This cranberry orange muffin has a nice flavor zing because the dried cranberries are plumped with orange juice. I added a bit of extra cinnamon as well. Because I used applesauce in place of sugar, this is an extra healthy breakfast, snack or dessert muffin. Enjoy!
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Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 20 min Total: 30 min
Yields: 12 muffins (For only 6 muffins, scroll down.)
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar, plus more for topping
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
zest from 2 oranges
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°
Line muffin pan with paper liners or spray pan with cooking spray.
In a small saucepan, add the dried cranberries and orange juice. Heat to just boiling and then remove from the heat so the cranberries can plump.
Using a mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together thoroughly. Add the apple sauce and mix together.
Add the eggs, vanilla and orange zest and mix together.
In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Use a whisk to combine.
On very low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Stir in the orange juice and plumped cranberries. Batter will be thick.
Equally divide the batter into the muffins cups, sprinkling each muffin top with a pinch of brown sugar.
Put muffin in preheated oven. Bake at 375° for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° for the remaining 15-18 minutes. Muffins are done when a cake tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
Enjoy with a cup of Orange Spice tea or hot cup of coffee! Scroll down further to get our bonus halved recipe to make only 6 muffins.
I post recipes that our family actually eats! Why? Because no matter how good a homeschooling day you have, you (usually) still have to make something for dinner! I hope you enjoy this recipe.
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Bonus: To make only 6 muffins, use the same instructions but use the following ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 c applesauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed plus more for topping
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest from 1 orange
1 cup flour minus 2 tablespoons
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°
Line muffin pan with paper liners or spray pan with cooking spray.
In a small saucepan, add the dried cranberries and orange juice. Heat to just boiling and then remove from the heat so the cranberries can plump.
Using a mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together thoroughly. Add the apple sauce and mix together.
Add the eggs, vanilla and orange zest and mix together.
In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Use a whisk to combine.
On very low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Stir in the orange juice and plumped cranberries. Batter will be thick.
Equally divide the batter into the muffins cups, sprinkling each muffin top with a pinch of brown sugar.
Put muffin in preheated oven. Bake at 375° for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° for the remaining 15-18 minutes. Muffins are done when a cake tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
Enjoy with a cup of Orange Spice tea or hot cup of coffee!
I hope you enjoy these healthy muffins! Please comment below!
