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This easy recipe for Cranberry Orange Cornbread Muffins makes traditional, orange-flavored corn muffins studded with fresh cranberries. Great for breakfast, dessert, and even holidays!
I absolutely love cornbread, and this recipe offers a unique and tasty twist on the classic. These muffins lean towards the sweeter side, and they are so, so delicious. The addition of fresh cranberries provides a tangy kick to these cornbread muffins, complemented beautifully by the orange zest that highlights those Fall flavors.
Why We Love These Cornbread Muffins
- Fluffy & Tall: A generous amount of baking powder gives these muffins an exceptional rise, making them fluffier and taller than your average corn muffin.
- Easy to Make: This straightforward recipe ensures a hassle-free baking experience, ideal for bakers of all levels.
- Fruit Fusion: The combination of oranges and cranberries adds a fresh, tangy twist to the traditional corn muffin.
Ingredients For Corn Muffins
- All-purpose flour
- Yellow corn meal: Adds the classic cornbread flavor and texture.
- Sugar
- Baking Powder: The secret to their tall, fluffy texture.
- Salt
- Milk: Adds moisture and richness.
- Corn Oil: Contributes to the muffins’ moist crumb.
- Eggs
- Fresh cranberries: Offer a burst of tangy flavor.
- Orange zest: Infuses a refreshing citrus note.
How To Make Corn Muffins
Enjoy baking and savoring these delicious Cranberry Orange Cornbread Muffins!
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease (or line with cupcake liners) a 12-cup muffin pan.
- Make the Batter: Mix flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.Whisk milk, oil, and eggs in a separate bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring just enough to moisten the flour. Fold in cranberries and orange zest; expect a thick batter.
- Transfer the Batter: Evenly distribute the batter in the muffin pan.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown; check with a toothpick.
- Cool the muffins on a wire rack before serving.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Gently Mix the Batter: Avoid overmixing the batter. Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.
- Fresh Cranberries vs Dried: If you’re using fresh cranberries, chop them to distribute their tart flavor evenly. If fresh aren’t available, you can substitute with dried cranberries.
- Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin to check for doneness. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cooling: Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. This prevents them from becoming soggy.
- Storage: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container. They can also be frozen for longer storage.
Serving Suggestions
These muffins are a treat on their own or can be enjoyed with a pat of butter or a drizzle of honey. Pair them with your cortado coffee, with a cinnamon dolce latte, or as a side to your holiday oven roasted turkey!
Storing Muffins
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them for 3 months. To reheat, simply warm them in the oven or microwave.
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Cranberry Orange Corn Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Corn Oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, and eggs.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the flour is moistened.
- Stir in the cranberries and orange zest. The batter will be thick.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve.
Notes
- Room Temperatures: Use room temperature milk and eggs for a smoother batter.
- Mixing the Batter: Mix until just moistened; overmixing causes tough and dense muffins.
- Cranberries: If you don’t have fresh cranberries, use dried ones.
- Doneness Test: To check for doneness, insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin – if they’re done, the toothpick should come out with a few crumbs.
- Cooling: Cool the muffins on a wire rack to avoid sogginess.
- Storage: Keep the muffins in an airtight container for 3 days or freeze them for 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Hello. Several questions…
1. Can coconut milk be used in place of regular milk? I don’t mind if it tastes different because of it.
2. If I use unrefined coconut oil instead of corn oil ( I have read, apart from imparting flavor, it would make baked goods more dense as well as moist), should I alter amount of oil or any other ingredients?
3. I would like to use orange juice to get the orange flavor, and not use the zest. Any ideas on how to make that work?
4. Is it possible to bake this at a lower temperature for longer? If so, what temp and how long?
THANKS! 🙂
Hi!
While I’d love to help, the changes you’re asking about would require me to rework and retest the recipe. Hopefully a bit of my (educated) guidance on each question can help to get you started:
Coconut Milk Substitution: Coconut milk might work as a substitute for regular milk, but it would affect the texture and flavor. It’s worth a try if you don’t mind experimenting!
Coconut Oil Instead of Corn Oil: Unrefined coconut oil will add flavor and may make the muffins denser and more moist. I haven’t tested this myself, so I can’t guarantee the results. You could start by using the same amount of oil and adjust as needed based on the batter’s texture.
Using Orange Juice Instead of Zest: Orange juice will add moisture and dilute the batter slightly, which might require adjusting the dry ingredients to maintain the right texture. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend exact amounts without testing.
Baking at a Lower Temperature: Baking at a lower temperature for longer could work, but you’d need to monitor the muffins closely to ensure they bake evenly. A good starting point might be 350°F, but the baking time would need to be extended.
If I doubled this recipe for cornbread, what size pan do you think I would need?
Hi!
I’m going to preface this by saying that I have never doubled this recipe to make it into one pan, but I have doubled it to make 24 muffins.
You may want to consider using one of the following for a doubled batch:
Two 9-inch round pans
Two 8-inch loaf pans
OR a rectangular baking dish, such as a 9×13 inch pan, which would roughly accommodate the increased volume of batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
I hope this helps.
Do I must use corn oil?
Hi! No, you can use any vegetable oil.
These will hold a special place in my heart as it is the first baking I did with my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter. Love corn muffins. I used 1/2 whole wheat flour instead of white. Added a little flaxseed and used almond milk. Yummy!
Awesome recipe!
I love corn muffins! And I especially love the addition of the seasonal cranberries! Thanks for sharing!
These muffins look so moist and flavorful.
LOVE the classic flavors of this muffins!
These are just so perfect! <3