Zesty, Buttery Orange Cranberry Muffins
No-mixer needed muffins! These muffins have an incredible citrus tang that gives you a kick in the cheeks and the smell of warm orangey-muffins will fill your home. These are perfect for summertime, or the holiday season! Use real cranberries when they are in season, or you can use tart dried cherries!
Ingredients
Orange Cranberry Muffins
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick salted butter, melted and cooled a bit I use Kerrygold for a strong butter flavor
- 1 cup sour cream room temp
- 2 large egg room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- Zest of 2 oranges be sure to clean before zesting
- 1 cup dried cranberries dried cherries can also be used or 1.5 cups of fresh/frozen cranberries
Tangy Orange Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice from the oranges you zested
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Muffins
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with bakery-style parchment paper muffin liners
- In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, orange juice and orange zest. Whisk to combine until eggs are incorporated. Pour the wet ingredients into the center of the dry ingredients. Add dried cranberries and carefully stir with a spatula until just combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup, scoop the batter evenly into the muffin liners, filling 3/4 of the full. Place into the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tangy Citrus Glaze
- To make the tangy citrus glaze, combine the sifted powdered sugar, orange juice, vanilla extract and orange zest. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add a little more sifted powdered sugar as needed.
- Allow the muffins to cool on a cooling rack before frosting otherwise it will melt off. You can spoon it over the muffins or dip them upside down into the glaze. Glaze should set up hard once it dries.
Notes
**For standard sized muffins: use cupcake liners instead and fill muffins batter to the top of the liners. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The oven temp will remain the same.