Orange Cranberry Breakfast Muffins (Printable)
Moist, zesty muffins bursting with cranberries and orange for a bright morning boost.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml)
08 - 3/4 cup buttermilk or milk with 1 tsp lemon juice (180 ml)
09 - Zest of 1 large orange
10 - 1/3 cup fresh orange juice (80 ml)
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Add-Ins
12 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved if large (150 g)
13 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, optional for topping
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - Beat eggs, then whisk in vegetable oil, buttermilk, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla until smooth.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and gently fold with a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Evenly fold cranberries into the batter.
06 - Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups and optionally sprinkle tops with coarse sugar.
07 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes 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 stay moist for days, which means you can actually enjoy them without rushing through the week.
- The citrus keeps them from tasting heavy or one-note, so you won't get tired of them.
- Truly easy to throw together—no fancy technique, just honest kitchen work.
02 -
- Fresh orange juice makes all the difference over concentrate or bottled; it tastes bright where the other tastes flat and one-dimensional.
- Don't overmix the batter—I learned this the hard way with dense, tough muffins that tasted like disappointment—a few gentle folds are all you need.
03 -
- Zest your orange over a small bowl before juicing it so you don't lose any of that precious aromatic oil to the counter.
- If your muffins dome too much and crack on top, your oven temperature might be running hot—lower it by 25 degrees next time and bake a minute or two longer.