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!
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 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?
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Tips for Making these Cranberry Orange Muffins
Fresh cranberries were used in these muffins, but dried cranberries 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 to making buttermilk.
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.
More Easy Muffin Recipes
Tell me, what’s some favourite holiday traditions of yours? I’d love to hear!
Hope you love these cranberry orange muffins as much as we do!
If you make these cranberry orange muffins, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed!
Cranberry Orange Muffins with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ⅔ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 teaspoons orange extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 tablespoons orange zest (from 1 to 2 oranges, depending on their size)
- ⅔ 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, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Line a 12-count muffin pan with liners and grease with baking spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a mixing bowl with a hand mixer), cream butter with brown sugar until combined and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes (stop to scrape sides of bowl, as necessary, with a rubber spatula).
- Reduce speed and add eggs (one at a time) to butter mixture, blending until just combined.
- Add both extracts and orange zest and blend about 30 seconds.
- Alternating between reserved flour mixture and buttermilk (in two additions), add to mixer, blending in after each addition.
- Add chocolate chips and blend until just combined. FOLD in cranberries with a spatula.
- Distribute mixture into prepared muffin pan.
- Top each muffin with a few extra chocolate chips.
- Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the muffins comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove muffins onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition (ESTIMATE ONLY)
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
