Description
These moist and flavorful Cranberry Orange Muffins are perfect for breakfast or a holiday treat. Bursting with fresh cranberries and a hint of orange zest, they offer a delightful balance of sweet and tart in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- Zest of 2 oranges
- ½ cup milk (120mL)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (120mL)
- ¼ cup orange juice (60mL)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (180g)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a regular sized 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners for easy removal and cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until fluffy and well combined to ensure an even rise in the muffins.
- Combine Sugar and Zest: In a larger bowl, add the sugar and orange zest. Whisk for about a minute until the mixture becomes fragrant and the zest is evenly distributed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the sugar-zest mixture, add milk, vegetable oil, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined. It’s okay if the batter has small lumps; avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender.
- Fold in Cranberries: Carefully fold the fresh or frozen cranberries into the batter until evenly distributed, ensuring the berries remain mostly intact.
- Fill Muffin Cups and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries as preferred; if using frozen, do not thaw before folding into the batter to prevent bleeding color.
- For a lighter texture, you can substitute half the vegetable oil with unsweetened applesauce.
- Orange zest adds essential citrus flavor; be sure to zest only the orange part, avoiding the bitter white pith.
- These muffins freeze well; store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Check muffins around the 20-minute mark to avoid overbaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
