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.
I made these muffins according to the recipe with one major change. I swapped the cranberries for marichino cherries in the same quantity and they were delicious. My husband loves cherries and the jar of cherries are sweeter than fresh cherries and work better.
I also made a gluten free version of the muffins which turned out well but were not as moist as the regular flour version.
Excellent recipe! I doubled the amount of cranberries, added a cup of toasted coarsely chopped pecans and substituted orange flavoring instead of vanilla (in addition to the orange zest). Makes 9 large muffins. Will definitely be baking these muffins again.
The best muffin ever!👍
I’m out of oil. Can I substitute melted butter?
Yes, you can. Same amount. Enjoy!
These muffins turned out perfectly. They made 15. Thank you. Next I will try scones.
You’re very welcome and if you like these, you are going to love the scones!
These were sooo good!!
Everyone loved them
Thank you!!!!!
You’re very welcome, Georgia, and thank you for your kind words!
I made these muffins today and substituted one cup of honey for the sugar. I also used dry cranberries soaked in warm water for 10 minutes. These are the best cranberry orange muffins I’ve ever had. My husband loves them. Thank you for the recipe. 💕
You’re very welcome, Arlene, and thank you for your kind words!
I have been looking for this recipe for a while.excellent taste and texture…5 stars…….yummy…thank you…..
How do i use less sugar without using sugar substitute, i don’t want them bitter.
You can reduce the sugar to one cup but I wouldn’t reduce it any more than that because fresh cranberries are quite tart.
I made a low fat, no added sugar, higher fiber, lower sodium version. Swapped the following 1 to 1 unsweetened apple sauce for oil, splenda for sugar, 1 cup of whole grain spelt flour for 1 cup of regular flour, lower sodium salt for regular salt. Increased the cranberries to 2 cups Added some chopped walnuts too. Made 14 muffins Healthier and still tasty.
This is the best cranberry muffin recipe I’ve found. My grandchildren, as official tasters, confirm this. Thank you
You’re very welcome and I’m so happy to hear your grandchildren thinks they are the best!
Thanks Lily! These muffins are very cake like and my husband absolutely loves them! I use frozen large cranberries and they work very well. My husband thanks you immensely as do I!
I’m so happy to hear, Wendy! You’re very welcome and thank you for your kind words.
OMG!!! Your title “BEST CRANBERRY ORANGE MUFFINS” is exactly right. I followed your recipe exactly as written. Total perfection. My friends and family rave about them. I will never buy a Panera Cranberry Orange muffin again. Your recipe tastes so much better. Thank you.
The only question I have is one of my friends can’t eat them because the amount of baking powder bothers her stomach. Can I cut down on the amount of baking soda and add another leveler. If so how much of each.
Thank you again for such a delicious recipe.
BTW…This is my 4th batch of these muffins in the past month. It’s my absolute favorite muffin recipe,
❤️❤️❤️
Aww, thank you for your rave review, Carol! Yes, you can reduce the baking powder to 2 teaspoons and add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Enjoy and have a great week!
Recipe itself seems delicious! Our household enjoys the sourness of cranberries mixed with the sweetness of the recipe !!
My only concern is that I had VERY bitter bites in my muffins 🙁
Followed the exact recipe, except I used frozen cranberries (as suggested, didn’t thaw them!)
Does anyone know how to fix it? I really want to make the recipe again 🙁
Hi Roxane, was the cranberries bitter or the muffin (like cake part) bitter?
I made 12 muffin tops and seven mini muffins and they were all gone within 24 hours and there’s only two of us in the house. That’s so good they were. Delicious
First time using….made some powdered frosting with orange juice… Awesome first time out….I tweaked it to my own tasting…❤️5 ****
I just made these with half GF flour and half almond flour. I added Xanthum gum and cut the baking powder down by half.
How many muffins does this make?
It makes 12 muffins. Enjoy and happy Sunday!
I would like to use leftover cranberry sauce. How would you do that?
You can swirl a spoon of cranberry sauce into the batter after you’ve spooned it into the muffin pan. I wouldn’t mix it in with the batter.
Can it be made with whole wheat flour?
Thank you!
It can but the texture won’t be as fluffy and the taste will have a slight nuttiness to it from the WW flour.