Cranberry Orange Muffins
Soft, moist muffins bursting with the tangy flavor of cranberries and zesty oranges, perfect for breakfast or as a snack.
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 190kcal
Ingredients
For the muffin batter
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed light or dark
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted (4 Tbsp; 56g)
- 2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 and 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened (8 Tbsp; 113g)
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed light or dark
- 1 Tablespoon Orange Zest (from about 2 oranges)
- 2 large Eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream, at room temperature *
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice (30ml)
- 2 Tablespoons Milk, at room temperature (30ml)
- 1 and 1/2 cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries (do not thaw)
- 1 cup Confectioners’ Sugar (for icing)
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice (for icing, 30ml)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line it with cupcake liners. Set it aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted butter until combined. Add 2/3 cup of flour and mix gently with a fork until crumbly. Don’t over-mix! Place this mixture in the refrigerator while you prepare the muffin batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 and 3/4 cups of flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Mixing
- In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the orange zest and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Then add the eggs, yogurt or sour cream, and vanilla. Beat until well combined, then turn up the speed until it’s mostly creamy (it’s okay if it looks a little curdled).
- With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients along with the orange juice and milk until there are no dry pockets of flour. Gently fold in the cranberries to combine, but be careful not to over-mix. The batter will be thick.
Baking
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them right to the top. If you’re using the crumb topping, spoon that on each muffin, gently pressing it down.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F; then, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for an additional 16–19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total baking time should be around 21–24 minutes.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Let them cool for at least 15 minutes before icing.
Icing
- For the icing, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and fresh orange juice. Drizzle it over the muffins, whether they’re warm or cooled.
Notes
These muffins are fabulous served warm, straight from the oven, or at room temperature. Perfect for any meal or snack time. Consider adding chopped walnuts or pecans for a crunchy texture.