Name: Cranberry Orange Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup unsalted butter, melted; 2 large eggs; ¾ cup milk; 1 tablespoon orange zest; 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to thaw); ½ cup flour; ⅓ cup brown sugar; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; ¼ cup cold butter, cubed

Jump to Recipe

If a muffin and a holiday party had a baby, it would be these cranberry orange muffins. They’re sweet, tangy, and crumbly on top, basically, breakfast that decided to wear its fancy pants. The bright citrus and juicy cranberries wake you up faster than your morning coffee, and that buttery streusel? It’s the edible equivalent of a standing ovation.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These muffins combine the tart pop of cranberries with the fresh taste of orange zest. The streusel topping adds a crunchy, sweet layer that makes each bite satisfying. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or that mid-afternoon snack you swear you don’t need but always take.

Recipe Infos:

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 12 muffins

Nutrition Information (per muffin)

Calories: 230
Fat: 10g
Carbohydrates: 32g
Protein: 3g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 15g

Ingredients

For the Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
¾ cup milk
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to thaw)

For the Streusel Topping

½ cup flour
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup cold butter, cubed

Kitchen Tools Needed

Mixing bowls
Whisk
Spatula
Muffin tin
Paper liners
Microplane or grater (for the orange zest)
Measuring cups and spoons

How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
Make the streusel topping. In a small bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a fork or your fingers until the texture looks crumbly. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs, milk, and orange zest.
Combine wet and dry. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix, lumpy batter means happy muffins.
Add the cranberries. Gently fold them into the batter.
Fill the muffin cups. Spoon the batter evenly into the liners, about ¾ full.
Add the streusel topping. Sprinkle a generous amount on each muffin.
Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and serve. Let the muffins rest for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Pro Tips

Use fresh orange zest, not bottled. It gives a brighter flavor.
If using frozen cranberries, add them straight from the freezer to prevent bleeding into the batter.
These muffins freeze well. Just reheat for 20 seconds in the microwave for a quick snack.

Thanksgiving Variations

Orange glaze
Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice. Drizzle over cooled muffins for a sweet citrus finish.

Nutty twist
Add ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans to the batter with the cranberries for extra crunch and flavor.

Leftover cranberry sauce version
Replace the fresh cranberries with ½ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce for soft, flavorful muffins that make use of holiday leftovers.

Sparkly sugar topping
Before baking, sprinkle turbinado or sanding sugar on top for a crisp, golden finish.

Halloween Decoration Ideas

Bloody glaze
Add a few drops of red food coloring to your orange glaze(1 cup powdered sugar with 2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice) to create a spooky dripping “blood” look over the white muffins.

Spooky sprinkles
Before the glaze sets, top the muffins with Halloween sprinkles like black and orange nonpareils or tiny bone-shaped candies.

Spiderweb design
Drizzle orange glaze, then pipe a small swirl of melted dark chocolate in the center. Drag a toothpick from the middle outward to form a spiderweb pattern.

Candy decorations
Before the glaze hardens, place a gummy eyeball or small candy spider on top for a creepy finishing touch.

Final Thought

So there you have it, cranberry orange muffins with streusel topping. Sweet, tart, and crunchy all at once. The kind of muffin that says, “Good morning, you absolute legend.”