These cinnamon-y orange and cranberry muffins are great for breakfast, lunchboxes and parties throughout the festive season.
Orange and cranberries are such a great flavour combination, what better way to enjoy them together than these yummy muffins.
The citrus flavour of orange zest combined with slightly tart cranberries, a little cinnamon spice plus a crunch from the walnuts make these muffins totally irresistible!
We make a couple of large batches when cranberries are in season to serve at family brunches or for an easy to grab snack and then freeze any extra (see storing instructions below).
These are also great for lunchboxes or for parties over the festive season.
For more festive treats which are also perfect for gifting, why not try our popular chocolate fudge, these honey cinnamon pecans, or an unforgettable banana layer cake.
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Our cranberry muffin recipe is very simple and works really well with other kind of fruits - fresh, frozen or dried.
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Now here's a great tip - use leftover cranberry sauce to whip up a batch of these yummy muffins, the spices will add great flavour! Use the same quantity as you would for plain cranberries stated in the recipe card below.
What kind of cranberries?
We know fresh cranberries are difficult to get hold of all the year round so here are some tips to use cranberries in their other forms:
- Fresh - if you can get hold of these, amazing! Rinse well, drain the water away and follow the recipe below.
- Frozen - it's so convenient to keep a few bags of frozen cranberries in the freezer. Tip: Use from frozen without thawing otherwise they give off too much water and you could end up with soggy muffins.
- Dried - also a great way to store cranberries so you can reach for them anytime. Soak the required amount in just boiled water for 5 minutes then drain before using.
Tip - Fruit varies in quality and flavour, so go ahead and taste one or two cranberries to make sure they aren't too sour. If they are, you will need to add a little more sugar (1 tablespoon) to the batter.
Orange zest
First wash and dry the orange, then remove the zest taking care not to include the soft white pith under the skin as this will give a bitter taste. You can do this by either of these methods:
- using a grater/microplane - gives shorter strands and is therefore the best option.
- using a vegetable peeler - peel away strips of zest, then slice into smaller strands.
Walnuts
Walnuts add an extra layer of flavour and texture but are entirely optional so you can leave them out if anyone is allergic or they are difficult to find. The muffins will still taste great without them.
Use raw walnuts or roasted walnuts for an even better flavour.
To lightly roast walnuts
- arrange the walnuts in a single layer on a baking tray and bake at 180℃ fan/350℉ for 5 minutes.
- allow to cool before chopping and adding to the batter.
What does the yogurt do?
Adding plain yogurt to the mixture gives a tangy flavour and adds moisture. Plus, the acidity of the yogurt reacts with the alkalinity of the baking powder to produce carbon dioxide giving lighter fluffier muffins.
About the egg
You will need a medium or large size egg. There won't be much difference between the two.
Remove from the fridge around an hour before you need to use it so it is at room temperature.
Storing
Once cooled the cranberry muffins will last up to 4 days in a sealed box.
To prevent muffins from becoming soggy, wrap them in a clean tea towel or kitchen paper before placing in the box. Keep the container in a cool area.
These muffins should not be stored in the fridge nor wrapped in plastic wrap or they will dry out.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Arrange them in freezer bags lined with kitchen paper, then thaw in the fridge or on the kitchen counter overnight.
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Recipe
Orange Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients
Dry
- all purpose flour - 1½ cups 200 g
- white sugar - ¾ cup 150 g
- baking powder - 2 teaspoons 8 g
- salt - ¼ teaspoon 1½ g
- cinnamon - ground, 1 teaspoon 3 g
Wet
- egg - or medium, at room temperature* 1 large
- butter - melted, ⅓ cup 80 g
- whole milk - ⅓ cup 80 mls
- yogurt - ⅓ cup 80 g
- almond extract - ½ teaspoon 2 g
Berries
- cranberries - chopped roughly, 1½ cup 150 g
- walnuts - chopped roughly, ½ cup (optional) 80 g
- orange zest - 2 teaspoons 4 g
Instructions
- Set the oven to 200°C fan/400°F and butter a 12 cup muffin tray or line with muffin liners.
- Sieve together 200 g all purpose flour, 3 g cinnamon and 8 g baking powder, then mix in 1½ g salt and 150 g white sugar and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: 1 large egg, 80 g butter, 80 mls whole milk, 80 g yogurt, 2 g almond extract till mixed.
- Pour the wet ingredients plus 150 g cranberries, 80 g walnuts and 4 g orange zest into the dry and mix gently till just combined*.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups so they are ¾ full, and bake for 20-25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
Cranberries
- fresh cranberries - rinse and drain, and use the recipe as is.
- frozen cranberries - use from frozen without thawing, otherwise they give off too much water.
- dried cranberries - soak in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain before using.
Orange zest
First wash and dry the orange, then taking care not to remove the white soft pith under the skin (as it will give a bitter taste), either:- use a grater/microplane - for shorter strands and therefore the best option.
- use a vegetable peeler - to peel away strips of zest, then slice into smaller strands.
Walnuts
Walnuts add an extra layer of flavour and texture but they are entirely optional but you my need to leave them out due to an allergy or in case you have run out. The muffins will still taste great without them. Use raw walnuts but roasted walnuts will give an even better flavour. To lightly roast walnuts - place in a single layer on a baking tray and bake at 180℃ fan/350℉ for 5 minutes. Cool before chopping and adding to the batter.Egg
*medium or large egg - remove from the fridge an hour before using to bring to room temperature.Tips
Use leftover cranberry sauce to whip up a batch of these yummy muffins, the spices will add great flavour! Use the same quantity as stated in the recipe card below. Take care not to stir the mixture too much as this will give flat, dense, chewy muffins. Leaving a few lumps and streaks of ingredients are fine.Storing
Once cooled, these cranberry muffins will last up to 4 days in a sealed box. To prevent the muffins from becoming soggy, wrap them in a clean tea towel or kitchen paper before placing in the box. Keep the container in a cool area. These muffins should not be stored in the fridge or wrapped in plastic wrap or they will dry out. Freeze for up to 3 months in freezer bags lined with kitchen paper then thaw in the fridge or on the kitchen counter overnight.Only you will see your notes and you can edit them anytime.
Nutrition
Nutritional information calculated automatically per serving, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
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