Easy, Zesty Cranberry Orange Muffins

Recently, I wanted to make some muffins for breakfast, but found myself low on supplies. I had all of the ingredients to make a basic muffin, but not much by way of flavors for it. As I searched and perused what I did have, nothing sounded good. Of course I had chocolate chips, but I want a fruit muffin. In the refrigerator, I had an orange that was on it’s last leg (and that was it…I sorely needed to make a trip to the grocery store) and probably wouldn’t be eaten because of it’s sad state. Nothing better to do with a piece of fruit that’s about to go bad than to bake with it, right? Orange muffins sound good, huh? Alright, then, that’s what I’ll make. Then along comes the hubster, suggesting that I add cranberries to the mix too.

Curses. I do not like cranberries.

He was right, though, cranberries and oranges are so meant to go together. And we have plenty of dried cranberries. I decided to bite the bullet and add them to the mix.

Before I say what I thought of them, I just need to tell you how gorgeous these muffins turned out. They were just beautiful. For a treat that tends toward being a little on the homely side, I think these particular muffins are very pretty.

How did they taste, though?

Well, I knew I’d love the orange flavors, I love citrus fruits and flavors anyway, and I was right. The muffins had just the right amount of subtle orange flavoring to keep them from being overpowering, and the glaze was a burst of sweet and tart that perfectly complimented the mild muffins. As for the cranberries…I actually liked them! I was surprised by how sweet they became in the oven. They added this great little punch of sweetness to the mellow orangey muffins. I’m not gonna say that these have converted me into a cranberry lover, but I certainly won’t hesitate to use them in my baking again!

To make this incredible muffins you need all-purpose flour, sugar, sour cream, unsalted butter, an egg, dried cranberries, baking powder, salt, and finely grated orange zest.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the egg until combined, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is thick and thoroughly combined. Stir int he orange zest until evenly distributed. Slowly whisk the butter into the mixture until combined. Add half the sour cream, whisking until just combined, repeat with the remaining sour cream. Add the flour to the sour cream mixture and fold with a spatula until the batter comes together. Add the cranberries and continue folding the mixture until the berries are evenly distributed (do not overmix).

Evenly divide the batter in between the cups of the muffin pan (about two and a half tablespoons of batter per cup). Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until light golden brown in color, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the muffins to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for five minutes before glazing.

While the muffins are baking, make the glaze.

My favorite part of these muffins is the glaze made with these three simple ingredients: sugar, orange juice, and finely grated orange zest.

Combine half a cup of the sugar and orange zest in a bowl until the zest is evenly distributed; set aside.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the remaining sugar (1/4 cup) and the orange juice, bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar and continue simmering until the mixture becomes syrupy.

Generously, brush the tops of the muffins with the orange glaze. I did this in the pan, but you can work with the muffins on a wire cooling rack if you prefer. Also, I used every last bit of the glaze, but you can go lighter with it, if you like.

Once all of the muffins are glazed, dip the top of each muffin into the orange sugar, being sure to get them covered well.

Don’t they look so pretty with that sparkly sugar top? I’m not sure exactly what it is, but something about these muffins just strikes me as so lovely to look at. I just love the orangey-peach hue they have, the speckles of deep reddish purple from the cranberries, and the craggy, yet fluffy tops-all pretty and sweet with zesty sugar. Beautiful!

Let me repeat myself here: I don’t like cranberries. I do, however, love these muffins. They are currently my favorite muffin, and I really need to branch out before my family gets sick of them, but I don’t wanna. These are just too good. They’re soft, but dense-without being dried out-and the flavors all combine so perfectly. Each bite of the smooth, lightly orange flavored muffin is perfectly complimented with either a zippy sweetness from the cranberry, or a sweet tartness from the glazed tops. If you’re a sweet and tart fan, you have to try these. Enjoy!

Cranberry Orange Muffins
Make 12 standard muffins
Ingredients

FOR THE MUFFINS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalte butter, melted
1 1/4 cups sour cream
3/4 cup dried cranberries

FOR THE GLAZE
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 orange juice

To make the muffins: Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Grease a muffin pan; set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg until combined, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is thick and thoroughly combined. Stir int he orange zest until evenly distributed. Slowly whisk the butter into the mixture until combined. Add half the sour cream, whisking until just combined, repeat with the remaining sour cream.

Add the flour to the sour cream mixture and fold with a spatula until the batter comes together. Add the cranberries and continue folding the mixture until the berries are evenly distributed (do not overmix).

Evenly divide the batter in between the cups of the muffin pan (about 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter per cup). Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until light golden brown in color, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the muffins to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes before glazing.

To make the glaze: While the muffins are baking, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and orange zest in a bowl until the zest is evenly distributed; set aside.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the remaining sugar (1/4 cup) and the orange juice, bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar and continue simmering until the mixture becomes syrupy.

Generously, brush the tops of the muffins with the orange glaze. Once all of the muffins are glazed, dip the top of each muffin into the orange sugar, being sure to get them covered well. Serve warm.

Recipe by Darla