Top of the muffin to you! My Cranberry Orange Muffins are like sunshine on a rainy day! They are bright, sweet yet slightly tart, oh-so delicious and gluten-free! Whether you enjoy them for breakfast, as a snack or for dessert, they are sure to put a smile on your face!
My Cranberry Orange Muffin recipe calls for, you guessed it, cranberries and oranges. These two fruits combine to create the most delicious and exciting bite! The sweetness of the oranges perfectly balances the tartness and vibrancy of cranberries. The batter consists of flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, butter and oil, which create the lightest and fluffiest muffins. Vanilla, orange juice and zest and fresh or frozen cranberries infuse these muffins with tons of big and bold flavours and texture, making these sweet treats irresistibly good!
If you’ve made muffins and you can’t seem to achieve that bakery-style signature muffin top, then I’m here to show you how to do just that! Simply start with a hot-hot oven and bake your muffins for a few minutes. You’ll notice that the muffin tops begin to rise and slightly expand. Next, without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature and bake your muffins until light, fluffy and perfectly cooked through. It really couldn’t be easier than that! So, if you’re looking to satisfying that sweet tooth craving, then you’ll have to give my Cranberry Orange Muffin (Gluten-Free) recipe a try! Let me show you how it’s done - grab a spoon and come and cook with me! Happy Baking!
For more gluten-free baking ideas, try my Blood Orange Upside-Down Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Guilt-Free Carrot Cake and Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cake recipes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 - 27 minutes
Total Time: 35 - 37 minutes
Makes: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I use Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Multipurpose Flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 Tbsp as a topping
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 Tbsp orange zest (approx. 2 medium oranges)
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup avocado oil (See Notes below)
1/4 cup orange juice (approx. 1 medium orange)
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, plus a few extra as a topping (See Notes below)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin or cupcake liners.
To a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until fully incorporated.
To a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, butter and orange zest and, using a handheld or stand mixer, beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Then, add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
To the large mixing bowl, add the milk, avocado oil, orange juice and flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
Fold in the cranberries and divide the muffin batter equally amongst the 12 muffin cups. Press some extra cranberries on top of the muffin batter and sprinkle the remaining 1 Tbsp sugar over top.
Bake the muffins at 425F for 7 minutes and then, without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tray for 15 minutes. Then, transfer the muffins to a baking rack to fully cool. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Substituting the Avocado Oil: If you don't have avocado oil in your pantry, you can simply substitute it for another neutral oil, such as sunflower or vegetable oil. Either option works beautifully in this recipe.
Fresh versus Frozen: You can use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. Just be sure to give your cranberries a good rinse and pat them dry. When adding them to your batter, gently fold them in using a large spoon or spatula. This will help keep the cranberries intact and juicy once baked.
Filling the Muffin Liners: To ensure equal distribution of the muffin batter and a consistent bake time, use an ice cream scoop to portion out the batter.
A Change in Baking Temperature Makes All the Difference: At the onset of the baking process, baking the muffins at a higher temperature gives the muffin tops a little lift. Reducing the temperature for the remainder of the baking time allows the muffins to fully cook without drying them out.