Freshly baked cranberry orange muffins displayed with whole cranberries and an orange, showcasing their golden tops and bright berry pieces.

Classic Cranberry Orange Muffins Made Easy

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If there’s one bake that can instantly brighten a slow morning, it’s a batch of warm, citrusy Cranberry Orange Muffins. These bakery-style beauties bring together everything we love about cozy weekend baking—zesty orange aroma filling the kitchen, tart cranberries bursting with flavor, and a glossy homemade glaze that makes each bite feel special.

They’re simple, reliable, and come together with just a few pantry staples, making them the perfect treat for brunch, busy weekday breakfasts, or sharing with the people you love. One bowl for wet ingredients, one bowl for dry, and in under an hour, you’ve got muffins that taste like they came straight from a friendly neighborhood bakery.

Freshly baked cranberry orange muffins displayed with whole cranberries and an orange, showcasing their golden tops and bright berry pieces.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Olivia Carter
Bakery-style muffins you can make in your own kitchen. Moist, packed with tart berries and sunny orange flavor, and topped with a sweet, drippy glaze. Perfect for a lazy weekend.
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15 minutes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
COST $8-$10
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Muffins
Servings 12 people
Calories 280 kcal

Equipment

  • Muffin tin
  • liners
  • 2 bowls
  • A whisk
  • a zester

Ingredients
  

For the Muffins:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk or regular milk + a splash of vinegar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 big Zest of orange
  • 1½ cups fresh cranberries, halved

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp fresh orange juice

Instructions
 

  • Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line your muffin tin.
    A bowl of flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt being whisked together to prepare the muffin base.
  • Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl and whisk them together.
    Buttermilk, oil, egg, and orange zest being whisked together to create the wet mixture for the muffins.
  • In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, egg, and orange zest.
    A bowl of muffin batter being mixed lightly until just combined, showing the proper lumpy texture.
  • Pour the wet stuff into the dry stuff and mix until just combined (lumps are fine!). Gently fold in the cranberries.
    Fresh halved cranberries being folded gently into muffin batter to evenly distribute the berries.
  • Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Cook for 20-22 minutes, checking with a toothpick to ensure it comes out clean.
    Filled muffin liners with cranberry-studded batter ready to go into the oven.
  • After cooling in the pan for 10 minutes, transfer them to a rack.
  • Combine powdered sugar with orange juice and whisk until the glaze is smooth. Drizzle it over the cooled muffins.
    Smooth orange glaze being spooned over cooled cranberry orange muffins.

Notes

Toss your cranberries in a spoonful of the flour before folding them in. This stops them from all sinking to the bottom! These freeze beautifully (unglazed) for months.
Health Stuff (per glazed muffin): Cals: 280 | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 43g | Sugar: 26g