Cranberry Orange Muffins with Milk Chocolate Chips, fresh cranberries, orange extract and buttermilk, a last-minute festive bake perfect for breakfast or brunch, afternoon tea or just whenever you crave a bakery-style treat at home. The muffins are incredibly moist and fluffy, big on flavours and super easy to make in just 30 minutes from scratch. A family-favourite sweet treat to enjoy throughout harvest and the festive season.
Fresh cranberries might be mostly used to make cranberry sauce and added to side dishes like stuffing and salads, but they also work wonderfully well in desserts. My cranberry orange ice cream is a delicious and refreshing frozen treat to enjoy after heavy meals and gargantuan feasts.
And the reason why they work so well in desserts too is because they bring the right amount of tartness to balance out the sweetness of the sugar. Plus, their vibrant red colour adds such a wonderfully festive touch to any sweet treat.
These cranberry orange muffins might not be the poshest dessert to bring to the Christmas table, but they surely are delicious, and can be enjoyed as part of a festive continental breakfast, brunch, snack or afternoon tea throughout the Christmas season.
The buttermilk makes them incredibly moist and light, while the orange extract and juice add a beautiful aroma that makes your mouth water. Throw in some delicious chocolate chips, and the perfect sweet treat is baked!
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
- fresh cranberries - can be replaced with frozen cranberries, although the baking time might be slightly longer
- orange juice - I used the juice from a large orange, but you can also use shop-bought orange juice
- orange extract - amplifies the orange flavour
- buttermilk - makes the muffins moist, it can be swapped for yogurt and sour cream
- self-raising flour - helps add a good rise to the muffins
- vegetable oil - a lot lighter than melted butter, it keeps the muffins light and fluffy
- baking powder - helps with a good lift
- egg - at room temperature
- chocolate chips - I used milk, dark chocolate chips can be used too
- light brown sugar - adds a touch of indulgence to the muffins, sprinkle on top, it also makes the muffin tops beautifully sweet and creates a crisp, caramelized topping
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- in a large mixing bowl, add the sifted flour, light brown sugar and baking powder
- mix all the ingredients well
- crack the eggs in a jug and use a fork to beat it well
- pour in the orange juice, buttermilk, orange extract and oil and give it a good mix
- combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, add 3 quarters of the fresh cranberries and chocolate chips, and use a spatula to incorporate them
- line 2 muffins tins with muffins cases, and fill the cases about 3 quarters full - I ended up with 16 muffins
- top them with the remaining cranberries and chocolate chips, and sprinkle sugar over
- bake in the preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius (375 Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes
Expert tips
If you use frozen cranberries for this recipe, you don't need to thaw them beforehand, just add them frozen to the batter, and adjust the baking time, it's likely to be a bit longer, just keep an eye on the muffins after 20 minutes.
Don't overmix the batter, a few lumps are fine, overmixing will lead to denser muffins that do not get a good rise. Just combine the ingredients until they are just incorporated.
If you want to freeze the muffins, allow them to cool down completely first, then wrap them individually, then freeze them. Thaw them overnight in the freezer before serving.
Other muffins you might like
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Cranberry Orange Muffins with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- 285 g self-raising flour (10 oz, 2 ⅜ cups)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 125 ml freshly-squeezed orange juice (½ cup)
- 125 ml buttermilk (½ cup)
- 2 eggs
- 100 g light brown sugar (½ cup + more for sprinkling on top)
- 85 ml vegetable oil (â…“ cup)
- 200 g fresh cranberries (7 oz)
- 100 g milk chocolate chips (½ cup)
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 Fahrenheit).
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, add the light brown sugar and baking powder, and mix well.
- Crack the eggs in a jug, add use a fork to beat them well.
- Pour in the milk, orange juice, orange extract and oil.
- Give everything a good stir.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, add 3 quarters of the cranberries and chocolate chips, and use a spatula to mix until just incorporated.
- Line 2 muffin tins with paper cases, and fill each case with batter - I got 16 muffins.
- Top each muffins with the remaining cranberries and chocolate chips, and sprinkle some sugar over.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and well risen.
Video
Notes
- If you use frozen cranberries for this recipe, you don't need to thaw them beforehand, just add them frozen to the batter, and adjust the baking time, it's likely to be a bit longer, just keep an eye on the muffins after 20 minutes.
- Don't overmix the batter, a few lumps are fine, overmixing will lead to denser muffins that do not get a good rise. Just combine the ingredients until they are just incorporated.
- If you want to freeze the muffins, allow them to cool down completely first, then wrap them individually, then freeze them. Thaw them overnight in the freezer before serving.
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