Cranberry-Orange Muffins
Fluffy and delicious, our cranberry orange muffins are bursting with flavor. Tart cranberries and fresh oranges are signature fruits of autumn and early winter, making this muffin recipe a sweet treat for the holidays. Bake a few batches and give them away as gifts for your friends and family to enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 egg
- 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, or walnut oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup strained fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or unthawed frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
Directions
Step 1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat an oven to 375°F. Grease 10 standard muffin cups with butter or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray; fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping.
Step 2. Mix Dry Ingredients
In a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest.
Step 3. Mix Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, milk and orange juice until blended. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Using a large silicone spatula, fold in the cranberries and nuts just until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
Storage Tip: Enjoy your cranberries throughout the year by freezing them in airtight freezer bags. They keep up to 1 year in perfect condition.
Step 4. Bake the Muffins
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them level with the rim. Bake the muffins until golden, dry and springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 5. Let Cool and Serve
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the muffins cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 10 muffins.
Adapted from The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book, Edited by Chuck Williams (Oxmoor House, 2009)