Orange Cranberry Breakfast Muffins (Print Version)

Zesty muffins with tart cranberries and sweet orange flavor, perfect for a morning boost.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2 large eggs
07 - ½ cup vegetable oil
08 - ¾ cup buttermilk or milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
09 - Zest of 1 large orange
10 - ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins

12 - 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved if large
13 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar (optional, for topping)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat the eggs then whisk in the vegetable oil, buttermilk, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula just until combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Fold the cranberries evenly into the batter.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar if desired.
07 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're genuinely moist inside with a tender crumb that doesn't dry out by day three.
  • The tartness of cranberries and brightness of orange balance each other so perfectly that you won't need to load them with extra sugar.
  • Fifteen minutes of actual work means you can have fresh muffins cooling while you pour your coffee.
02 -
  • Don't skip the five-minute rest in the pan; it makes the difference between sturdy muffins and ones that crumble when you pick them up.
  • Frozen cranberries don't need thawing, and they actually help keep the batter cold, which means less spreading and more height.
03 -
  • Mix your dry ingredients the night before in a sealed container, and in the morning your muffins come together in minutes.
  • Room temperature eggs mix more smoothly into the wet ingredients, so pull them out while you're preheating the oven.

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