These cranberry orange muffins are soft, moist, and flavorful, filled with tart, juicy cranberries and bright orange juice and zest. Add a quick orange glaze for an extra pop of citrus flavor!
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These cranberry orange muffins are moist and tender, with juicy, ruby red cranberries in every bite. Fresh orange juice and zest fill the batter with citrus flavor, and an optional orange glaze gives them a zesty pop. I love these muffins for breakfast on any fall or winter morning, but they’re especially perfect for the holidays. They’d be a delicious way to kick off Thanksgiving or Christmas!
I adapted this cranberry orange muffins recipe from my favorite cranberry orange bread. Just like that recipe, these are easy to make with basic ingredients and equipment (you can mix up the batter in minutes!). I hope you love them as much as I do.
Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Orange Muffins
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. I’ve tried them both ways, with nearly identical results!
- They get an extra dose of orange. I originally tested this recipe with the zest of 1 orange, around the same amount I use in my cranberry orange bread. They weren’t quite as citrusy as I was hoping, so I ended up doubling it to really let the orange shine through. I can’t get enough of their bright, sweet orange flavor now.
- They’re perfect for a holiday brunch. Tart cranberry and sweet orange are two of the best flavors of the holiday season. Topped with the zesty glaze, these are such a festive treat for Christmas or Thanksgiving morning!
Cranberry Orange Muffins Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this orange cranberry muffins recipe:
- Cranberries, of course! Fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries work perfectly here, becoming soft and juicy as the muffins bake. There’s no need to thaw frozen berries before baking. Add them directly to the batter frozen to help them hold their shape.
- Fresh orange juice and zest – These key ingredients give the batter its bright citrus flavor. You’ll use a little orange juice in the glaze as well.
- All-purpose flour – It makes up the base of the batter. Spoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
- Baking powder – It helps the muffins puff up in the oven.
- Cane sugar – For sweetness. It perfects the muffins’ moist texture too.
- Vegetable oil and milk – For moisture and richness. Feel free to use whatever type of milk you keep on hand. I’ve had great results with whole milk and unsweetened almond milk. You can replace the vegetable oil with another neutral oil like canola oil or substitute melted butter. Just note that muffins made with butter won’t stay as moist as ones made with oil.
- Eggs – They work with the baking powder to help the muffins rise and bind the batter together.
- Vanilla extract – It adds warm depth of flavor.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
If you make the glaze, you’ll also need powdered sugar. If yours is lumpy, sift it before using it so that the glaze comes out nice and smooth.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins
These cranberry orange muffins couldn’t be easier to mix up!
Start by making the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar and orange zest. Use your fingers to work the orange zest into the sugar until the sugar is fully moistened and tinted orange. This step helps the orange zest release its fragrant oils, giving the muffins a stronger orange flavor. It’s a trick I often use in recipes with citrus zest, like my lemon olive oil cake and lemon blueberry bread!
Once you work the sugar and zest together, add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Then, add the cranberries. Toss them with 1/2 teaspoon flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins, then fold them into the batter. Heads up: it will be thick!
Evenly divide the batter into a 12-cup muffin tin, using about 1/3 cup for each one.
Bake at 400°F until the tops spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 14 to 20 minutes.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before digging in (or transferring to a wire rack to cool completely).
Add an Optional Orange Glaze
If you’d like to use the orange glaze, wait to add it until the muffins are fully cool (otherwise, it will melt into the muffins instead of setting up on top).
It’s easy to make with just 2 ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice. I find that different brands of powdered sugar need slightly different amounts of orange juice to reach the right texture, so I recommend starting with 1 tablespoon. If needed, add more, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach a thick, pourable consistency.
Drizzle it over the cooled muffins and enjoy!
Tip: If you’re making these for a special occasion, like a holiday brunch, add the glaze on the day you plan to serve them. If you add it a day ahead, it will start to soak into the muffins!
How to Store and Freeze
Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
They also freeze well. Let them cool completely, then seal in an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let frozen muffins thaw for an hour at room temperature (or, if you’re impatient like me, quickly defrost one in the microwave in around 30 seconds).
More Muffin Recipes to Try
If you love these cranberry orange muffins, try one of these delicious muffin recipes next:
- Blueberry Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Healthy Banana Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus ½ teaspoon for dusting the cranberries
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup cane sugar
- Zest of 2 oranges
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
Orange Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, place the cane sugar and orange zest. Use your fingers to work the zest into the sugar until well combined. This helps the zest release its fragrant oils. Add the oil and eggs and whisk until well combined, then add the orange juice, milk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cranberries and the ½ teaspoon flour. Toss to coat, then fold into the batter.
- Use a â…“ cup measuring cup to evenly divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake for 14 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the orange glaze, if using: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon orange juice. The glaze should have a thick, pourable consistency. If needed, add more orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, to help it come together.
- Drizzle over the cooled muffins. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before serving.
