Description
These Cranberry Orange Muffins are a delightful combination of tart cranberries and bright citrus flavors, perfect for a refreshing breakfast or a sweet snack. Moist and tender with a hint of warm spices, topped with a zesty orange glaze for the perfect finishing touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- â…“ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon orange zest, finely grated
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange extract (optional)
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- â…“ cup orange juice
Fruit
- 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons whole milk (adjust for consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray with non-stick baking spray.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground nutmeg, and ground cardamom. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and orange zest until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition to ensure even mixing. Then add the pure vanilla extract and optional orange extract, mixing until combined.
- Combine Sour Cream and Orange Juice: In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream and orange juice until smooth.
- Incorporate Dry and Wet Ingredients: On low mixer speed, alternate adding the sifted dry ingredients and the sour cream-orange juice mixture to the creamed butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overmixing. Gently fold in the cranberries by hand.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
- Bake: Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 25-27 minutes, or until the tops turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Glaze and Drizzle: To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and whole milk until smooth. Adjust milk amount to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh cranberries; if using frozen, do not thaw before folding into the batter.
- Orange extract is optional but enhances the citrus flavor.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins tender.
- Ensure butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature to achieve proper creaming and mixing.
- The glaze adds a sweet citrus finish but can be omitted for a less sweet option.
- Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.
