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
- Bakery Style 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.
PrintBEST 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.
This post was originally published on Jan 13th, 2017 and has been recently updated with more information.
My muffins turned out great very tasty
Not yet. Can I use melted butter instead of veg oil?
Yes, you can. Enjoy and have a great day!
These muffins are amazing! I didn’t have any oranges so I used orange juice and left out the zest. I also decreased the cranberries to 1 cup and added 1/4 cup of chopped pecans. They turned out so well!! I will definitely be making again. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
You’re very welcome, Moira! I’m so happy to hear that you will be making it again:) Happy Friday!
These are excellent! Golden crust on the outside and moist flavorful muffin on the inside. I didn’t have an orange so used lime zest and and store-bought orange juice and they still turned out delicious. Also only used 1 cup of sugar, since I added dried cranberries which are already sweetened. This will be my new go-to muffin recipe! Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Glenda, and thank you for your lovely comment!
Did your muffin recipe moments ago. chose it over many others and so happy I did!
Just out of the oven and already my family are ‘devouring’ them… I used the local partridgeberry-that grows in abundance in NL. They are known locally as the cranberry of the North. Thanks  very much for your delicious recipe.
You’re very welcome, Cynthia! Thank you for your lovely comment and those berries sound delicious!
I’m making these now.  Is it really 4 teaspoons of baking powder?
Seems like a lot
Yes, 4 teaspoons is correct. Trust the recipe:)
These muffins are amazing! I have been looking for an orange cranberry recipe for so long… so happy I found you. I shared the muffins with several friends, who loved them and have asked for your recipe, l gave it and your information.
Think I might try making a bread/loaf in place of muffins (just as a change) – wish me luck. I think it should be wonderful.
Thanking you for your awesome recipes, am trying blueberry muffins this morning.
Best wishes from Nova Scotia.
Aww, thank you so much for your kind words, Nanci! Always so nice to hear from a fellow Canadian. Enjoy the muffins and have a great day!
Thank you for this easy recipe! I love the bright citrus flavor mixed with the tart cranberries.
What do you think of adding a bit of toasted walnuts? I divided the batch into 24 mini muffins & 6 regular.
You’re welcome and I think toasted walnuts would be a great addition! Thank you for your kind words and have a great week:)
These muffins are just so easy to make and sooo good!
We don’t have cranberries where I live so I topped them  with an orange glaze for little extra ..
My go to for an afternoon snack!
Thanks so much for this recipe!
This recipe is so easy to follow, and the muffins come out perfect with a great taste! Even with the frozen cranberries it comes out super well and they are very moist.
Thank you for sharing!
You’re very welcome, Lynzey! I’m glad you like it:)
Can you substitute butter for the oil?
Yes, you can:) Enjoy!
Really good muffins. Easily made dairy free using oat milk. I also put some sparkling sugar on top for a little crunch because I had it on hand. I will definitely make these again!
Loved the muffinsÂ
Please let me know how would I make this recipe in a loaf pan instead of muffins
Thank you
I’m so happy to hear that you love the muffins. To convert it to a loaf, bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy and Happy New Year!
Simple, tasty, and nice crumb
I made these for Christmas and they were a hit with my family. I topped them with Demerara sugar, pecans and candied orange peel and they were very festive.Â
Thank you for your kind words and you made them so pretty with all the festive toppings! Great idea!
These are very good and look professional which I’m happy with however I wasn’t able to taste the orange at all? I even added a bit extra zest and juice than what the recipe says but it didn’t make a difference. Maybe I did something wrong? Does anyone have advice for how I can make the orange more intense for next time? Besides that everyone enjoyed them very much!Â
I’m happy to hear everyone enjoyed it. You can either add the zest of 2 oranges (about 2 tbsp) or add 1/2 tsp of orange extract along with the tbsp of orange zest for a more dominant orange flavor. I hope that helps and have a happy new year!
When using dried cranberries, is it still 1-1/2 cups?
Yes. Enjoy and have a happy new year!
I just made this recipe as I had some cranberries left over from Christmas. The recipe is easy to follow and makes the most delicious, moist muffins. Next time I would probably add the zest of 2 oranges instead of one, but that is just personal preference.
Just made these! They were very  easy to make. Very moist and good flavor, the cranberries didn’t sink to the bottom. I would make these again😊
Hi, if I am going to use a bundt pan, how long mostly is the cooking time? Planning to do this tomorrow. Â Thanks!
For a tube pan, I would bake it at 350F for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy and happy holidays!