Description
Anera’s Delightful Cranberry Orange Muffins combine the tartness of fresh cranberries with the bright zestiness of orange, resulting in moist, fluffy muffins topped with a crunchy turbinado sugar glaze. Perfect for breakfast or a tasty snack, these muffins bring a burst of autumnal flavor to your table in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins and Topping
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if frozen)
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (for a crunchy top)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a jumbo muffin pan with paper liners or grease the cups well to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution of leavening agents.
- Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk the light olive or vegetable oil with granulated sugar, eggs, whole milk, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has dissolved.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. The batter should remain slightly lumpy to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the muffins.
- Incorporate Cranberries: Carefully fold in the fresh or frozen cranberries, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter without breaking them up.
- Fill Muffin Tins: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full to allow room for rising during baking.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle one tablespoon of turbinado sugar evenly over the tops of the muffins to add a delightful crunchy texture once baked.
- Bake: Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes to give an initial rise, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Do not thaw frozen cranberries before adding to the batter to prevent excess moisture and sogginess.
- Use fresh orange zest for the best citrus flavor; avoid pre-packaged zest which may be less flavorful.
- Filling muffin cups only ¾ full ensures the muffins rise properly without overflowing.
- Turbinado sugar topping adds a pleasant crunch and slight caramelized flavor.
- Ensure not to overmix the batter once wet and dry ingredients are combined to keep muffins tender.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
