Cranberry orange muffins

Here is a detailed, step-by-step recipe for Cranberry Orange Muffins — moist, tender, and bright with citrus flavor. Makes 12 standard muffins.

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

• 1/4 cup milk

• Zest of 1 large orange (about 1 tablespoon)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add-Ins

• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  (If using frozen, do not thaw.)

Optional Orange Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1–2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

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Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Pan

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.

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Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

1. In a large bowl, whisk together:

   • Flour

   • Sugar

   • Baking powder

   • Baking soda

   • Salt

Set aside.

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Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

1. In a separate bowl, whisk:

   • Eggs

   • Oil (or melted butter)

   • Orange juice

   • Milk

   • Orange zest

   • Vanilla extract

Whisk until smooth.

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Step 4: Combine

1. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

2. Stir gently until just combined.
   Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.

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Step 5: Add Cranberries

1. Fold in cranberries gently.

2. Distribute evenly without overmixing.

Tip: If cranberries are large, cut them in half for better distribution.

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Step 6: Fill Muffin Cups

1. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

2. Fill about 3/4 full.

3. Optional: Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar for crunch.

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Step 7: Bake

1. Bake 18–22 minutes.

2. Muffins are done when:

   • Tops are lightly golden

   • A toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

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Step 8: Cool

1. Let muffins cool in pan 5 minutes.

2. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

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Optional Orange Glaze

1. In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and orange juice.

2. Adjust consistency as needed (thicker for drizzle, thinner for light glaze).

3. Stir in zest.

4. Drizzle over cooled muffins.

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Tips for Best Results

• Use fresh orange zest for strong citrus flavor.

• Do not overmix batter to keep muffins tender.

• If using frozen cranberries, add 1–2 extra minutes baking time.

• For bakery-style tall tops, start baking at 400°F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 375°F for remaining time.

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Variations

• Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.

• Substitute half the flour with white whole wheat flour.

• Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon for warmth.

• Use dried cranberries if fresh are unavailable (reduce to 1 cup and soak in warm orange juice for 10 minutes first).

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Storage

• Store at room temperature up to 2 days.

• Refrigerate up to 5 days.

• Freeze up to 2 months in an airtight container.