Orange Cranberry Breakfast Muffins (Printable Version)
Moist muffins with tart cranberries and bright orange flavor for a delightful morning bite.
# What You'll 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
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)
# Step-by-Step:
01 - Preheat 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 distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add vegetable oil, buttermilk, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract; whisk until well incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Fold cranberries evenly into the batter to ensure uniform distribution.
06 - Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Optionally, sprinkle coarse sugar on top for added texture.
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 without being dense, which honestly shocked me the first time they came out of the oven.
- The cranberry-orange combo hits different—tart, sweet, and somehow refreshing all at once.
- You can make them on autopilot and they still turn out impressive, so they're perfect for busy mornings or when someone unexpected shows up hungry.
02 -
- Don't overmix once the wet meets the dry—this is non-negotiable if you want tender muffins instead of tough ones.
- Fresh orange zest makes a bigger flavor difference than you'd think; bottled or old zest gets you a muted version of what these should be.
03 -
- Room-temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly and create a more cohesive batter, so let your eggs and buttermilk sit out for 10 minutes before you start.
- If you don't have buttermilk, regular milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar works in a pinch—just let it sit for five minutes to curdle slightly.