Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe

Close-up of a bakery style cranberry orange muffin

4.72 from 42 ratings

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe

I’m sharing my tried and true tips for making gorgeous and delicious cranberry orange muffins. After 6 months of testing, I’ve perfected easy to follow steps for perfect bakery style muffins so you follow right along.

Prep Time10

Cook Time23

Rest Time15

Total Time48

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bakery style muffins, cranberry muffins, easy muffin recipes, orange muffins

Servings: muffins

Author: Beth

Equipment

Bakery Style Muffins Cookbook

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour measured properly, 360g
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
zest of 3 oranges
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1&1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Instructions

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a spoon to combine and set aside.
In a larger mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, orange zest, and orange juice. Stir to combine with a spatula for 30 seconds.
Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing by hand just until combined. Fold in the cranberries, the batter will be very thick! If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them.
Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other well allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other.
Fill the liners to the top with batter. Yes – to the top! Use a butter knife to smooth the tops of the muffins if lumpy. Top the muffins with a few extra cranberries and sanding sugar if desired.
Bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keeping the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 13-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Bake the remaining muffins.
Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to bump the temperature back up to 425ºF.

Video

Notes

4 Tips for Bakery Style Muffins

Please reference the post for an explanation of why I use each tip.

1. THE REST PERIOD

Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan.

2. BAKE AT HIGH TEMPERATURE INITIALLY

Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially then lower to 350ºF.

3. FILL THEM TO THE TOP

Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.

4. FILL EVERY OTHER MUFFIN CUP

Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.

Nutrition