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Bakery-Style Cranberry Orange Muffins - Bright, Soft, and Loaded With Flavor

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • All-purpose flour (2 cups)
  • Granulated sugar (3/4 cup), plus extra for topping
  • Baking powder (2 teaspoons)
  • Baking soda (1/2 teaspoon)
  • Fine sea salt (1/2 teaspoon)
  • Fresh oranges (for 2–3 tablespoons zest and 1/3 cup juice)
  • Buttermilk (1/2 cup)
  • Neutral oil like canola or vegetable (1/2 cup)
  • Large eggs (2)
  • Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
  • Fresh or frozen cranberries (1 1/2 cups, roughly chopped if large)
  • Coarse sugar (optional, for crunchy tops)

Method
 

  1. Prep the pan and oven: Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well. This high heat jump-starts the lift for tall muffin tops.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  3. Combine the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk eggs, oil, buttermilk, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Bring it together: Pour the wet mixture into the dry. Stir gently with a spatula until a few streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
  5. Fold in cranberries: Add the cranberries and fold just until evenly distributed. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy.
  6. Fill the cups: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling nearly to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if you like a crunchy lid.
  7. Bake high, then lower: Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the door. Continue baking 14–16 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool and enjoy: Let the muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.