Tangy-sweet and moist, these cranberry orange muffins are heavy on the flavor and bejeweled with beautiful cranberries in each bite. Enjoy them plain, or spruce them up with a crumb topping and drizzle of orange icing. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. They’re simple to make, extra buttery, and freeze easily!
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and more helpful success tips.
Cranberry is an underrated flavor in the fall and winter months. Often overshadowed by pumpkin, apple, and gingerbread, this tart beauty deserves its own spotlight. It is, afterall, perfectly hot pink when baked. 😉
I love cranberry and orange together, and the two lend a POP of vibrant flavor to today’s muffins. I use the same base muffin recipe that I rely on for many other fan-favorite muffin flavors including blueberry muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, and apple cinnamon muffins.
One reader, Cathy, commented: “The muffins are fantastic! Delicious! Moist! For leftover muffins, we popped them in the microwave for 13 seconds and they were like right out of the oven. Added benefit—the house smells wonderful as they bake. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Terry, commented: “Just absolutely delicious and pretty, too! Love the cake-like texture, but the brightness of the orange and tartness of the cranberry take it over the top! Added a little orange zest to the frosting as well. Thank you for another perfect recipe! ★★★★★“
Here’s Why You’ll Love Today’s Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Bursting with tart and juicy cranberries in each bite
- Can use fresh or frozen cranberries—so convenient
- Loads of orange flavor with a touch of cinnamon spice
- Soft, tender, and cakey
- Top with brown sugar crumb topping or a sprinkling of coarse sparkling sugar
- Finish with sweet orange icing
Use My Base Muffin Recipe
Have you ever tried my go-to muffin recipe? It’s a standard muffin base I use for a variety of flavors, including my popular blueberry muffins. And with a couple simple tweaks, you can go from sunshine-sweet peach streusel muffins to chilly-morning cranberry orange muffins.
The carefully selected ingredients and ratio of wet-to-dry ingredients promises a moist and cake-like muffin that’s still denser than, say, vanilla cupcakes. The batter is thick, so the muffins rise nice and tall.
I developed the recipe back in 2014 and still use it all the time. I heavily depend on it because not only does it produce delicious muffins, it uses basic baking ingredients and holds up well to nearly any add-in. When you have a solid and forgiving baking recipe, the possibilities are endless.
You need a handful of familiar baking ingredients including butter, white granulated and brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, sour cream to add some moisture, milk to thin out the batter, plus flour, leaveners, and salt. A little cinnamon spice adds a seasonal spiced flavor.
Then you’ll load it up with orange zest, a splash of orange juice, and cranberries.
Overview: How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins
You’ll need a couple mixing bowls and an electric mixer (either a stand mixer or handheld), because we’re creaming the butter and sugar together. (Here’s a quick refresher on how to cream butter and sugar, if you need it.) From there, it’s as easy as combining dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet in another, and then mixing them together and folding in the cranberries.
Expect a thick batter:
Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups, using a standard 12-count muffin pan. You’ll fill them to the very top and, because the batter is so thick, the muffins will rise straight UP instead of straight OUT like mushroom tops.
You can add a sprinkle of coarse sugar or bake them plain. But, to really make the most of these magenta-studded beauties, let’s add a crumb topping.
Crumb Topping
The crumb topping uses some of the SAME ingredients you need in the muffin batter—very convenient! Some crumb toppings require cold butter and a pastry cutter to mix, but we’re using melted butter here, so just use a fork. It’s the same crumb topping I use when making peach streusel muffins and apple cinnamon muffins (the apple has more cinnamon).
My crumb topping advice: do not overmix the crumb ingredients or else you will end up with paste. Keep it crumbly and press the crumbs slightly down into the muffin batter so it will stick.
Orange Icing Is Optional
Orange icing is a lovely finishing touch and adds even more flavor. You need just 2 ingredients: confectioners’ sugar and orange juice. Whisk together and drizzle over your warm muffins. Feel free to skip the icing, and, again, you can skip the crumb topping as well.
Below I have muffins from 2 separate batches: one plain served with homemade cinnamon butter (highly recommend!) and the other with crumb topping + icing.
If you can’t get enough of cranberries for breakfast, try my cranberry Christmas cake next. But don’t limit it just to Christmas… or just to breakfast! And serve this cranberry curd tart for dessert!
More Muffin Recipes
I have dozens of muffin recipes on my site. Here are a few favorites:
Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Buttery, tender, and moist, these cranberry orange muffins are topped with a brown sugar crumb and sweet orange glaze. Both toppings are completely optional if you prefer plain cranberry orange muffins. Try them with homemade cinnamon butter!
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2/3 cup (83g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
Muffins
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest (from about 2 oranges)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) fresh orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk (any kind), at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (185g) fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
- optional: coarse sparkling sugar, for sprinkling on top (if not using crumb topping)
Orange Icing
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Make the crumb topping: Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter together in a small bowl until combined. Add the flour and use a fork to gently mix until crumbs form. Don’t over-mix into a paste. Just mix until it is crumbly. Place in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter. Cold crumbs hold shape better when baking.
- Make the muffins: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the orange zest and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs, yogurt/sour cream, and vanilla, and beat for 1 minute, then turn up to high speed until the mixture is combined and mostly creamy. (It’s ok if it appears somewhat curdled.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, orange juice, and milk, and beat until no flour pockets remain. Gently fold in the cranberries. Avoid over-mixing. Batter is thick.
- Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top. Spoon crumb topping on each, gently pressing it down so it sticks. If not using crumb topping, sprinkle muffins evenly with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F; then, without opening the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 16–19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 21–24 minutes. (Usually closer to 21 minutes if you’re skipping the crumb topping.)
- Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Let them cool for at least 15 minutes before icing.
- Make the icing: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice together and drizzle over warm or cooled muffins.
- Iced or plain muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked & cooled muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying. Warm up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer)
- Yogurt: You can use nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt, Greek or regular. You can also use sour cream.
- Milk: You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy. For best taste and texture, I do not recommend nonfat milk.
- Cranberries: If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw.
- For a jumbo muffin pan: 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 22–25 minutes, for a total of 27–30 minutes. Makes about 6. For mini muffins: 350°F (whole time) for 12–14 minutes. Makes about 36–40.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi, is there any way to substitute honey for the sugar?
Hi Carole! We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes like honey. Thank you!
Hello! I’m obsessed with your recipes!
I was wondering what I need to adjust (time/temp) if I wanted to make these into jumbo muffins.
Hi Irene! You can definitely use this batter to make jumbo muffins. We recommend following the same bake time and temperatures as our jumbo blueberry muffins.
Successful recipe! The orange zest really gives it the flavour so dont miss that out. I made this without the glazing and it is still delicious!! Yummy
Hi Ann! We don’t suggest that swap. It would change the texture of the muffins too much.
Okay, these just came out of the oven and I CAN’T STOP EATING THEM, SEND HELP. Couldn’t even be bothered to add the glaze, THEY’RE SO FLUFFY AND ADDICTING!!!
Hi! Can I use 11% Greek yogurt for extra fat for my baby?
Also, if I glaze some how do I store those? Thank you!
Hi Ashley, you can use a high fat yogurt in this muffin recipe. Cover and store muffins with glaze at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Just made these replacing half the butter with oil, and they turned out lovely. Thanks for the recipe!
I just made another batch of these. Seems that every time I crave something sweet these muffins are my first choice every time! So good and I like to say “healthier” than most with fresh cranberries and yogurt. Added more orange zest for extra zing.
Thank you Sally.
These turned out delicious! The pop of fresh cranberries with super tender orange flavored crumb was perfect! I used sour cream because it’s what I had on hand and it worked perfectly.
I just made these and they are so very flavorful! I had one issue with mixing ingredients. I used Greek yogurt and when I added that, the eggs and vanilla to my mixer, the ingredients splashed and splattered everywhere. I ended up mixing by hand. Maybe I should have used the lowest setting. I used my kitchen aide. I baked the 18 minutes and they were almost overdone. I think I will do a few minutes less next time. My oven maybe running hot. Thanks for another great recipe!
These muffins turned out perfectly. I used Greek yogurt and buttermilk, as well as dried cranberries. They weren’t too sweet and the icing makes them just right. They’re moist and the texture is just right and the recipe yielded 15 nice plump muffins. I might increase the cinnamon because I like it. It’s a keeper.
Hi Sally.
These muffins are a family favorite. I load up on cranberries during the holidays and freeze them so that I can make these all year. Honestly, every recipe of yours that I have ever made has been wonderful. I thought I was a decent baker before, but I have learned so much from you and my baking has improved dramatically as a result. Thank you so much!
My husband and kids thank you too. 😉
I am enjoying one of these warm muffins now, they’re delicious. I must admit, I nearly ruined them by failing to notice that the 425F oven must be reduced to 350F after 5 minutes. I had them in at 425F and after about 13 minutes, they were looking nicely browned. I went back and looked at the directions again and realized I never reduced the temp. I ran to the oven and pulled them out. They were perfect but I wonder if others failed to notice this as well and that is why their muffins were dry.. I will make these again for sure, thank you!
What type of yogurt do you recommend using? Would Greek yogurt work in this recipe?
Any plain (non flavored) yogurt is great. Greek yogurt works wonderfully.
I made these for Thanksgiving week and incorporated a little of the streusel topping from the Cranberry Orange Bread recipe since we are fond of it. They turned out great and were a BIG HIT at work and at home. I used a mixture of fresh and dried cranberries, the latter had been rehydrated with orange juice. It will be one of my go-to muffins!
Hi Sally,
Can you use buttermilk? These look amazing.
Yes, you can use buttermilk instead of regular milk. Enjoy!
Excited to have found this recipe. Curious what the substitute for yogurt would be in the recipe? Dairy products not permitted due to a dietary restriction. Thx.
Dairy free yogurt works and I’m sure the same amount of mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce could work in a pinch.
These muffins are amazing! A perfect balance of sweet and tart. If you’re wondering whether you should make them, the answer is yes, you definitely should.
I tried this recipe…muffins turned out very well. Tqvm for sharing.
Made these for a brunch. Made a strudel topping instead of the glaze. Ooohhh so good. They were gone fast.
Hi Sally,
Just made these and added the glaze. I measured the glaze twice with scale and it came out so runny and clear. Not like your pic. Should I have just added more powdered sugar or less orange juice? Or both? Thanks!
Hi Alison, You can always thicken the glaze up by adding more of the sugar. If you decide to make this again, start with less orange juice and then add it a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Delicious, dense and moist. I used canned jellied crandberry sauce about 1 cup, sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest, a few chocolate chips for my daughter. Yummy! Perhaps a few walnuts would of been good.
Hi Sally….Can I do a straight up substitute for lemon (zest and juice) instead of orange? Lemon Cranberry Muffins are my husbands FAVE. Would love to see a Lemon Cranberry Muffin recipe of yours one day!
Thanks in advance,
Elise
Hi Elise, We haven’t tested these with lemon but you can certainly try. You might also like these Blackberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins where you can use cranberries instead of blackberries if you wish.
Not very flavorful. Not sure how this has 5 stars.
Tried this recipe and like all your recipes it came out fab!! Will defo be baking these often, thank you so much! Xx
Made these last night. The muffins were moist. I had to use vanilla yogurt with sugar in it because my other option was greek. The flavor is good. I only had 1 orange zest to add. Used frozen cranberries. It came out very tart. How could I cut the tartness?
Hi Jen, these muffins are naturally tart because of the cranberries. Next time, try using half of the cranberries (3/4 cup). Thanks for giving these muffins a try!
Made these super delicious muffins for our breakfast treat yesterday. Skeptical about using frozen cranberries, but did it. WOW, the cranberries popped during baking and the rest is history. My husband and I admitted we could not stop with one. Absolutely the best cranberry orange muffin recipe ever.
Hi Sally,
I made the muffins..very moist and excellent muffin recipe. I am getting a slight bitter taste…. did anyone else experience this?
Could it be the baking soda???
Thank you so much for a reply. I would really like to make again.
Hi Rachel, Fresh cranberries can taste bitter when uncooked – but sweeten up when cooked/baked. If your berries are particularly large go ahead and chop them into slightly smaller pieces to make sure they bake. You should also check to make sure your baking soda is fresh, most boxes say they are good for 6 months but we tend to replace them after 3 for optimal freshness.
Used sour cream instead of yogurt, bread flour (and a little extra milk) and substituted the juice/zest of 2 lemons instead of orange. Didn’t bother making the topping. Even without it, they turned out great! Thanks for the recipe.
Absolutely delicious! I only had dried sweetened cranberries (reduced the amount to 1 cup because I was worried about the sweetness). The flavor was amazing. I did replace 50 grams of the all-purpose flour with 50 grams of whole wheat pastry flour. Very good!
My only criticism would be that the glaze was incredibly too thin. I had to add more sugar to thicken it. I would suggest adding the orange juice gradually rather than all at one time.
These will definitely go on my muffin rotation!