These cranberry orange muffins are a holiday favorite—tart cranberries, bright orange zest, and a crunchy crumb topping create a soft, fluffy muffin with delightful texture.
Look at these little holiday beauties!
These cranberry orange muffins are soft and tender inside with a buttery streusel that adds the perfect crunch—like a mini two-bite coffee cake that’s ideal for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
My family is obsessed with cranberry orange muffins. I admit I’m more moderate—one or two bites at the holidays is enough for me—but everyone else asks for them all season long. I bring my mom a batch weekly, and Jordan and Emilia can’t get enough. Max prefers pumpkin, but cranberry orange ranks a close second.
Because I already love my orange cinnamon coffee cake muffins, it felt natural to add a generous scoop of fresh cranberries to the batter. The result is festive, bright, and delicious.
Orange flavor around the holidays always feels nostalgic. My mom used to make orange cinnamon rolls every December, and my grandmother baked orange cake and tucked oranges into stockings. Winter citrus—navels, clementines, satsumas—are at their peak, and my kids snack on them constantly.
I adapted my favorite orange coffee cake muffin recipe to make these cranberry-orange versions, keeping plenty of cinnamon and orange zest and folding in fresh cranberries for pops of tart sweetness. The cranberries burst as they bake, leaving bright, jewel-like spots through the muffins—so pretty and so festive.
Literally—like Christmas jewels.
The crumb topping is my favorite part: crunchy, slightly crisp, and the perfect contrast to the tender muffin. You can add a glaze if you like—my orange muffins usually get a glaze—but for these I left the streusel so it stayed pristine and crunchy.
If you prefer a sweet drizzle, use a simple orange glaze and drizzle lightly so the streusel remains visible.
These muffins are perfect for Christmas morning, freeze well, and make a lovely homemade gift.
Holly jolly!
Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake Muffins
These muffins yield 12 and take about 45 minutes total from start to finish. They’re filled with bright orange zest, cinnamon, and fresh cranberries and finished with a buttery streusel.
Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Streusel
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- In a larger bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until combined. Whisk in the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the orange zest and fresh cranberries. Fill each muffin liner about two-thirds full.
- Make the streusel: whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until the sugar begins to dissolve, then stir in the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel over each muffin and press gently so it adheres.
- Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, until the centers are set and the tops are golden. Cool slightly before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag your photos and share if you try the muffins. Homemade batches freeze well and make thoughtful edible gifts.
Super pretty too!