Tart cranberries, loads of freshly grated orange zest and dark chocolate chips make these Cranberry Orange Muffins irresistible. Plus, they take minutes to whip up so you could be enjoying these in no time!
Cranberry Orange Muffins
The holiday season is definitely underway in our home. While we don’t have any decorating done yet, shopping has begun, menu planning has started, I’m baking every weekend and have already enjoyed lots of eggnog lattes. Do you have any holiday traditions? Hubby and I definitely have some! To kick off the season, on December 23rd (known as Tibb’s Eve in Newfoundland), we make seafood chowder (which is always a treat). Then, from there, it’s all about good eats and celebrating with friends and family.
Christmas morning we usually ease into our day before going to my parent’s for a special celebratory meal. While wearing our festive (aka silly) pajamas, hubby makes eggnog lattes for us in our favourite holiday mugs and we have a small bite to eat (being mindful not to fill up too much before the delicious turkey we’re soon about to have)—>enter easy peasy cranberry orange muffins!
These muffins take minutes to prep and are made with some pretty simple ingredients, one of which is buttermilk. Buttermilk contributes to their richness, along with bursts of fresh cranberry. And who doesn’t love to start any day with something freshly baked??
Tips for Making these Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Fresh cranberries were used in these muffins, but dried would work in a pinch. Though, they won’t have they same pop of tartness/freshness.
- Dark chocolate chips were used here, but milk chocolate chips would work lovely too.
- Don’t have buttermilk? Make your own – it’s easy (just milk with a little vinegar or lemon juice)! This is a great guide.
- When adding the cranberries, FOLD them in with a spatula. Don’t use the mixer. That way, there’s less chance of them breaking up and bleeding into the batter.
Other Easy Muffin Recipes you May Enjoy
Hope you love these cranberry orange muffins as much as I do! Tell me, what’s some favourite holiday traditions of yours? I’d love to hear!
Until next time, take care and chit chat again soon 🙂
~Dawn
P.S. If you think these cranberry orange muffins will make your belly happy too, please be sure to hit that little Pin button. Many thanks, you guys! XO
Cranberry Orange Muffins with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar -packed
- 2 eggs -I used 'large'
- 1.5 tsp orange extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 tbsp orange zest -from 1-2 oranges
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips -plus some for the top before baking
- 1.5 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup buttermilk
- baking spray -to grease muffin pan
Instructions
In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine and lay to one side. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line muffin tin with liners and spray with baking spray. Lay to one side.
In a stand mixer (or using a bowl with a hand mixer) cream butter with sugar until combined and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Add eggs (one at a time) to butter mixture, blending until just combined.
To mixer, add both extracts and orange zest and blend about 30 seconds.
Alternating between flour mixture and buttermilk (in two additions) add to mixer. Add chocolate chips and blend until just combined. FOLD in cranberries with a spatula.
Distribute mixture into prepared muffin tin. Top each muffin with a few extra chocolate chips. Bake 18-20 minutes or until wooden skewer comes out clean. Let cool a few minutes before enjoying.
Recipe Notes
- Fresh cranberries were used in these muffins, but dried would work in a pinch. Though, they won't have they same pop of tartness/freshness.
- Dark chocolate chips were used here, but milk chocolate chips would work lovely too.
- Don't have buttermilk? Make your own - it's easy (just milk with a little vinegar or lemon juice)! This is a great guide.
- When adding the cranberries, FOLD them in with a spatula. Don't use the mixer. That way, there's less chance of them breaking up and bleeding into the batter.
Christmas traditions are amazing – we always have our Christmas tree up as soon as they are available. I just love the smell of them 🙂 Christmas cookies and food in general are a huge part for us as well of course! Cranberry Orange Muffins sound like a wonderful treat this time of the year! Have a great weekend ahead, Dawn!
I LOVE your traditions, Dawn! Especially the part about the eggnog lattes 😉 These muffins are holiday perfection. The flavours all go so well together!! We’re just starting to make our own family traditions, but you can bet they’ll mostly revolve around food, hah! I can’t wait to try these!
There’re not too many Christmas traditions in our house, especially culinary (Because I’m the person who doesn’t like to repeat one recipe every year; I always want to experiment). But I can say gingerbread cookies and cranberry pecan shortbread have been two things I’ve made every year (sometimes more than twice) for a course of 6 years or so…well, I guess that might be considered a tradition now. Also, as it’s going to be my first Christmas in Nova Scotia, I’m thinking of some seafood dishes as well, like a scallop risotto or super rich chowder, if you don’t mind 🙂 Cranberries are an excellent Christmas ingredient, so I’m going to 100% approve these guys. And eggnog lattes? That’s generous! How can I get one? 🙂
I love the idea of adding buttermilk to these muffins. Right now I feel like I’m making cranberry everything! These muffins need to be next on my list. Love that you’ve paired the cranberries with chocolate! That’s a great way to start the day!
Thanks Kathy! Me too! Love cranberries – so versatile 🙂 Hope you enjoy these muffins!
I’ve made cranberry orange muffins tons of times Dawn and not once have I ever thought to add chocolate chips! Great idea! Can’t wait to give these a try! Pinned!
Thank you Mary Ann! Chocolate really adds a nice little somethin’ to the party 😉 Hope you love ’em 🙂
The moment I saw these I thought, “I HAVE to make these for my mom!” All of her favorite flavors in one beautiful muffin. And I might have to eat a few myself too. 😉 Perfect for holiday breakfasts!
YAY! That makes me so happy, Marissa!! Hope you guys enjoy them! Let me know when you try 🙂
I’m absolutely a huge fan of cranberry orange muffins, and we are totally twinning with the flavour combo today! I love that you added buttermilk to these muffins, and chocolate chips are a must when it comes to muffins! As for holiday prep, we are getting started. The lights went up outside yesterday, and some decorations will probably go up this weekend! I love to get it done early so we have lots of time to enjoy! Have a great week Dawn!
Totally!! Yay – so exciting to be holiday decorating!! Starting to see stuff go up now…won’t be much longer for us 🙂 Have a wonderful week too, Leanne 🙂
These look so tasty! Great idea to add in chocolate chip! YUM!
Thanks Kevin 🙂 Can’t go wrong with some chocolate to the mix!
All my favorites in one muffin…I’m making these for Thanksgiving morning.
Yay! Thanks Karrie! Hope you love ’em 🙂
I saw on Instagram that cranberries, oranges and chocolate is a hot combo and was a bit baffled… But you’ve made me see the light, lol! Especially dark chocolate, mmm. These muffins are perfect to have in the manner you describe! Plus, I am all for wearing PJs all morning, Or not changing out of PJs at all if you have nowhere to go:) Pinned!
Lol! Glad I did 😉 I love the way you think, Milena!! Thanks so much 🙂
Loving the addition of chocolate chips to the already delicious cranberry orange combination. More deliciousness is always good 🙂
Thank you Jennifer! A little chocolate is always a good idea if you ask me 😉
Oh, we definitely have our favorite holiday traditions here, too, Dawn! We do all of our decorating on the day after (American) Thanksgiving…so that means this Friday is decorating day. And I love to bake all throughout the holidays. And come Christmas morning, we always have coffee cake and sausage biscuits for brunch. We don’t do big breakfasts here that often, so that’s one of my favorites! I’m going to have to include this muffins in the holiday baking lineup, though. They sound delicious!
How exciting!! Sausage biscuits sound wonderful!! So many fun things to look forward to! Thanks David 🙂
Nothing better than an easy peasy highly delicious homemade muffin for Christmas morning! This fits the bill, and then some!! Wishing you a lovely week, my friend! XOXO
Thanks Annie! I totally agree 🙂 Same to you! XOXO
I love pretty much anything with cranberries and you know how I feel about chocolate :). These are just a dream breakfast! I can’t believe we’re talking about Christmas already. . .time just flies! Have a great week, Dawn!
I do 😉 Thanks so much Kelsie! Have a great week too!