Fresh and frozen Ocean Spray cranberries are the perfect holiday fruit for baked goods and pastries. Cranberries are easy to use. Just add a few cups of fresh or frozen cranberries to quick breads, pancakes, Thanksgiving turkey stuffing, or these fragrant orange muffins for a festive touch. Not to be confused with Craisins – dried sweetened cranberries – fresh or frozen cranberries add a delightful tart taste to sweet orange muffins.
Orange Cranberry Muffins Recipe
- 3 cups all-purpose King Arthur unbleached flour
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter or margarine, melted (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup orange juice, pulp or no pulp
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure orange extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange orange zest (peel)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them first.)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, pecan or almonds, optional
- Castor or coarse sugar for sprinkling (Granulated sugar can be used as well.)
How To Make Orange Cranberry Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line muffin tins with paper cupcake liners, or spray non-stick muffins pans, and set aside.
- Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter and set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk milk, orange juice, eggs, orange extract and orange zest together in a large mixing bowl.
- Add sugar to the milk mixture and beat or whisk well. Add melted butter and mix again.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients with a large plastic spatula or wooden spoon, and mix only until moistened and blended. Do not over mix batter or the muffins will be tough.
- Carefully fold chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds, and fresh or frozen cranberries into batter.
- Scoop muffin batter 3/4 full into prepared pans. Sprinkle a little coarse sugar on each muffin top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes or until muffin tops spring back when touched.
- Wait 5 minutes until the muffins can be handled, then carefully remove to a wire cooling rack.
- Let cranberry orange muffins cool completely before storing in air tight containers. Freeze muffins for up to 3 months.
- Makes 15 regular size muffins. Recipe can be doubled with good success.
Try These Great Muffin Recipes:
Blackberry Muffin Recipe with Fresh Blackberries - Blackberry Muffins with brown sugar & pecan streusel topping. Baked with fresh or frozen blackberries and spices, muffins are quick and easy breakfast pastries and desserts.
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Peach Muffin Recipe With Fresh Ripe Peaches - The smell of warm peach muffins with brown sugar & pecan streusel topping right out of the oven, will make anyone drool!
Donna Diegel - Donna Diegel is an experienced baker and published author with more than 25 years of experience in the food industry.
