This cranberry orange muffins recipe is the perfect balance between sweet and sour! So delicious and easy to make!
As you all know, I love muffins. Even muffins without chocolate in them. If you’ve been reading my blog, you will know that I usually sneak chocolate in muffins, much to Christopher’s chagrin. I will say that I did not do that with these.
I wanted to.
But it would totally change this delicious cranberry orange muffin. And I couldn’t have that.
Silly memories
I got my first job at the place where my sister Nancy had a job. It was a dream job. Why? Because it was in a bakery. I couldn’t believe that I was going to work in a bakery. Called Sugar and Spice. Talk about the self discipline I would have to exercise not to eat my way through the display cases.
This is where I first got my taste of cranberry orange muffins!
I worked with such great people! The boss was so gruff and crusty on the outside, but inside she was as soft as a marshmallow. In that regard, she was like a lot of her baked goods. But I have to give her credit because I was very silly. I’m surprised I didn’t get yelled at more often. Truly.
I have so many great memories of that job. I will relate one of them here.
We used to take older cakes and pastries and sell them at a discounted rate. And at the end of the day, if they hadn’t sold, they were either thrown out or taken home by one of the workers.
*Raises hand in air, “Pick me! Pick ME!”*
Well, one day, there was a chocolate cake with white frosting on the counter waiting to be purchased. It had a sad wait because at the end of the day, no one wanted it.
We closed up shop and I waited for the other workers (all kids my age, mind you), to look at me and I shoved my face into that cake and took this humungous bite. Needless to say, there was a lot of laughing and everyone took a turn biting that cake.
Have you ever seen the movie, A Christmas Story? Remember when the mother prompts the little brother, Randy, to eat the mashed potatoes like a piggy? That’s what it was like, only with chocolate cake.
🙂
How to make cranberry orange muffins
First, I preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
I get my medium stainless steel bowl and gather some spelt flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. I dump it all in the bowl and use my dough cutter to mix all the dry ingredients together.
Now, I get the rest of the ingredients.
We have 2 eggs, milk, yogurt, olive oil, vanilla, orange zest, pecans and dried cranberries.
I add all the above ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with my rubber spatula.
I get my muffin pan and place 10 muffin cups in it because everyone knows Lainey likes her muffins big!
Time to spoon the batter into the muffin cups. I fill each cup all the way up.
I take some of the pecans and sprinkle them on top of the batter.
Into the oven they go. I bake them for 22 minutes.
Ding
I let the muffins cool for at least 5 minutes in the pan before I remove them and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
After they cool, I plate one, break it open and get ready to consume it.
Look at those plump cranberries!!
I would normally use fresh cranberries but at the time that I made these, it was summer and the stores didn’t have fresh cranberries yet.
Now that the muffin is broken open, I’m going to slather it with butter.
Now, all that is left to do is to eat this delicious muffin and savor my fond memories of working at Sugar and Spice bakery so many years ago.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe.
Please feel free to leave me a comment, Pin any photo to Pinterest and Yum the recipe to Yummly.
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups spelt flour or flour of choice
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup greek yogurt plain
- ½ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Addons
- 1 zest orange
- ½ cup pecans chopped, some saved to sprinkle on top of muffins
- 1 cup dried cranberries or fresh
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Place all the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, use a dough cutter to mix all together
- Add wet ingredients and the Addons
- Stir with rubber spatula until mixed
- Line a muffin pan with muffin cups. I used 10
- Fill cups all the way with muffin batter
- Place pan in oven and bake for 22 minutes
- Test with cake tester
- Cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring muffins to a wire rack.
- Let cool or eat warm
- Plate
- Break open
- Slather with butter
- Eat
- Smile
- Enjoy
Lisa Bryan | Downshiftology
I love cranberry and orange together and these cupcakes sound just delicious!
Elaine
Thank you Lisa! I love the combination as well!
Tina Dawson | Love is in my Tummy
Cranberry and Oranges – sounds incredibly fruity-licious! I can’t wait to bake these and eat half the batch myself!
Elaine
Tina, Hee hee. A girl after my own heart. I do that too. 🙂 sometimes 🙂
Tracy | Baking Mischief
That’s such a sweet story! My first boss was very much like yours, and I love the comparison to baked goods. 😉 These muffins look amazing. Cranberry and orange is one of my favorite combos, especially this time of year!
Elaine
Tracy!
Aww thanks. Mine too!
Tara
Beautiful photos! I love all of the winter flavors with the orange, pecans, and cranberries. Such a great way to start the day!
Elaine
Thanks Tara!
Jessica (Swanky Recipes)
I have a bunch of leftover cranberries from the holidays. This would be fantastic for a New Year day breakfast with the family!
Elaine
Jessica! It certainly would!
Christopher
These were my grandmother’s favorite!