Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Cranberry Orange Muffins, bursting with fresh cranberries and a citrusy orange twist. Perfect for breakfast or a cozy snack, these muffins combine warm spices, creamy sour cream, and a luscious orange glaze to create a perfectly balanced treat.
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 the oven: 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.
- Prepare dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cardamom. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- 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 butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition to ensure even mixing. Then mix in the pure vanilla extract and optional orange extract.
- Combine sour cream and orange juice: In a separate bowl, whisk together the full-fat sour cream and orange juice until smooth.
- Mix dry and wet ingredients: On low mixer speed, alternately add the sifted dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture to the creamed butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overmixing. Fold in the fresh or frozen cranberries gently to distribute evenly.
- Fill muffin cups: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them nearly full for perfectly sized muffins.
- Bake the muffins: Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare and apply glazing: To make the glaze, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and whole milk until the mixture is smooth and pourable. Drizzle this glaze over the cooled muffins just before serving for a sweet and tangy finish.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and use coconut yogurt instead of sour cream.
- If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw before folding them into the batter to prevent color bleeding.
- Ensure ingredients like eggs, butter, and sour cream are at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
- Use fresh orange zest and juice for the most vibrant flavor.
- Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
