Description
These Cranberry Orange Muffins are a perfect balance of tart and sweet, featuring fresh cranberries and zesty orange flavors embedded in a moist, tender crumb. Enhanced with warm spices like nutmeg and cardamom, these muffins are ideal for breakfast or a delightful snack, topped with a smooth orange glaze for an extra citrusy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- â…“ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon orange zest, finely grated
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange extract (optional)
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- â…“ cup orange juice
- 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons whole milk (adjust for consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray with non-stick baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground nutmeg, and ground cardamom. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In another bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and orange zest until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs one at a time to the creamed butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Then, mix in the pure vanilla extract and optional orange extract for added aroma.
- Combine Sour Cream and Orange Juice: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the full-fat sour cream and orange juice until smooth.
- Mix Batter: On low mixer speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined to prevent overworking. Then, gently fold in the cranberries to distribute evenly.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling them nearly full for proper rising.
- Bake Muffins: Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 25 to 27 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Glaze: Whisk together the sifted confectioners’ sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and milk until smooth. Adjust milk quantity to achieve a drizzle-able consistency.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the orange glaze over the cooled muffins just before serving for a bright, sweet finish.
Notes
- For even baking, ensure all ingredients, especially eggs, butter, and sour cream, are at room temperature before mixing.
- Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used; if using frozen, do not thaw to avoid altering batter consistency.
- Orange extract is optional but enhances the citrus flavor.
- Adjust the amount of milk in the glaze to reach your preferred thickness for drizzling.
- These muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- To freeze, wrap muffins individually and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
