with dried cranberries as the fresh are such a nice burst of flavour but if it’s what you have I’m sure they would still turn out great.
These muffins are delicious! I just made them this morning. I used unsalted butter instead of vegetable oil, and orange extract instead of zest. This recipe is a keeper.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I used frozen cranberries, and the muffins were delicious. This recipe is a 5 star, for sure.
This recipe was tentatively used after the last recipe ended up as a questionable treat for the raccoons in our backyard.
Easy and delicious!
These are very good! I used dried cranberries (soaked in hot water as suggested in the notes). Had to cook the muffins a couple of extra minutes, but they came out perfectly cooked then. They are surprisingly less sweet than I was expecting them to be.
Hi, can you recommend how much quick oats and ground flax seeds can I safely add to this recipe to make more nutritious? And would you recommend grinding the quick oats before adding? Thanks!
You could try subbing 1/2 cup of AP flour with oat flour and replacing the eggs with flax eggs. This will work but the muffins won’t be as soft and fluffy.
The best Cranberry Orange Muffin recipe that I have ever made. Great recipe! 5 star for sure.