These Cranberry Orange muffins are the perfect companion for your morning coffee, with the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. Plump full of fresh cranberries and orange zest and topped with a crisp layer of turbinado sugar, these easy muffins are sure to please. They are bursting with fresh orange flavor balanced with the fresh flavor of cranberries.
I have always loved muffins. There is just a special place in my heart for individual handheld flavor treasures. These muffins, Double Chocolate Chip Muffins, Best Blueberry Muffins, and Oatmeal Muffins are just a few of our favorites. Bake a batch today, pull up a chair, and put on a pot of coffee so we can visit for a bit.
Why this recipe works!
- The flavor combination is amazing! Cranberry and orange go together like peanut butter and chocolate. A match made in heaven. Wait until you taste the crispy top edges from the turbinado sugar.
- The scrumptious muffins are quick to come together. The batch can be prepped and in the oven in less than 15 minutes, giving you plenty of time for other things like brewing that pot of fresh coffee.
- The ingredient list is simple and easy on the pocketbook. I buy one large orange, and it covers the orange juice and orange zest in one fell swoop. Be sure to purchase a large heavy one that is full of juice. If in doubt, purchase a couple of oranges and perhaps enjoy one later.
How to make Cranberry Orange Muffins
First, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Then using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to stir, and add the eggs, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Then add the orange juice, milk, and dry ingredients alternating between the three. Mix just until combined scraping down the sides and beater when necessary.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the fresh cranberries. Spoon into a 12-count muffin pan that has been filled with muffin liners. Top each muffin with a teaspoon of turbinado sugar. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to fully cool. These muffins are best enjoyed warm.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. Fresh cranberries freeze very well and can maintain their texture and quality for almost a year, so I usually stock up on extra-large bags from Costco this time of the year.
- Dried cranberries can be used in a pinch, but for optimum texture, soak them in hot water for about 15 minutes to soften and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- For best results, use baking cups.
- Fill the baking cups all the way up with the batter.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of the turbinado sugar on top of each muffin. I like to use a heaping teaspoon.
- For a change of pace, drizzle the muffins with an orange glaze or add a streusel topping. Both are delicious.
- Like all muffins with fresh fruit, these are best enjoyed the day that they are baked.
- Store the muffins on the counter in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze fully cooled muffins for up to 2 months stored in a heavy-duty freezer bag or sturdy freezer container.
Recipe variations
- Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins – fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts at the same time as the cranberries.
- Cranberry Orange Chocolate Muffins – fold in 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips at the same time as the cranberries
- Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Muffins – fold in 1/2 cup white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts at the same as the cranberries.
More muffin recipes to try
Cranberry Orange Muffin Recipe
These gorgeous Cranberry Orange Muffins are bursting with the flavors of fresh cranberries, fresh orange juice and orange zest. Bake a batch today and get ready to hear all the praises.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: breakfast
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 cups cranberries
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 count standard muffin tin with baking cups.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside for a few minutes.
- Using a stand or hand mixer on medium cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to stir. Add the eggs, orange zest and vanilla extract mixing just until combined. Add the orange juice, milk and flour mixture alternating between the three. Mix just until combined scraping down the sides and beater when necessary. Using a spoon or spatula fold in the cranberries.
- Divide evenly in the baking cups filling them up. Top each muffin with 1 rounded teaspoon turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing to wire racks
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. Fresh cranberries freeze very well and can maintain their texture and quality for almost a year so I usually stock up on an extra large bag from Costco this time of the year.
- Dried cranberries can be used in a pinch but for optimum tesxture soak the in hot water for about about 15 to soften and pat them dry with a paper towel. .
- For best results use baking cups
- Fill the baking cups all the way up with the batter.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of the turbinado sugar on top of each muffin. I like to use a heaping teaspoon.
- For a change of pace drizzle the muffins with an orange glaze or add a streusel topping. Both are delicious.
- Like all muffins with fresh fruit these are best enjoyed the day that they are baked.
- Store the muffins on the counter in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze fully cooled muffins for up to 2 months stored in a heavy duty freezer bag or sturdy freezer container.
Keywords: how to make cranberry orange muffins, the best cranberry orange muffins recipe, cranberry orange muffins with orange juice
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Dancinglady
Is 2 TBPS orange zest a typo? For a triple batch that would be a 1/3 of a cup.
Beth Pierce
No, it is not a typo but you can cut it back if you like.
Beth
Pleasantly surprised these turned out to be just like I would have expected from a bakery. Fantastic!!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Beth! So glad that you enjoyed them!
Susan
These are very nice and my husband loved them. I found them to be a tad dry and next time, I will add some sour cream, yogurt or another milk fat for extra moisture. I also thought the baking temp was a bit high, so consider a 375 setting instead. I don’t care for spices in these, so I left out. So glad I did because that allowed the flavor to shine through!
★★★★
juneal ramsdell
Could a person use dried cranberries
Beth Pierce
yes
Katie
Cranberry and orange is one of my most favorite flavor combinations! We love these muffins.
★★★★★
Lisalia
Wow such a beautiful flavor combination – bright tangy cranberries with the sweetness of orange. This made for a perfect breakfast! Thanks for these moist and tender muffins. Definitely a treat!
★★★★★
Diane Benson
My favorite muffins! We love orange and cranberries together! They freeze really well too.
★★★★★
Rachel
I just made a batch of these and they are delicious. Fabulous texture. Fabulous taste.. However, I increased the cranberry quantity by about half a cup so these were bursting full, but maybe I could have added something – honey, sugar? to offset the tartness. Just a thought. I also added a little more orange juice as the mixture needed a bit more moisture. If I make them again I might think about a little glaze of some sort. But they are far and away the best I have made (and I have made four separate recipes).
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Rachel! So glad that you liked them! You could add an orange glaze to them but then I think I would eliminate the turbinado sugar as it would just melt under the glaze and might even mess with the appearance of the muffins.
Praj
Hi.. can i make this with dried cranberries?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can however if you get the chance and see fresh cranberries grab them. They are even better with fresh cranberries.
Rosie wilson
What is turbinado sugar
Beth Pierce
Turbinado sugar is partially refined sugar that retains some of the original molasses, giving it a subtle caramel flavor.
Haley Williams
Oh yum! These are perfect for Christmas morning. Adding it to the list!
★★★★★
Sara Welch
What a delicious treat that is perfect for fall! Looking forward to serving these with our Thanksgiving spread this year!
★★★★★
Catalina
I am mouthwatering! These cranberry orange muffins look amazing!
★★★★★
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
These Cranberry Orange muffins would disappear in our house!
★★★★★
Amanda
What a perfect combination of flavors!
Brianna
I love cranberry and orange together, these muffins look scrumptious!
★★★★★
veenaazmanov
Love every combination to making these flavorful and delicious Muffins. Cranberry and orange makes me drool. Love the Tanginess of the fruits and the sweetness of Muffin. yum
★★★★★
Tara
These muffins definitely do sound perfect paired with coffee! I love all those flavors and how easily they come together.
★★★★★
kerri
i’m already planning our christmas menu – i’m usually way behind! but this will be a great addition to our christmas breakfast!
Heidy
I made these Cranberry Orange Muffins for our work meeting and I really wished I had doubled or even tripled the batch they were so wonderful!!! Everyone loved them! I gave a few of them your recipe link!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!
★★★★★