Recipe - Cranberry Muffins

Few recipes say “healthy breakfast or snack treat,” but there is nothing like cranberry muffins. Cranberries provide a unique flavor that’s basically timeless, and you can alter this cranberry muffin recipe to fit any number of dietary needs.

This recipe’s basics come from the cranberry country’s home, i.e., the cranberry bogs of southeastern Massachusetts. The ingredients are simple, but you can vary them to add flavors or sweetness. Either way, these muffins will still hit the spot.

Cranberry Muffins are a fall favorite.

These moist and tender muffins are a timeless fall treat and holiday favorite! Streusel topping adds extra texture and subtle sweetness to each bite – making them the ideal breakfast treat!

These delicious muffins take only minutes to make from start to finish, with only a few ingredients needed. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Egg Replacer can even be used if you have any dietary restrictions.

All-purpose flour serves as the basis of this batter, while baking powder helps them rise, and salt helps balance out the flavor. You can also substitute melted coconut oil for butter in place of half the amount, and nuts such as walnuts or pecans could be substituted for chocolate chips in this recipe.

Zesting oranges is an essential step in this recipe, as it brings out the flavors of the cranberries and provides an intoxicating citrus aroma. Feel free to adjust the amount of zest according to your preference.

To make the muffins, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and orange zest in a large bowl. Next whisk in milk, orange juice, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla; stirring gently to incorporate (don’t overmix!). Fold in cranberries gently as well. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups nearly to the top while leaving some space for cranberries to show on top. Top each cup off with some turbinado sugar if desired and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center or until streusel is golden brown and cooked through

Cranberry Muffins are a holiday favorite

Cranberry muffins are an irresistibly tart and sweet holiday favorite! The tart cranberries add a refreshing twist to vanilla and cinnamon flavors in these muffins, which you can also jazz up by adding some chocolate chips for extra flair!

These muffins are easy to make and will be the perfect addition to your holiday table! They’re super moist, packed with sweet and tart flavor – ideal for breakfast, brunch or dessert!

They’re even better with a dollop of cream cheese or drizzle of honey! Finish it with powdered or cinnamon sugar for an irresistible touch!

These muffins are sure to add a festive touch with orange zest and fresh or frozen cranberries! If using fresh cranberries, give them a quick rinse to remove any excess moisture before adding them to the batter.

When adding the cranberries, be sure not to overmix the batter as this can result in dry and tough fruit. Instead, gently fold them into the batter for optimal flavor and texture.

These muffins require all-purpose flour, white granulated sugar, packed brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. If you wish to make the muffins gluten free, substitute all-purpose flour with one-for-one gluten-free flour.

For the streusel topping, blend cold butter into flour, sugar and cinnamon until it resembles small crumbs. Place this streusel on top of muffins and bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Cranberry Muffins are a holiday favorite baking ti

Cranberry Muffins are a holiday must-have due to the festive flavors they add. Plus, they’re easy to make and make for breakfast or brunch – the perfect treat!

Make these muffins with only five simple ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. When mixed together, these ingredients form a sturdy batter that rises beautifully when baked.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly until everything is just combined. Doing this ensures all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together without any lumps in the batter.

Another essential step is to halve the cranberries before adding them to the batter. Doing this helps distribute them throughout the muffin mix, creating a muffin that’s packed with juicy cranberry bites!

Dried cranberries make for a great substitute if fresh are out of season or hard to locate. Just be sure to use sweetened dried cranberries, as they tend to be tarter than fresh or frozen options.

You can substitute the yogurt with coconut or almond milk yogurt, and substitute the butter with vegan butter sticks or melted coconut oil.

These muffins can also be dressed up with an orange glaze for a festive touch! It takes only minutes to make and will brighten up your morning coffee!

Cranberry Muffin Baking Tips

Cranberry Muffins make for a delicious holiday breakfast treat that’s easy to make, moist, and filled with tart cranberries and orange zest. Not only that, but they make for an excellent pick-me-up on cold mornings or afternoons too!

These muffins boast a tart flavor from fresh cranberries, orange zest, and juice. You can customize it further by adding nuts or chocolate chips if desired.

Begin by whisking together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Combine sour cream, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in another bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until almost fully combined before folding in the cranberries.

Bake in a preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20-25 minutes. Allow muffin tins to cool in their pans for several minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

These muffins can even be frozen! Simply place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to three months.

When making these muffins, be sure to use fresh cranberries (fresh or frozen). Fresh cranberries can be found year-round in the produce section of supermarkets; frozen can be purchased between October and January. If unsure whether the cranberries you’ve purchased are fresh, cut them in half and squeeze out any liquid from them; this helps ensure the berries don’t taste too tart or sweet and helps keep these muffins moist.

Can Cranberry Muffins Be Brozen

Though you could easily use dried, these muffins get their tart flavor from fresh and frozen cranberries. To prevent drying out of the berries, I suggest soaking them in hot water for a few minutes before adding them to the batter.

To prepare the muffins, mix sugar and butter in a medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Next, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, stir flour, baking powder, salt into the butter mixture alternately with milk until all dry ingredients are included.

Once all wet and dry ingredients are blended together, it’s time to incorporate the cranberries. Coat them in flour until evenly coated, then fold them into the muffin batter. Be careful not to overmix as this could result in tough, chewy muffins that don’t rise properly.

Cranberry muffins are delicious on their own, but they also pair perfectly with other sweet or tart flavors. Try pairing these muffins with blueberry muffins for an ideal balance of sweetness and tartness.

How To Make Cranberry Muffin moist and not dry?

Making cranberry muffins moist requires thoroughly mixing all the ingredients and adding in a small amount of liquid. Doing this helps the berries stay moist, giving the muffins their signature tender texture.

To begin, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl with a fork or spoon. Whisking these ingredients together ensures that all are evenly mixed together.

Once all the dry ingredients are blended, add in the wet ones – including melted butter and beaten eggs – into the batter. Stir until just combined; avoid overmixing, as this can result in tough and dense muffins.

Let the muffin batter rest before baking if you prefer a soft and tender crumb. Doing this allows gluten-free starches to absorb moisture more readily and relax, creating a fluffier crumb!

These delicious cranberry muffins are easy to make and can be served for breakfast, brunch, or dessert – the perfect holiday treat! For an even sweeter twist on this recipe, add in homemade streusel topping and orange glaze for extra sweetness.

Ingredients U.S. (Metric)

Here’s the list of ingredients, with metric amounts in parentheses:

  • One cup of fresh cranberries (240 mL), quartered
  • 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder (12.5 mL)
  • 8 tablespoons of sugar (8 x 15 mL) equally divided
  • One large egg at room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon of salt (.0625 mL)
  • 1.75 cups (412.5 mL) of all-purpose flour
  • Cinnamon sugar sprinkled to taste
  • Enough milk to blend the egg and oil
  • 1/3 cup (80 mL) of vegetable oil
  • One teaspoon of lemon zest, grated (5 mL, optional)

Preparation Directions

  • The mixing directions couldn’t be more straightforward. Take the cranberries, sprinkle them with approximately 2 tablespoons of sugar and set them aside.
  • Once you’ve done that, sift the leftover sugar, flour baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, you’ll want to beat together the egg, a small amount of milk and the oil. Dig out a hole in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the liquid ones. Stir with the wooden spoon until everything’s moist, then add the berries and the lemon zest (if desired).
  • Fill the greased muffin cups with the mixture, then sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar. Bake at 400 F for 18 minutes if you’re using standard muffin pan that will yield 12 muffins, 22 minutes if you’re going with a large pan with jumbo cups that will give you six.

After that, just cool, serve, and enjoy—and they can easily be reheated, too, with little or no loss of flavor.


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