Description
These Cranberry Orange Muffins are a delightful blend of tart cranberries and bright orange zest, baked to golden perfection. Moist and tender, with a crunchy sugar topping, they make a perfect breakfast treat or snack that’s bursting with fresh citrus and berry flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit Mixture
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cranberries
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Topping
- Coarse sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Muffin Cups: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray the cups well with nonstick cooking spray to ensure easy release after baking.
- Mix Orange Zest and Sugar: In a small bowl, combine the orange zest with granulated sugar. Rub them together with your fingertips until the sugar becomes moist and fragrant, releasing the orange oils. Stir in the roughly chopped fresh cranberries and set this mixture aside to infuse.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the egg then add orange juice, buttermilk, and vegetable oil, mixing until combined. Create a small well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and gently stir until just combined. Fold in the cranberry and sugar mixture carefully, trying not to overmix.
- Fill Muffin Cups and Add Topping: Using a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, evenly divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops generously with coarse sugar for a crunchy sugary crust after baking.
- Bake Muffins: Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 6 to 7 minutes. The muffins are done when the tops turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Muffins: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm.
Notes
- Use Sugar in the Raw Turbinado Cane Sugar for the best coarse sugar topping texture and flavor.
- If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw before chopping and incorporating to prevent excess moisture in the batter.
- Substitutions: Vegetable oil can be replaced with any neutral-flavored oil like avocado oil.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute buttermilk with a dairy-free alternative mixed with lemon juice or vinegar to mimic acidity.
- For a vegan version, replace buttermilk with a suitable dairy-free milk and swap the egg for a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, set for 5 minutes to thicken).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
