Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Cranberry Orange Breakfast Muffins, packed with fresh cranberries and zesty orange, perfect for a bright morning treat. The muffins are lightly spiced with cinnamon and topped with optional turbinado sugar for a sweet, crunchy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
Optional Topping
- Turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Combine butter and egg: In a separate bowl, beat the melted butter and the egg together until fully blended.
- Add wet ingredients: Stir the buttermilk, orange zest, and vanilla extract into the butter and egg mixture until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold the batter with a rubber spatula, being careful not to overmix; a few lumps are fine for tender muffins.
- Fold in cranberries: Gently incorporate the chopped cranberries into the batter, ensuring even distribution.
- Fill muffin tin: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top if using for extra sweetness and texture.
- Bake the muffins: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool the muffins: Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries; if frozen, do not thaw before adding to prevent color bleeding.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the muffins light and fluffy.
- Optional turbinado sugar topping adds a delightful crunch and sweetness.
- Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
