Description
Enjoy these irresistibly moist cranberry orange muffins, perfect for a refreshing breakfast or a delightful snack. Bursting with fresh cranberries, zesty orange flavor, and a hint of sweetness, these muffins offer a balanced taste and tender crumb. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, this recipe delivers a bakery-quality treat right from your oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (Can be substituted with gluten-free flour.)
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder (Critical leavening agent.)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda (Works with acidic ingredients.)
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar (White sugar can be used for a lighter taste.)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt (Use table salt in a pinch but reduce amount slightly.)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large Egg (Flax egg works as vegan substitute.)
- 1 cup Buttermilk (Substitute with regular milk and vinegar or lemon juice.)
- 1/3 cup Melted Butter (Vegetable oil or melted coconut oil can be used.)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (Opt for high-quality extract for best results.)
- 1 tablespoon Orange Zest (Avoid substitutes for optimal taste.)
Mix-ins
- 1 cup Fresh Cranberries (Frozen berries can be used directly from the freezer.)
- 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans (Optional, can substitute with other nuts or omit.)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners to prevent sticking and facilitate easy muffin removal.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, and kosher salt to ensure even distribution of leavening agents and flavor.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk the egg, buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and orange zest until the mixture is smooth and creamy, incorporating air for fluffier muffins.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture using a spatula, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the batter and ensuring a tender muffin texture.
- Add Cranberries and Pecans: Carefully fold in the fresh cranberries and chopped pecans to evenly distribute these flavorful add-ins without breaking them up.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Spoon the batter into the lined muffin tin, filling each cup approximately two-thirds full to allow room for rising during baking.
- Bake Muffins: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Muffins: Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them onto a cooling rack to cool completely or to a warm touch for immediate serving.
Notes
- You can substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour for a gluten-free version.
- Use a flax egg or other egg substitute to make the recipe vegan friendly.
- Frozen cranberries can be used directly without thawing; this helps prevent the color from bleeding into the batter.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Omitting pecans will still yield delicious muffins; you can substitute with walnuts or other nuts if preferred.
- Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- For a lighter taste, you may substitute brown sugar with white sugar.
