Cranberry Orange Muffins {So Soft}

Easy cranberry orange muffins recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Ready in 30 minutes. Soft and fluffy! Full of fresh or frozen cranberries, orange zest and a topping of sparkling sugar.

My family loves a good muffin as breakfast or even an after school snack. It's one of those warm, feel-good treats that fills a hungry tummy. I especially love how festive these ones turned out. They are absolutely perfect for Christmas morning. These Chocolate Chip Muffins, No Bake Breakfast Muffins (Easy), and Easy Pancake Muffins (Fluffy) are always a hit too.

Jump to:

• Key ingredients
• Variations
• How to make easy cranberry orange muffins recipe from scratch? 
• Tips and techniques
• Recipe FAQs
• Storage
• More easy bakery style muffin recipes
• Recipe

Key ingredients

• Flour- All-purpose works best for this recipe.
• Sugars- Granulated is used for the batter and sparkling sugar for topping.
• Rising agents- Including both baking powder and baking soda.
• Extracts- I used orange and vanilla for these muffins.
• Eggs- You need two large ones at room temperature.
• Oil- Melted unsalted butter can also be used.
• Milk- I prefer to use whole or at least 2% for best overall flavor and texture.
• Cranberries- Make sure they are firm and not squishy.
• Zest- Orange makes a great pairing with the cranberries.

Variations

• Lemon cranberry muffins- Replace the orange extract with lemon extract and use lemon zest instead of orange zest for a new flavor profile.
• Try other extracts- There are many different extracts you can use to change up the flavor. For example, you may want to try almond, vanilla, maple, mint, raspberry, strawberry, or whatever is your favorite!
• Blueberry muffins- Follow the recipe except substitute the cranberries with fresh or frozen blueberries. If you like these you can also try my Lemon Blueberry Muffins (With Glaze).
• Make jumbo size- Get out the jumbo muffin tin and make a batch of jumbo muffins! Just be aware that baking time will vary and take longer than regular muffins.
• Make mini size- You can also make mini muffins with a mini muffin tray. Keep an eye on these, because baking time will likely be shorter than normal.
• Try other fruits- You can also try using raspberries, blackberries, or other small fruits. Just be aware of differing cook time and moisture content. If you want something with berries but a bit more sweet, check out these Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes (Soft & Fluffy).
• Serve with a topping- Such as Whipped Cream, honey butter, frosting, Strawberry Jam, preserves, Crockpot Apple Butter.
• Use frozen cranberries- Although I prefer fresh, frozen are also a good substitute.

How to make easy cranberry orange muffins recipe from scratch? 

Tips and techniques

• Don’t omit sparkling sugar- Because it adds sweetness and crunch and gives that special bakery style appearance.
• Butter vs Oil- It is best to use oil, because melted butter leads to slightly denser texture and oil keeps the muffins lighter and moist.
• Don’t remove warm muffins from pan- I know it's hard to resist, but don't do it because they will break and make a mess. Let them cool first for 5-10 minutes.
• Don't replace sparkling sugar with granulated sugar- They are not the same and cannot be used interchangeably.
• Use whole milk- Or at least 2%, because your muffins will be richer and more moist.
• Grease and flour pan- Because otherwise the muffins will stick to pan and they will be difficult to remove.
• Test doneness- By inserting a toothpick into the center of the cooked muffin. If it comes out clean and tops are light golden brown, then your muffins are ready to be removed from the oven.
• Use room temperature ingredients- Because they blend together better.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

• Fridge- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days. 
• Freezer- Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 month, then thaw and enjoy.
• Make ahead- These can be made 1-2 days in advance if kept in an airtight container in the fridge, then serve when ready and consume within a day.
• Room Temperature- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for 2-3 days.

More easy bakery style muffin recipes

• Banana Muffins (Soft and Moist)
• Pumpkin Muffins (With Cake Mix)
• Cinnamon Muffins (Soft and Moist)
• Banana Chocolate Muffins (Soft)
• Easy Applesauce Muffins (With Cinnamon)

Recipe