Cranberry Orange Muffins

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy

Cranberry Orange Muffins – moist and tender muffins that are studded with fresh cranberries and lots of orange flavor. Great to make ahead, have in the freezer, and perfect for that morning cup of coffee!

If you have looked around on this website at all, you know I have a thing for muffin recipes. They are just the perfect sweet breakfast. I mean, who doesn’t love an excuse to have cake for breakfast? You add a little bit of fruit, like cranberries, and can call it breakfast .

These cranberry orange muffins were one of the first posts I made back in 2011. The recipe needed a few tweaks and some updating, and now it is perfect for all of your cranberry baking needs!

cranberry muffins on a white table

 

Cranberry and orange is such a great flavor combo that just works together. This Cranberry Orange Bread is a delicious quick bread that is similar in flavor to these muffins, and is perfect for holiday baking. The sweetness of the orange helps with the tartness of the cranberries and it is just the perfect combo!

What’s In Cranberry Muffins

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Brown Sugar
  • Baking Powder
  • Salt
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Orange Juice
  • Cranberries, fresh or frozen works great!
cranberry muffin ingredients

How To Make Cranberry Orange Muffins

  1. Mix together the flour, both sugars, baking powder and salt together in a bowl until well combined.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk together melted butter that has been cooled slightly, eggs, vanilla extract and orange juice.
  3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until they are just blended. Do not over mix or your muffins won’t be as tender and soft.
  4. Fold in the cranberries until evenly distributed.
  5. Divide the batter into 18 muffin cups.
  6. Bake at 425º F for 5 minutes. Do not open the oven, reduce the temperature to 350º F and cook for another 15-18 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
muffin batter with cranberries ready to fold in

You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe. If you are using frozen, I like to thaw them first and drain any liquid. This is not necessary, but if you do put them in frozen they tend to leach more color and you may get streaks of pink in your muffins. Not a problem at all, just something to be aware of.

Storage

These muffins are great to make ahead. I like to always have muffins in my freezer for quick and easy breakfasts, or an easy snack. Let the muffins cool completely and then place in an air tight container and freezer for up to 3 months.

You can also store in an air tight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or if you put them in the fridge they will last about 5 days.

cranberry orange muffins stacked on a table

Can I Add Nuts?

Absolutely you can add nuts to these muffins. Walnuts or pecans would be a great choice. Add about 1/2 cup of chopped nuts when you fold in the cranberries and they will bake up perfectly.

If you like chocolate, you could also add in chocolate chips when you mix in the cranberries. Lots of ways for you to add flavors you like and really mix it up.

close up cranberry orange muffins

More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love

cropped in close up of cranberry orange muffins on a table
No ratings yet

Cranberry Orange Muffins

By Erin
Cranberry Orange Muffins – moist and tender muffins that are studded with fresh cranberries and lots of orange flavor. Great to make ahead, have in the freezer, and perfect for that morning cup of coffee!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 18

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425º F. Prepare 18 muffin cups with liners or non-stick spray. Set aside
  • In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
    mixing dry ingredients for cranberry muffins
  • In a separate bowl mix together orange juice, eggs, butter and vanilla extract until well combined.
  • Pour the orange juice mixture into the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
  • Fold in the cranberries.
    muffin batter with cranberries ready to fold in
  • Scoop batter into 18 muffin cups.
    cranberry muffin batter in muffin tins
  • Bake at 425º for 5 minutes. Do not open the oven, reduce the heat to 350º and bake for an additional 15-18 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and let cook for 5 minutes before removing the muffins and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Breakfast Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18
Calories: 154
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

I created a fun group on Facebook,and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can
share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and
tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS
recipes YOU make!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you
never miss a post!

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram 

Did you know there is a Dinners,
Dishes, and Desserts SHOP
? Lots of different E-Books for sale. Or you can buy me a
coffee
to say thanks!

.

About Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

50 Comments

  1. I’m always on the lookout for new muffin recipes and this has definitely made my to-do list. Thanks for sharing!

  2. I’m always on the lookout for new muffin recipes and this has definitely made my to-do list. Thanks for sharing!

  3. I made something kind of like these. http://wp.me/p1MqO8-9D No applesauce but bits of apples with the cranberries and I DID in fact, sprinkle sugar on top! I really liked them and it gave me real appreciation for the cranberry that I didn’t have before.

  4. I made these over the holidays, and they were a huge hit. EVERYONE loved them. I ended up having to make two batches.