Bakery-Style Orange Cranberry Muffins

Light and fluffy Bakery-Style Orange Cranberry Muffins. This fun recipe is filled with bright and citrusy flavors from the orange zest and juice, and tart juicy cranberries all topped with generous amounts of turbinado sugar. 

These muffins are bursting with flavor from the tart berries and bright orange flavor. They are perfectly delicious and remind me of going to Central Market(similar to Whole Foods) and getting a treat after Church. 

Enjoy this sweet treat with a hot cup of coffee or tea for breakfast, a snack on the go, or an after-dinner treat. 

Key Ingredients In These Moist Cranberry Orange Muffins

Orange Zest and Juice – The fresh orange zest helps to add bright citrus flavor to the muffins. The orange juice adds more flavor and helps to keep these muffins light, fluffy, and moist. 

Fresh or frozen Cranberries – The tart berries complement the sweet and citrusy orange. Feel free to use either fresh or frozen cranberries. Whichever you have on hand will work great for this recipe!

Milk – I love using milk in baked goods because it helps them to be extra moist!

Demerara or turbinado sugar (raw sugar)- The key to a nicely browned bakery-style muffin is to top them generously with either demerara or turbinado sugar before baking. These chunky sugar crystals help to brown the top of the muffins as they cook and make the perfect crispy crunchy sparkling top. 

How to Make The Best Orange Cranberry Muffins:

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and line the cupcake pan with regular or tulip cupcake liners, then set aside. 

Step 2. Mix together the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, orange zest and cane sugar. Then mix in the egg and vanilla extract. 

Step 4. Alternate folding in the flour mixture and the milk. Then mix in the orange juice, don’t over mix. 

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Step 5. Fold in the cranberries. 

Step 6. Fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way with the batter, then top generously with demerara or turbinado sugar. 

Step 7. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Step 8. Allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack, enjoy!

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Kitchen Items You Might Need For This Recipe

Nonstick muffin pan

Tulip cupcake liners

Large mixing bowl

Microplane

Wire rack

Demerara or turbinado sugar

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to cook cranberries before baking?

It depends on the recipe and the taste and texture you are going for. For this recipe all you need to do is throw the berries into the batter before baking. 

Can I use frozen cranberries instead of fresh?

Of course! You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for these muffins. There’s no need to thaw them before using.

Can you freeze fresh cranberries?

Yes, freezing fresh cranberries is a great way to preserve them if you have too many on hand. 

Looking For More Recipes?

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Iced Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Simple Banana Nut Bread Loaf

Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe

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