These bakery-style Cranberry Muffins are filled with excellent quality softness, and buttery feels with a burst of the bright, tangy, and sweet flavors of fresh cranberries!
You will never regret having to bake this easy cranberry muffins recipe at home, as each bite offers you a moist yet so soft and fluffy texture that feels like sinking into a delicious sponge of great taste.
Fresh cranberries are known for their flare of tangy and bright flavors, and those exact flavors will be present in this recipe, so you can only imagine how flavorful each muffin will become. Loaded with all the natural sweetness of the cranberries, these muffins surely are a win.
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Easy Cranberry Muffin Recipe
You may not realize this, but fresh cranberries are widely available from October to December, making them fall and winter fruit. With that said, you may serve these lovely and terrific muffins for any fall occasion and winter holidays. They are also perfect to serve during those cold and dark days if you want to find comfort in their softness and delicious taste.
Wrap yourself in a thick blanket and munch on these muffins by the fire while the world slowly goes colder as it prepares itself for the winter.
Cranberries have bright flavors, and they also have a deep and luscious red hue that, when they are mixed into the muffins, gives that wonderful deep red flecks. Rich with unique flavors and colors, these muffins are nothing you have seen before. They are equally pleasing in both flavor and appearance.
Level up your classic muffins that are already becoming boring into these heightened flavors of fresh muffins loaded with all the good things from flavor to texture and color.
Why Does This Recipe Work?
- Quick and easy to put together, making it a no-fail recipe. They are so simple to make and will not require expertise in the kitchen, so long as you follow the instructions in this recipe, then you are good to go.
- Soft and flavorful: the perfect muffins indeed!
- This recipe is one of the most budget-friendly muffins you can make at home. Plus, most of the ingredients are pantry-staple, and if some are not available at home, then you can certainly find them in the store near you.
- The perfect treat for children as they are fluffy and filled with a fruity taste. If you can't get your kids to eat lots of fruits and veggies, you may as well treat them to a piece or two of these muffins.
- Excellent addition to your holiday menu!
- You can easily adjust the flavors of this dish by altering the recipe here and there to add other flavors you wish to add. This recipe is flexible, and you can easily match it with your preference.
- With simple ingredients, you can make these festive muffins that are perfect for the holiday season.
- This is a simple recipe that can be doubled or tripled easily. suitable for breakfast on busy mornings.
- These homemade cranberry muffins are perfect for a make-ahead breakfast and afternoon snack.
What's in This Recipe?
All Purpose Flour. To give your muffins the desired look, we have to use all-purpose flour to build up their structure.
Granulated Sugar. Aside from giving an extra sweetness, granulated sugar will be used in this recipe to encourage the browning of the dough. And it is also sprinkled on top of the muffins before baking to make the outside of the muffins crisp. You can use brown sugar instead if you like; this is a totally personal preference.
Baking Powder. To add volume by letting the dough rise, using baking powder is a must for this recipe.
Baking Soda. Baking soda will assist the baking powder in letting the muffin dough rise as it bakes.
Vegetable Oil. It is necessary in making these muffins moist and rich in flavor and texture. Vegetable oil also encourages tenderness in the muffins.
Whole Milk. Milk forms a stronger dough if you use it in combining the dry ingredients. In addition to that, it helps in improving the texture and mouthfeel of the muffins.
Eggs. Eggs are responsible for helping the flour and leavening agents of this recipe to provide structure, flavor, and even color to your muffins. Use eggs at room temperature.
Vanilla Extract. The vanilla extract improves the flavors of all other ingredients in this recipe, like that of milk and sugar. Vanilla extract also removes the aftertaste and smell of the eggs when baking is done.
Fresh Cranberries. Fresh cranberries are very crucial in making this recipe as they are the ones to give the base flavor of the muffins. Their bright, tart-sweet flavor will definitely make your muffins taste extra yummy.
How To Make Cranberry Muffins - Step By Step
One: Preheat oven to 176C/350F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Two: Mix in oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract using the electric mixer until combined.
Fold in the cranberries.
Three: Scoop the batter into the muffin tin cups, and sprinkle some granulated sugar on top.
Four: Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown; let them cool completely on a wire rack, then serve.
Top Tips!
- You should use full-fat milk for this recipe. The fat of this milk helps provide a crisp crust, color, and flavor.
- As a rule of thumb, fill your muffin cups no more than three-quarters of the way full. That ought to be sufficient space for the muffins to rise without making a mess inside your oven.
Recipe Variations
- Adding a dash of fresh orange zest or lemon zest to your muffin mixture will add a more tangy flavor to the muffins that will go well together with the cranberries.
- You may use ground cinnamon to add warmth to your muffins.
Make your muffin moist by adding a bit of yogurt to your muffin mixture. - Sprinkle some coarse sugar or powdered sugar on top of the muffins to balance the tangy cranberries.
- Frozen cranberries work fine in this recipe too.
- Top your muffins with a sweet orange glaze, a simple sugar glaze or cranberry sauce.
- Use dried cranberries instead of fresh ones if you have to.
- To make cranberry orange muffins, just replace milk with fresh orange juice.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your muffins fresh from the oven, then slice them in half and slatter them with cream cheese or warm butter. You may also top these muffins with whip cream.
Storage
To Store: Keep these muffins in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezing: Put the muffins in an airtight container in the freezer; they will last for 1-2 months.
Recipe FAQs
It's a question I get asked occasionally, and the quick answer is no, you can't make muffin batter ahead of time and bake them whenever you want. The reason for this has to do with leavening. Baking soda and/or baking powder need to be combined with a liquid to begin their chemical reaction that leads to rising. If you let the muffin batter sit for too long before baking, the muffins will likely not rise as they should.
When they are baked for a few minutes longer than necessary, muffins that were previously fluffy and moist run the risk of becoming dry.
Yes, both fresh and dried cranberries work well. However, you need to adjust the measurement accordingly. 1 cup of fresh cranberries, replace it with only ½ cup of dried cranberries.
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Recipe
Fresh Cranberry Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 176C/350F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt.2 cups all purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Mix in oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract, until combined.½ cup vegetable oil, ¾ cup milk, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fold in the cranberries.Fold in the cranberries.1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
- Scoop the batter into the muffin tin cups, and sprinkle some granulated sugar on top.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes; let them cool completely, then serve.
Isabella
The perfect recipe for Christmas breakfast
Sophia
Brown sugar is a perfect sweetener for these muffins.