Cranberry Orange Muffins (Moist & Bakery-Style)
Soft, moist, and bursting with bright citrus and tart cranberry flavor, these bakery-style Cranberry Orange Muffins are a holiday favorite! With golden domed tops, tender crumb, and a hint of cinnamon, they’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or festive gatherings. The simple one-bowl batter makes them foolproof and easy for any occasion.
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper liners or cooking spray
- Large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Microplane or zester
- Wire Cooling Rack
- Toothpick (for testing doneness)
Ingredients
- For the Muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 tbsp orange zest (zest of 1 large orange)
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (don’t thaw if frozen)
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping (Optional)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk melted butter, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and orange zest until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Batter should be slightly lumpy—do not overmix.
- Fold in cranberries gently until evenly distributed. If using frozen, add straight from freezer.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling ¾ full (or nearly full for tall tops).
- Mix ¼ cup sugar and ¼ tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle generously over each muffin.
- Bake 18–22 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. For bakery-style tops, bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 375°F for 15–17 minutes.
- Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.