In my house, I'm the only one that pines for cranberries. I'll make a small batch of cranberry sauce for holidays or put together the occasional small cranberry tart. But when it comes to muffins, I can make a full batch and freeze them so I can warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds when the urge for one hits. So when I do make them, I opt to add full berries to the mix to really make them pop.
You can use fresh or frozen berries in this recipe. I usually use frozen ones because I cannot use an entire bag quickly. Besides, then I never need to worry about breaking up a berry or two while stirring them in. I guess you could call it a win-win. Also, the orange juice and zest can likely all come from the same orange. Then I toss the remaining pith and membranes into the compost bin for a no-waste approach. Another win-win.
Of course, the biggest win for me is the ability to enjoy a warm cranberry-orange muffin with my morning coffee or my afternoon tea. And this recipe makes 18 muffins, which means I'll be set with cranberry goodness for a while. I hope you enjoy them too!
Cranberry-Orange Muffins
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Zest of one orange
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 18 muffin tin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the canola oil, sugar, eggs, milk, orange juice, vanilla, and orange zest. Slowly add to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, then fold in the cranberries. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups.
Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for another 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Yields: 18 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes