Cranberry Orange Muffins

December 15, 2015Teresa Ambra

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Are you ready for one of the BEST muffins you’ll ever taste? Cranberry Orange Muffins are spectacular and certainlyone of my favorite comfort foods. These sweet muffins are filled with loads of fresh cranberries, pecans, orange juice and orange zest. The streusel topping has pecans and brown sugar, then the glaze includes powdered sugar and more orange juice.

Follow Me On Instagram!

These fruity, juicy muffins are moist and delicious, and so worth making. Not only that, they have humongous muffin tops, plumping up and puffing up so beautifully–not caved in or flattened outdue to too much sugar or improper baking temperatures. They are so special.

For years, I never bothered making muffins or cupcakes. I made lots of sweet breads and lots of cakes, but never the smaller version. I’m not sure why. But I’ve been fixated on making muffins for the past year and a half ever since I finally found out the key to making muffins that raise properly. Since then, I’ve posted over 30 different kinds of muffins, much to my own enjoyment. 🙂 And, hopefully to your enjoyment, too, blogging friends and fans.

For this lovely recipe, I started with an old favorite:Cranberry Fruit Nut Bread. I wanted to make it in muffin form. This one had a whopping 2 cups of sugar contrasted with 3 cups of flour. I knew they would fall flat if I baked them that way, so I decreased the sugar in the muffin and added a little back to the streusel and glaze to keep them sweet enough.

I also started the temperature at 425 for 5 minutes. Then I reduced the heat to 350 for the remainder of baking time. That allows the muffins to raise beautifully, then they hold their shape while cooking at the reduced temperature. Topping it off, I added a simple pecan streusel and orange glaze that really made these muffins pop with flavor and texture.

I will admit I love a really high topper on a muffin. I also enjoy making muffins in my extralarge enameled muffin tins, too. That makes for one substantial muffin. Certainly enough for any breakfast. The nice thing about these muffins is they can easily be frozen until you need them (which is what I did).

I like to make muffins in advance of when I need them to give away to friends, family or folks I’m taking a meal to. If you choose to make the muffins in the larger tins, you won’t have quite the yield as with the regular sized muffin tins, but they’re so substantial one will be enough!

If you want a spectacular, festive and beautiful muffin for the holidays, then look no farther than Cranberry Orange Muffins. I guarantee you’ll want and eat more than one!

Cranberry Orange Muffins have humongous toppers. They’re beautiful for company breakfasts.

Cranberries and orange flavoring work superbly together in this recipe.

My husband’s not a huge muffin fan, but he enjoyed these because they were moist due toall the fruit.

I love muffins, and Cranberry Orange Muffins are some of the best!

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients for the muffins.

Rinse cranberries. Combine cranberries, part of the sugar, orange zest and chopped pecans.

Stir to combine and set aside.

Combine UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods), remaining sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender until well blended.

Add cranberry mixture and orange juice.

Stir ingredients just until moistened.

Grease muffin tins. Spoon cranberry muffin mixture into muffin tins almost to the top.

I used these ingredients to make the streusel topping.

Combine flour, brown sugar and finely diced pecans. Stir to combine.

Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender until well blended.

Here the streusel topping is ready.

Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over top of all the muffins.

Bake at 425 for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 15-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

I used these ingredients for the glaze.

Whisk ingredients to combine.

Drizzle glaze over top of muffins.

Cranberry Orange Muffins are some of the best muffins you’ll ever eat!

Are you salivating yet?

Cranberry Orange Muffins are so beautiful and festive. Perfect for the holidays.

Here’s the recipe.

(My own concoction)

Teresa Ambra

These lovely muffins have super humongous muffin tops and are incredibly festive and beautiful. Filled with cranberries, orange juice and zest and pecans, with a delightful streusel and orange glaze, they make an amazing holiday breakfast.

3.55 from 135 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 24 minutes mins

Total Time 49 minutes mins

Course Breads, Rolls and Muffins, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 18

Calories 271 kcal

Equipment

2 12-tin regular muffin pans
2 large mixing bowls
1 wooden spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoons
1 small mixing bowl
1 whisk
1 pastry blender
1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped

Ingredients

MUFFINS:

1/2 cup pecans chopped
2 tbsp. orange peel freshly grated
12 oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries rinsed
3 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
1 cup granulated sugar divided use
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. unsalted butter cold, or coconut oil
1 cup orange juice
2 large eggs well beaten

STREUSEL TOPPING:

1/2 cup UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
1/4 cup pecans finely diced (measure after chopping)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter cold, (1/2 stick)

GLAZE:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. orange juice

Instructions

MUFFINS:

Preheat oven to 425°.
Wash and rinse cranberries.
Place in large bowl.
Add nuts, orange peel, and ½ cup granulated sugar.
Stir well to combine.
Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
Cut in butter with pastry blender.
Add orange juice, eggs, and cranberry mixture.
Stir with wooden spoon to combine.
Grease muffin tins very generously to avoid sticking.
Pour muffin batter into prepared muffin tins to the top.
Add streusel topping.
Bake at 425° for 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350° and bake muffins an additional 15-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool muffins in pans about 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.
Drizzle glaze over top.
Yield: 18 muffins.

STREUSEL TOPPING:

Combine flour, brown sugar and pecans in a small mixing bowl.
Cut in butter with a pastry blender.
Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over each muffin.
Press down lightly with fingers so topping adheres to batter.
Bake as directed above.

GLAZE:

Combined powdered sugar and as much orange juice as needed to make a glaze.
Drizzle glaze over top of each muffin when cool.

Notes

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 4gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 212mgPotassium: 107mgFiber: 2gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 207IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 2mg

Keyword bread, breakfast, brunch, cranberry, main dish, orange

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

[b]Cranberry Orange Muffins[/b]

Recipe Type: Breads, Rolls and Muffins

Cuisine: American

Author: Teresa Ambra – my own creation

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 24 mins

Total time: 49 mins

Serves: 18

Ingredients

[b]MUFFINS:[/b][br]
½ cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp. freshly grated orange peel
12-oz. bag fresh or frozen Ocean Spray cranberries, rinsed
3 cups Gold Medal UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
1 cup sugar (divided use)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter or coconut oil
1 cup Tropicana orange juice
2 eggs, well beaten[br]
[b]STREUSEL TOPPING:[/b][br]
½ cup Gold Medal UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup finely diced pecans
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold[br]
[b]GLAZE:[/b][br]
1 ½ cups Imperial powdered sugar
3 tbsp. orange juice

Instructions

[b]MUFFINS:[/b][br]

Preheat oven to 425°.
Wash and rinse cranberries.
Place in large bowl.
Add nuts, orange peel, and ½ cup sugar.
Stir well to combine.
Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
Cut in butter with pastry blender.
Add orange juice, eggs, and cranberry mixture.
Stir with wooden spoon to combine.
Grease muffin tins very generously to avoid sticking.
Pour muffin batter into prepared muffin tins to the top.
Add streusel topping.
Bake at 425° for 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350° and bake muffins an additional 15-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool muffins in pans about 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.
Drizzle glaze over top.
Yield: 18 muffins.[br]

[b]STREUSEL TOPPING:[/b][br]

Combine flour, brown sugar and pecans in a mixing bowl.
Cut in butter with a pastry blender.
Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over each muffin.
Press down lightly with fingers so topping adheres to batter. Bake as directed above.[br]

[b]GLAZE:[/b][br]

Combined powdered sugar and as much orange juice as needed to make a glaze.
Drizzle glaze over top of each muffin when cool.

Cranberry Orange Muffins are great for holiday baking.

Cranberry Orange Muffins are great to make for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day breakfasts when fresh cranberries are in season.

Every bite of Cranberry Orange Muffins will have you drooling!

Cranberry Fruit Nut Bread

Pecan Cranberry Muffins

Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies