Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (2024)

These easy bakery-style Cranberry Orange Muffins are moist, delicious, and bursting with flavor full of cranberries and oranges. The sweet orange glaze drizzled over the top is the best!

Are you looking for more easy brunch favorites? You’ll love my French Toast, Bacon Egg Cups, and Buttermilk Pancakes!

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (1)

Cranberries – and oranges – add such a bright, juicy flavor to so many delicious baked treats during the fall and winter – especially during the holidays! And theseCranberry Orange Muffinsmost certainly showcase the best combination of these flavors! They are the perfect combination of tartness from cranberries and oranges with moist, buttery sweetness from the bakery-style muffin. Simple, easy perfection!

This muffin recipe is an easy family favorite that I’m sure you’ll love! While I love to serve them for brunch, they also make an excellent, quick, and easy dessert.

Table of Contents

  • Cranberry Orange Muffins
  • What You’ll Love About This Recipe
  • How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins
  • Expert Tips
  • Can I Use Dried Cranberries Instead of Fresh?
  • Can I Use Frozen Cranberries?
  • How Do You Prepare Fresh Cranberries for Baking?
  • How to Make Ahead, Store, and Freeze Cranberry Orange Muffins
  • Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (2)

These Cranberry Orange Muffins are delicious and perfect for breakfast and brunch! Drizzled with a sweet orange glaze, they are even more special to serve during the holidays! But please don’t save the glaze for special occasions. It’s so simple to make and takes them over the top!

The orange glaze is made of only two simple ingredients that whisk together quickly, so I always drizzle the muffins with it. However, the muffins are delicious without it, too!

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

Incredible Flavor. The tart cranberries and orange zest combine to create amazing flavor in every bite!

Glaze Makes Extra Special. The drizzle of orange glaze gives these muffins something extra, making them even more special on the holidays (or any day!).

Simple Ingredients. Real ingredients you recognize are in this recipe.

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (3)

How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins

I think oranges bring out the best in cranberries! And these muffins are bursting with cranberries. The addition of fresh orange zest brings out the bright, juicy citrus flavor in these muffins.

Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Muffins

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Baking Powder – helps the muffins to rise
  • Salt – a touch of salt enhances the sweet and tart flavors. I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you substitute with Morton’s Kosher salt, fine sea salt, or table salt, you will only need half the amount of the salt called for in the recipe.
  • Cranberries – You can use fresh, frozen, or dried. You use fewer dried cranberries than fresh or frozen ones, and it’s better if the dried cranberries don’t have added sugar for this recipe.
  • Butter – Make sure it’s softened to room temperature before you start. See How to Soften Butter in a Pinch if you are in a hurry.
  • Sugar – Use granulated sugar.
  • Eggs – Will bind the muffins together and give them that bakery taste and texture.
  • Vanilla Extract – I like homemade vanilla extract, but you can use any quality, pure vanilla extract.
  • Orange zest – Use the zest of one orange
  • Milk – You’ll use a half cup.
  • Orange Glaze (optional) – You’ll mix a couple of tablespoons of Orange Juice with Confectioner’s Sugar to drizzle over the warm muffins.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Muffin Tins and Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tins with baking spray or coat well with shortening or butter and flour, discarding any excess flour from tins after coating.

Sift the Dry Baking Ingredients: Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Prepare the Cranberries: In a separate bowl, toss together the fresh or frozen cranberries and 2 teaspoons of flour to coat the cranberries. Set aside. If you are using dried cranberries, skip this step.

Mix the Wet Ingredients: Cream together butter and sugar until lightened in color, or about 3 minutes. Add an egg, one at a time, taking care to fully incorporate it before adding the next. Mix in vanilla and orange zest.

Add the Dry Ingredients: Gently fold in the flour mixture and alternate with milk. Stir until just combined. Fold in cranberries.

Fill the Muffin Pans: Scoop mixture into prepared muffin tins. Fill tins about 2/3 to 3/4 full.

Bake. Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Make the Orange Glaze: While the muffins are baking, stir the orange juice and confectioner’s sugar until well combined.

Glaze and serve. Once the muffins have been baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly in the muffin tin. Then remove each muffin, place it on your serving platter or plate, and drizzle with Orange Glaze.

I like to serve them slightly warm, but they are also delicious after they’ve cooled.

Expert Tips

  • Room temperature ingredients. Bring your butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature so they incorporate fully into the muffin batter.
  • Measure your flour correctly. Weigh your flour to the correct measurement on a kitchen scale or spoon and level the sifted flour into your measuring cup.
  • Check for doneness. Insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of a muffin to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, the muffins have finished baking.
Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (4)

Can I Use Dried Cranberries Instead of Fresh?

Yes! You may use dried cranberries instead of fresh ones if you wish.

As I mentioned, I use a lot of cranberries in this recipe, so if you use dried cranberries instead of fresh, you will use less of them, as specified in my recipe.

Can I Use Frozen Cranberries?

Yes, you may use frozen cranberries. Use the same amount of frozen cranberries as you would fresh.

How Do You Prepare Fresh Cranberries for Baking?

To prepare fresh or frozen cranberries for baking and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of your muffins as they bake, simply toss them in a bit of all-purpose flour to coat them. Then, when instructed in the recipe, gently fold them into the muffin batter. The muffins will then have cranberries throughout. You do not do this with dried cranberries.

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (5)

I’ll warn you, these are hard to resist! So, while the recipe is sized perfectly for 12 muffins, you may want to make a few extras as they’ll disappear quickly.

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (6)

How to Make Ahead, Store, and Freeze Cranberry Orange Muffins

These muffins come together quickly and are also easy to make ahead. This makes them perfect for easy entertaining if you have guests for the weekend or for serving at holiday brunches, too!

To store: Once cooled completely, they can be stored underneath a cake dome for 3 to 4 days at room temperature.

To freeze: Place cooked and cooled muffins onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for 30 – 45 minutes so that each muffin individually freezes. If you wish, you can wait to add the glaze if you know you’ll be freezing them, but they can also be frozen with the glaze. Once frozen, transfer the frozen muffins into a zip-top freezer-safe bag or other freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

To serve: When ready to serve, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw completely. I like to serve these warm (but you can also serve them at room temperature), so I will reheat them before serving.

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (7)

More Muffin Recipes to Try

Blueberry Muffins

Cinnamon Apple Muffins

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Perfect Pancake Muffins

More Muffin Recipes

Here’s my Cranberry Orange Muffins recipe. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (8)

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Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe

Robyn Stone

4.96 from 83 votes

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe – Delicious bakery style Cranberry Orange Muffins are full of cranberries and drizzled with a sweet orange glaze! Easy muffin recipe that's breakfast and brunch favorite!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour , + 2 teaspoons (2.5 g) for coating fresh cranberries, if used
  • teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (1.4 g) kosher salt
  • 2 cups (198 g) fresh cranberries , or 1 cup (114 g) dried cranberries
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large (100 g) eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons (9.3 g) vanilla extract
  • zest of 1 orange
  • ½ cup (113.5 g) milk, room temperature

Orange Glaze:

  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 cup (113 g) confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375º F. Spray muffin tins with bakers spray or coat well with shortening or butter and flour, making sure to discard any excess flour from the tins after coating.

  • Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

  • Toss together fresh cranberries and 2 teaspoons of flour to coat cranberries in a separate bowl. Set aside. If using dried cranberries, simply skip this step.

  • Cream together butter and sugar until lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add an egg, one at a time, taking care to fully incorporate before adding the other. Mix in vanilla and orange zest.

  • Gently fold in flour mixture, alternating with milk. Stir until just combined. Fold in cranberries (fresh or dried) and scoop mixture into prepared muffin tins, filling about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

  • Prepare orange glaze topping for muffins while the muffins are baking by stirring together until well-combined.

  • Once muffins have baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the muffin tin. Then, remove each muffin and drizzle with orange glaze. Place onto a plate to finish cooling or serve slightly warm.

Notes

Storage and Freezer Instructions:

To store: Once they’ve cooled completely, they can be stored underneath a cake dome for 3 to 4 days at room temperature.

To freeze: Place cooked and cooled muffins onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for 30 – 45 minutes so that each muffin individually freezes. Once frozen, transfer the frozen muffins into a zip-top freezer-safe bag or other freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.If you wish, you can wait about adding the glaze, but they can be frozen with the glaze as well.

To serve: When ready to serve, simply remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw completely. I like to serve these warm (but you can serve them at room temperature as well), so I will reheat them a bit before serving

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

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

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (9)

From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2013.

Categorized as:30 Minutes or Less Recipes, All Recipes, Bakery, Breakfast Recipes, By Cooking Style, Camping, Christmas Recipes, Cooking, Game Day Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, Make-ahead Recipes, Muffin Recipes, Recipes, Simple Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

Read more about Robyn

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Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh? ›

Can I substitute dried cranberries in recipes that call for fresh cranberries? Yes, dried cranberries work well in baked goods; however there is a ¼ cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries.

Should you rehydrate dried cranberries for muffins? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

What kind of cranberries do you use for baking? ›

Choose. Although cranberries are almost always prepackaged, look for firm, plump berries with a deep red color. Avoid shriveled or soft berries.

How much sugar is in a cranberry orange muffin? ›

Region: US
ServingIngredientCalories
31.43 gcranberries14
0.29egg23
35.71 gsugar138
8.57 gchopped walnut56
5 more rows

Can you use Craisins instead of cranberries in baking? ›

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®. Craisins® should not be used in cooked sauces.

Are cranberries and craisins the same? ›

Raw cranberries (fresh or frozen) are high in nutritional value and fiber while being low in carbohydrates and calories. Dried cranberries (often known as "Craisins," a brand name), however, can be quite different. Since cranberries are so tart, most dried versions have added sugar.

Are Craisins dried cranberries? ›

Dried cranberries may be marketed as craisins due to the similarity in appearance with raisins, although the word "Craisin" is a registered trademark of Ocean Spray. Craisins were introduced as part of a packaged cereal produced by Ralston Purina in 1989.

How to prepare dried cranberries for baking? ›

Step-by-step directions
  1. Cut the cranberries in half and toss in a bowl with sweeteners and oil.
  2. Spread on a parchment-lined baking pan and separate each individual berry as best you can.
  3. Place the baking sheet in a 200ºF oven and let dry, 3 hours or longer. ...
  4. Store in the refrigerator for several months.
Nov 11, 2018

What are the pros and cons of dried cranberries? ›

Both forms of cranberries will offer you the same nutritional benefits and medicinal value. However, dried ones are high in carbs, calories, and sugar than fresh ones, but they still contain most of the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in fresh ones.

Should you pre cook cranberries before baking? ›

Do you need to cook fresh cranberries before baking? While cranberries should not be eaten as is (they are unpleasantly tart), they do not need to be cooked before they are used in baked goods.

Why are there no cranberries in the stores? ›

* The availability of fresh cranberries is limited because the harvest season is very short. Harvesting begins in September and continues through November, and fresh cranberries may be purchased during that time.

What takes the bitterness out of cranberries? ›

Add A Splash Of Vinegar

While citrus is a natural pairing for cranberry sauce, bright, savory vinegars like sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar play well with the bitter-tart berries. Start with a little, then add more gradually. It's easy to overdo it when in comes to bold vinegars.

How much sugar is in the orange cranberry muffin at Panera? ›

Contains Egg, Milk, Wheat
Calories530 Cal
Carbohydrates82 g
Dietary Fiber4 g
Total Sugars42 g
Protein7 g
6 more rows

How many carbs are in a Panera cranberry orange muffin? ›

Nutrition & Allergens
Nutrition InformationValue
Carbohydrates82 g
Dietary Fiber4 g
Total Sugars42 g
Protein7 g
7 more rows

How many calories in a Panera cranberry muffin? ›

Panera Bread Cranberry Orange Muffin (1 muffin) contains 71g total carbs, 68g net carbs, 19g fat, 7g protein, and 480 calories.

Can you use dried cranberries in baking? ›

This juicy red fruit is perfect to add a natural sweetness to a variety of breads, quick breads, scones, and muffins or any recipes. Reconstitute dried cranberries like you would raisins; simply soak the cranberries in hot water and let them stand for 15 to 20 minutes and strain before using in a recipe.

What is a good substitute for fresh cranberries? ›

There's not a direct substitute for fresh cranberries, but you could make a relish or chutney using a combination of fresh cherries and pomegranates, as well as a small amount of dried cranberries or dried figs. The flavor will be more sweet than tart, but it serves the same purpose.

Do you soak dried cranberries? ›

Even if you don't have overly dried fruit, it's nice to plump them a little before adding to salads or other dishes that aren't cooked. This technique gives the fruit a soft texture and more flavor. If you plan to cook or bake with dried fruit, soaking it first will keep it plump and moist.

Are dried cranberries good for baking? ›

Perfect for holiday baking, salads, and using in place of raisins. Cranberries are a favorite during the holiday season. And, dried cranberries are even more popular. They're used in salads, baked goods, stuffing recipes, and even tossed in with roasted veggies.

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