Cranberries aren’t just for homemade cranberry sauce! (Which is simple and delicious, btw.) This easy recipe for healthy orange cranberry muffins is packed with goodness: fresh cranberries, orange juice, bananas, applesauce, nuts, and more!
The end product is the moistest, most delicious cranberry muffins I have seriously ever tasted. And they’re a nutritious alternative to many of the sugar-laden candies and treats that tempt our sweet tooth over the holidays.
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Quick Look at This Recipe (TL;DR)
- ✅ Recipe Name: Old-Fashioned Orange Cranberry Muffins
- 🕒 Ready In: ~30 minutes
- 👪 Yield: 24 large muffins (see “How to Measure Muffins” below to know how to alter the recipe for regular-sized muffins)
- 🍽 Calories: 309 calories (for a large muffin)
- 🥄 Tools: Large bowls, electric beaters (or stand mixer), spatula, muffin tin and liners.
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly: Yes! Let the muffins cool completely, and store them in an air-tight, freezer-safe container for up to a month.
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: This recipe makes a BIG batch of muffins (plenty to enjoy now and freeze for later – or to feed a crowd). They’re so delicious, lower in sugar than most muffin recipes, include all the holiday favorite flavors, and they’re filled with enough nutrition to double as an easy breakfast on the go.
- 👩🍳 Pro Tip: For a sugar-free option, use erythritol & a pinch of stevia or a 1:1 sugar alternative such as Swerve or Monk Fruit sweetener.
This recipe is just the tip of the iceberg for the muffin recipes I’ve got for ya… Check out some of my other favorites, such as these healthy pumpkin applesauce muffins, my bakery-style chocolate zucchini muffins, these raspberry lemon cream cheese muffins, these buttermilk peach muffins, or my very favorite blueberry zucchini muffins.
Ingredients & Substitutions
There are a LOT of ingredients that make up these muffins, but that’s actually what makes them so darn good! The recipe is super forgiving, so read below for substitution suggestions if you don’t have everything needed on hand.
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Butter – If substituting coconut oil for a dairy-free version, reduce the amount to ¾ cup.
- Sugar – For a no-sugar-added recipe, you can substitute 1 cup of erythritol & a pinch of stevia.
- Orange Juice – Orange juice gives these muffins the classic cranberry orange combination, but feel free to play around with flavors and substitute a different kind of juice.
- Overripe Bananas – Make sure your bananas are overripe. The more brown spots, the better!
- Applesauce – Store-bought is fine, of course, but this homemade applesauce recipe tastes so much better!
- Vanilla – Again, store-bought will do, but if you’ve never tried making your own homemade vanilla, you’re missing out! Learn how to make vanilla extract here.
- Flour – I enjoy baking with freshly milled flour, but you can use soft whole wheat, all-purpose flour, or your favorite gluten-free flour mixture. Pro-Tip: Check out my tips for successful gluten-free baking here.
- Walnuts – For a nut-free muffin, you can omit the nuts altogether or substitute pecans or hazelnuts.
- Cranberries – You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. If using dried cranberries, reduce to ½ cups.
- Shredded Coconut – You can substitute hemp hearts or chia seeds for shredded coconut. Pro tip: To bring out the flavor of the orange, massage a bit of orange zest into the coconut before adding it to the other dry ingredients.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream the butter and sugar together using a stand mixer or hand mixer (or by hand, the old-fashioned way!)
Step 2: Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Then, add orange juice, bananas, apple sauce and vanilla. Mix until combined.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients, including the nuts, coconut and dried fruit.
Step 4: In another bowl, dust the cranberries with flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together until just combined.
Step 6: Then, fold the cranberries into the batter.
Step 7: Prepare muffin tins by either spraying with oil or lining with cupcake liners, and, depending on the size of your muffin tin, add 1/3-1/2 cup batter to each cup (see “How to Measure Muffins” below).
Step 8: Bake the muffins at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 9: Remove from oven, let them cool and enjoy!
How to Measure Muffins (To Know Recipe Yield)
As mentioned, this recipe makes 24 large muffins (scooping about 1/2 cup batter into each muffin cup). If you only have a standard-size muffin tin, this recipe will make about 36 regular muffins (or 24 muffins and one standard loaf of sweet bread).
Pro-Tip: Ever wonder how much batter to use to fill your muffin cups to the right level? I’ve got you covered! Just use the chart below for the perfect fill every time.
| Muffin Size | Batter Amount |
| Standard | 1/3 cup |
| Mini | 1-2 tablespoons |
| Large | 1/2 cup |
Tips for the Best Cranberry Muffins
Follow these muffin-making tips to achieve bakery-style muffins that are soft and moist with a tender crumb.
| Detail | Tip |
| Use Fresh Cranberries | Using fresh or frozen cranberries gives your muffins a tart and juicy burst of flavor. To prevent the cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the batter, toss them in flour before adding them to the batter. |
| Measuring | Use proper measuring utensils to accurately measure your ingredients, and spoon and level your flour instead of scooping it from the container. Using too much flour is the top reason muffins come out dense. |
| Mixing | Bring your wet ingredients to room temperature and mix your wet and dry ingredients separately before mixing them together. Don’t use an electric mixer when combining wet and dry ingredients. You could over-develop the gluten, resulting in dense muffins or large holes in the crumb. |
| Filling | Do not overfill your muffin tins. (Refer to the chart above for muffin batter capacities.) Pro-Tip: Use a cookie scoop for ease of filling. |
| Baking | Don’t open the oven door during baking, or the muffins may deflate. Once the shortest cook time is up, insert a toothpick into the center of one muffin. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, they have finished baking. |
| Extras | Press a few extra fresh cranberries on top of the muffins for a prettier presentation. Sprinkle the top with sparkling sugar for an added touch. |
| Time Saver | This recipe works with my homemade muffin mix. Just use 4 ½ cups muffin mix in place of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in this recipe. |
Storing Cranberry Muffins
Before storing your muffins, ensure they are completely cooled. Then, store your cranberry muffins at room temperature in airtight containers for 3-5 days.
To freeze, place cooled muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container. If freezing without muffin liners, it’s ideal to store in a single layer to avoid sticking.
When you’re ready to thaw, simply remove the desired number of muffins from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature.
FAQs
To make moist muffins, avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing can make muffins tough and dry. Instead, gently mix the ingredients until just combined. Using sour cream, oil, or melted butter also helps keep muffins moist and tender.
Yes, you can use fresh cranberries in muffin batter. They add a tart and juicy burst of flavor. Just toss the cranberries in flour before adding them to the batter to prevent sinking.
Yes, you can substitute dried cranberries for fresh in muffins. However, you will want to make sure they’re unsweetened (or reduce the sugar in the recipe slightly if they’re sweetened) so your muffins aren’t overly sweet. Also, use half the amount called for, so for this recipe, that would be 1/2 cup.
Baked By Hand
If you like this recipe for old-fashioned orange cranberry muffins, then you’ll love my book, Baked by Hand.
Discover 133 irresistible recipes—from gluten-free and sugar-free options to muffin-top, breakfast, Christmas, and classic family favorites—all tested by real moms and kid-approved.
Plus, get bonus guides for foolproof baking, freezer-ready dough, and even hosting your own cookie swap.
Did you make this recipe for cranberry muffins? If so, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below (this really helps me out)… then, snap a photo and tag me on social media @melissaknorris so I can see! I love getting a glimpse of what you all make in your kitchens.
Old-Fashioned Orange Cranberry Muffins
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer
- Spatula
- Muffin Tins or Loaf Pans
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter or 3/4 cup coconut oil for dairy free
- 1 cup sugar or 1 cup erythritol & pinch of stevia or 1:1 sugar alternative
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 6 bananas make sure they're over-ripe
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 cup fresh cranberries or frozen
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup dates pitted and chopped
- 1 cup shredded coconut unsweetened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream the butter and sugar together using a stand mixer or hand mixer (or by hand, the old-fashioned way!)
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Then, add orange juice, bananas, apple sauce and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients, including the nuts, coconut and dried fruit.
- In another bowl, dust the cranberries with flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together until just combined.
- Then, fold the cranberries into the batter.
- Prepare muffin tins by either spraying with oil or lining with cupcake liners, and, depending on the size of your muffin tin, add 1/3-1/2 cup batter to each cup (see “How to Measure Muffins” below).
- Bake the muffins at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, let them cool and enjoy!
Notes
| Detail | Tip |
| Use Fresh Cranberries | Using fresh or frozen cranberries gives your muffins a tart and juicy burst of flavor. To prevent the cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the batter, toss them in flour before adding them to the batter. |
| Measuring | Use proper measuring utensils to accurately measure your ingredients, and spoon and level your flour instead of scooping it from the container. Using too much flour is the top reason muffins come out dense. |
| Mixing | Bring your wet ingredients to room temperature and mix your wet and dry ingredients separately before mixing them together. Don’t use an electric mixer when combining wet and dry ingredients. You could over-develop the gluten, resulting in dense muffins or large holes in the crumb. |
| Filling | Do not overfill your muffin tins. (Refer to the chart below for muffin batter capacities.) Pro-Tip: Use a cookie scoop for ease of filling. |
| Baking | Don’t open the oven door, or the muffins may deflate. To check if they are ready, insert a toothpick into the center of one muffin. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, they have finished baking. |
| Extras | Press a few extra fresh cranberries on top of the muffins for a prettier presentation. Sprinkle the top with sparkling sugar for an added touch. |
| Time Saver | This recipe works with my homemade muffin mix. Just use 4 ½ cups muffin mix in place of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in this recipe. |
Nutritional info?
Hey Melisa, this recipe looks awesome. Have you ever made it with gluten free flour? I really miss muffins now that I eat gluten free?. Thanks
What if I don’t have bananas?
You can use pureed pumpkin or applesauce in it’s place.
Enjoyed these muffins, it was also great to have some frozen for unexpected visitors this time of year. Thank you.
Great Aunt Rose is to be commended or is it Great Aunt Ruth, she has a name change at the bottom of the recipe. LOL