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.
These muffins are absolutely amazing my family loved them.. I know I will be making them again many times!!!
These muffins are the absolute best. I always have some on hand.
Would it possible to make a loaf instead of muffins? How long in the oven?
Thanks!
Thank you! And yes for a loaf, bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
These are the best cranberry orange muffins! So easy to make …Followed the recipe exactly and are far better tasting than the McDonald’s cranberry orange muffins. We all love that textured top too …tastes amazing! Any left overs after a few days we put in our kitchenaid air fryer for a couple minutes and brings the fresh warm baked goodness right back! Now we just need a chocolate chip recipe similar to Mc chocolate chip cookies. How about fruit explosion muffins. Look forward to further recipes you post. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
You’re very welcome and thank you for your rave review! You have to try my bakery-style chocolate chip muffins if you haven’t already. It’s the #1 fan favorite! https://www.littlesweetbaker.com/bakery-style-chocolate-chip-muffins-2/
Yehhh you have a YouTube channel!!! We’re subscribed!!! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes !!!😀. So far everything we’ve tried comes out exactly perfect! So many times with other sites we found would not come out without tweaking but yours are spot on! Thank you! thank you ! thank you !
You’re very very very welcome! And thank you for subscribing!
Unbelievably good.
I LOVE this Baking Site !! One of the best for sure as everything is AMAZING !! Thanks little sweet baker <3 Your The BEST !! Keep up the great recipes for Us <3
Aww, thanks Kristen! You’re kind words made my day! xoxo
LOVE LOVE LOVE these cranberry orange muffins! I added a few small chunks of orange after squeezing out the juice and that made them taste even better! Making another batch today.
Thank you, Jill! So happy to hear that you love them!
LOVE these! Such a great and easy recipe. I made lemon/blueberry muffins the other night exactly the same way and they ALSO turned out amazing!
Can this be made with gluten-free flour?
Yes, I would recommend using a GF flour mix like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 or Robin Hood brand.
Absolutely perfect. I added 1 tsp baking soda and filled the muffin cups to the top and they came out great. This was my first time trying to make muffins with big tops and it totally worked.
Just a question, is it possible to reduce the sugar, or use artificial sweetener? I usually don’t like to do that, but I’m trying to desensitize my 8 month old to eggs. We are doing the baking level, but I don’t want to give him tons of sugar. This is a favorite recipe of mine
Hey Breanna, it would be a challenge to reduce the sugar in this recipe without reducing the amount of cranberries as well. So I suggest trying 3/4 cup of sugar with 1 cup of cranberries and hopefully that’s still sweet enough to balance the flavors. Recipes with natural fruit sugar would be easier to reduce. Here’s a banana muffin recipe that you could substitute half of the sugar with a 1/2 cup more of mashed bananas (and skip the sugar on top, of course:)) https://www.littlesweetbaker.com/banana-muffins/ I hope this helps!
The best I’ve had . Turns out perfect
Update: These are the best muffins I have ever made, and I’m 70 and love to bake.
I ate the 2nd to last one today buttered and fried up on my cast iron pan. Plans to do the same with last one too.
Even though I accidentally added the sugar to the flour instead of the oil and eggs these came out wonderful! I used King Arthur sugar substitute mixed with sugar and used grape seed oil. They are perfect!
Lily, thank you so much, for the prompt answer.
Right on time.
Just took them out of the oven and … THEY ARE PERFECT! Trying to save some for the family :))
I suspected that the confusion was cause by the difference between dry and liquid measurements.
it is the baking powder amount that spook me.
If I would want them to be a leave more a bit more moist taste, any suggestion like do you recommend any kind glaze maybe? OR did I over backed them by 1 min?
I held 15 min at 375.
That you again!
You’re very welcome and I’m so glad to hear, Lucie! In regards to making them more moist, I would take them out at 13 minutes at 375F. Glaze would add more sweetness than moisture, so perhaps serve/enjoy them with a pat of butter.
Best muffins ever!!! I make these more than any other. So yummy. Hard to eat just 1!!
Hello, I would love to make the muffins, but a bit confused with measurments.
2 & 1/2 cups (310g) all-purpose flour is not it 360gr.
4 tsp (15g) baking powder and my teaspoon says it is 5gr. so I count it should be 3tsp.?
1 & 1/4 cups (250g) sugar 1 cup is 250gr.
What am I doing wrong. Please clarify. CAn’t wait to bake it for my granddaughters. Thank you.
I did not calculate correctly in the previous comment,.
Please clarify the quantities. Looks like in grams they are different from cup measurements. Like 2&1/2 cups are 625 grammes .( 250+250=125) not 310gr.
So 4tsp baking powder is 20 not 15 gr. Maibe in baking it counts differently. HELP!!!
Hank you
Both dry and liquid measuring cups are in milliliters (ml). Weird and confusing, I know. However, 1 cup of AP flour is about 125 grams. So for the recipe, I rounded it down to 310 grams for 2 1/2 cups. Sugar is 200 grams per cup so for 1 & 1/4 cup it’s 250 grams. Measuring spoons are also in ml, so the weight will differ. 4 teaspoons of baking powder is about 15 grams. Just use the cup and spoon measurements if the conversion doesn’t make sense. Let me know if you have any further questions and I hope you and your granddaughters enjoy the muffins!
Beautiful orange flavour. The recipe made six jumbo muffins. I baked in a smaller oven so only baked at 425 for 3 minutes and then reduced the temperature as directed. My oven bakes hot so I adjusted the reduced baking temperature to account for that and the muffins were 18 minutes to bake. I used dried cranberries as we had some left over from Christmas baking, the orange zest is a must in order to get that delicious orange flavour. I like that this recipe calls for oil not butter. Will be in my go too for muffins on these frigid Prairie winter mornings. The house smells “delicious” too!
I made these this morning, absolutely delicious.
These Cranberry orange muffins turned out fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing ❤
You’re very welcome, Susanne! Thank you for your kind words. Enjoy the muffins and happy New Year!
My senior Dads favorite muffins I make a batch a week such a lovely recipe