Classic Cranberry Orange Muffins

This is a classic cranberry orange muffins recipe! They are studded with bright red cranberries throughout and topped with a buttery sugar streusel! The perfect combination of sweet and tart with the orange and cranberry.

These are simple muffins that come together in one bowl. They have tangy cranberries and sweet orange juice and zest in every bite.

The muffins are sprinkled with a delicious buttery sugar streusel before baking. The streusel crisps up while baking in the oven and creates that perfect muffin top.

For more recipes, try Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cake, Pumpkin Chocolate Cake, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Why this recipe works

• Christmas - A great way to use up leftover cranberries!
• Easy to make – These muffins come together with just a few simple steps.
• Cranberries – When cranberries bake, they lose all that sharp tangy flavour and become sweet like raspberries! 
• Orange – Sweet orange is paired perfectly with tart cranberries.

Ingredients Notes

Full recipe and ingredients are in the recipe card below. Feel free to scroll through this section to view certain key ingredients we’re using!

Butter – This will be cold and used for the streusel.

Buttermilk – Buttermilk is an important ingredient in these muffins. The acid in the buttermilk works with the leavening agents to give a fluffier crumb and more of a rise. To make buttermilk, stir 1 cup of milk with 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar. Allow to sit on your counter for at least 10 minutes before using.

Cranberries – I used fresh cranberries, but frozen work as well. If using frozen cranberries, add them into the batter without thawing.

Cornstarch – Helps to create that tender crumb. 

Eggs – Make sure they’re at room temperature before beginning.

Flour – All-purpose flour is used in this recipe.

Orange – Both orange zest and orange juice are used in this recipe.

Oil – I used a flavourless oil. Makes the muffins more moist.

Step by step instructions

Here is how to make and bake these Classic Cranberry Orange Muffins. You will need two 12 muffin tins, 2 large mixing bowls, muffin liners, a spatula, and a whisk.

Step 1 – Prep. Line the muffin tin with 15 liners and set aside. If you need a recommendation, this is my favourite tin. 

Step 2 – Make the streusel. In a medium sized bowl, add flour, sugar, and cold butter. Using your hands, mix this until crumbly and combined. Set aside in the fridge to chill while you make the muffin batter.

Step 3 - Mix dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, add flour, salt, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a spatula, mix until just completely combined and set aside.

Step 4 - Mix orange zest and white sugar. In a large bowl, add in sugar and orange zest. Using your fingers, combine them to release all of the orange oils and fragrances. Do this for a minute.

Step 5 – Whisk wet ingredients. In the same bowl, add in melted and cooled butter, eggs, oil, buttermilk, orange juice, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

Step 6 – Add in dry ingredients. Toss in the dry ingredients and using a spatula, mix until just completely combined. 

Step 7 – Add cranberries. Gently toss the cranberries in 1-2 tsps of flour before adding them into the mixing bowl. This will help absorb any liquid they may have from washing. Then add into the bowl and mix in a few times.

Step 8 – Scoop. Evenly divide the batter between 15 liners, they should be almost or all the way full. Using a cookie scooper helps big time to minimize the mess. Sprinkle streusel on top.

Step 9 – Bake. Bake the muffins at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted comes out dry with no wet batter.

These muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week!

Expert Baking Tips

Here are a few expert baking tips from my kitchen to yours

• Streusel: Be extra generous when sprinkling streusel on top of the muffins. When they bake, approximately half of it gets melted into the batter!
• Use a gram scale. I cannot emphasize this enough! It is the most accurate way of measuring your ingredients in the kitchen. This is one of my favourites.
• Do not over-mix! A big reason muffins don’t rise or turn out tough is because the batter is over-mixed. Once you see no flour streaks, stop mixing.

FAQ

How do I store these muffins?

These muffins are good on your counter for 2 days, and in the fridge in an airtight container for a week! I like to bake them ahead of time and grab them as a snack on my way out the door.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes! You can use the 2x and 3x options on the recipe card to double and triple the recipe when needed.

Do I have to make the streusel?

No! But it really brings a nice buttery muffin crunch to them when they bake up. If you don’t make the streusel, sprinkle some white sugar on top.

What do I do with leftover streusel?

Streusel freezes great! Just place any leftovers you may have in a ziplock bag and freeze until needed again. You do not need to thaw it to use it, once you are ready to use it, you can sprinkle it frozen on top of the muffin batter.

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