Description
Delightfully moist and flavorful cranberry orange muffins bursting with fresh cranberries and vibrant orange zest, perfect for a festive breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- Zest of 2 oranges
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup milk (120mL)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (120mL)
- ¼ cup orange juice (60mL)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fruit
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (180g)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan. Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit and line a regular-sized 12-muffin pan with paper liners to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until fluffy and well combined.
- Combine Sugar and Orange Zest. In a separate larger bowl, add the granulated sugar and orange zest. Whisk together for about a minute until the mixture is combined and fragrant, releasing the citrus aroma.
- Add Wet Ingredients. To the sugar and zest mixture, add the milk, vegetable oil, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined, creating a smooth base for the muffins.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients. Pour the flour mixture into the wet sugar mixture and stir just until almost combined; small lumps of dry ingredients are fine to maintain muffin tenderness.
- Fold in Cranberries. Gently fold the fresh or frozen cranberries into the batter until they are evenly distributed without overmixing.
- Fill Muffin Cups and Bake. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool Muffins. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm.
Notes
- Use fresh cranberries for a tart burst or frozen cranberries directly from the freezer without thawing to maintain texture.
- Do not overmix batter to keep muffins tender and fluffy; small lumps are okay.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute regular milk with almond or oat milk.
- Orange zest and juice can be adjusted according to taste for a stronger citrus flavor.
- Ensure the oven is fully preheated for even baking and optimal rise.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
