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.
How much longer do you bake these muffins if using frozen cranberries?
I would say about 5-10 minutes longer. Enjoy!
So so good! They look good and delicious!
Can dried cranberries be rehydrated with orange juice?
Yes, but it will rehydrate better with warm juice. Enjoy the muffins and happy Sunday!
I substituted butter for the oil and I used orange extract for the vanilla. Excellent muffin many compliments
Light and airy muffin with a hint of sweetness from the orange juice, and just a bit tart from the cranberries. My new “go to” muffin!
I’m so glad to hear and thank you for your lovely feedback, Jennifer!
Just made cranberry orange muffins, added chopped pecans. (Love nuts). Came out very good, next time I will add a little more orange juice to have that orange flavor come out.
I would suggest this recipe for any one.
Thank you
You’re welcome and thank you for your kind words, Mary! I would suggest adding more orange zest instead of orange juice for a stronger orange flavor next time. I hope this helps and have a great evening!
it was so easy n tasty
Hi Lilly! I’m a huge fan of your recipes and I was wondering if I could sub fresh lemon juice and zest for the orange juice/zest. Should I use half the quantity of lemon juice? Have u tried this variation? Let me know I have lemons in my fridge and a bag of frozen cranberries!
Thank you, Charlotte! You can use lemon zest and juice instead of orange and yes, I would only use 2 tbsp of lemon juice. I have not tried this variation for myself, but imagine it would be very similar and taste just as great!
Hi, Lily. What do I need to change for high altitude baking?
Hi Anne,
I’m not experienced with high-altitude baking but here is an excellent resource from King Arthur Flour https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking I hope this helps!
Lovely, moist, delicious muffins. Easy to make
I’ve always loved orange cranberry muffins and tried this recipe. I didn’t have milk so I used coconut milk instead and they came out delicious!
Delicious! I used frozen cranberries and orange juice with pulp as I didn’t have any oranges. Crispy tops and beautiful fluffiness inside. Thank you Lily! Wish I could post a pic.
You’re very welcome and thank you for your rave review!
Delicious! I changed some of the ingredients and it worked out as delicious.
I swapped 1 cup all-purpose flour for 1 cup whole wheat flour and, I put 3/4 cup of sugar instead of 1 and 1/4 cup.
They are fluffy miam!
Delicious!! Made them with gluten-free flour and frozen cranberries. Worked great.
Oups! I forgot to put 2 eggs??
Will it be good?
The 1st time a did it it eas Wooow!
But now with out eggs ?
Thank you
Uh oh, the muffins would probably be a bit flat without the eggs. Let me know how they turned out.
Delish!! Was a second recipe I tried and Bingo! The Taste I was looking for!
Will try substituting oil w butter next time as someone suggested! Yummy!
Simple, fast, delicious! I made them with melted butter instead of vegetable oil and had to use dried cranberries soaked in water. YUM! Thank you 🙂
You’re very welcome and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent recipe 5 ⭐️
LOVE this recipe! This was my favorite muffin at McDonald’s, but this one is much better. Less sweet, crispy on the top and so fluffy on the inside! Followed the exact recipe and turned out perfect. Thank you for sharing!
You’re very welcome, Nathalie! I’m the same. Love the McDonald’s version, but way too sweet, so it’s nice when you can make it yourself the way you like it:)
I have to be dairy free for breast feeding and this recipe works so well with almond milk subbed in for cows milk!! I have also used frozen raspberries instead of cranberries with delicious results. This recipe is a 10/10!