Orange Cranberry Oatmeal Muffins

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These orange cranberry oatmeal muffins are moist, fluffy, and so delicious! They are the perfect make-ahead breakfast for busy mornings.

Fresh cranberries are about to be in season, and if you ask me, they’re the unsung heroes of the holiday flavor lineup. Sure, they’re tart—probably not something you’d snack on raw. That is, unless they’re sugared like on this fabulous gingerbread cake. But they are juicy and tangy and great in baked goods.

Now, I know everyone starts thinking about festive flavors around this time of year—orange and cranberry are practically the poster children for Christmas. This orange loaf cake, orange cupcakes and orange layer cake are year-around favorites at our home, and this apply cranberry crumble pie is always a hit at my holiday dinner table.

But honestly, these orange cranberry oatmeal muffins are too good to save just for the holidays. They’re the kind of thing you can whip up and enjoy any time of year.

Note: This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has undergone significant changes. If you’re interested in having the original, contact me for a copy!

You can make them the night before, and they’re ready to grab and go whenever you need them. Plus, the sturdy, bakery-style texture means they hold up well, whether you’re enjoying them at home or on the move.

Why You’ll Love these Orange Cranberry Oatmeal Muffins

Perfectly balanced flavor. The natural sweetness of the orange perfectly offsets the tartness of the cranberries, giving you a muffin that isn’t overly sweet!

Nutritious Kick. With oatmeal as a key ingredient, these orange cranberry oatmeal muffins are not just tasty—they’re also packed with fiber, making them a more wholesome option for breakfast or a snack.

Quick and Convenient. They’re super simple to whip up, and since they’re make-ahead friendly, you can easily grab one on your way out the door, knowing you’ve got a delicious, homemade treat ready to go.

Customizable. While the cranberry-orange combo is a classic, you can easily switch things up by adding nuts, using dried cranberries, or even swapping in other fruits to suit your taste.

Ingredient Notes

All-Purpose Flour

The foundation of these muffins is all-purpose flour, like in most of my baked goods. It provides the structure and texture you need for a classic, fluffy muffin.

That being said, if you want to make it healthier, you can definitely substitute all, or a portion of the all-purpose with whole wheat flour, but the texture will be a bit different and they can be somewhat drier and denser. For minimal impact on the texture, try subbing a third to half the flour for whole wheat.

I have not tried these cranberry orange oatmeal muffins with a gluten-free flour blend but I see no reason it wouldn’t work.

Baking Soda and Baking Powder

These leavening agents work together to give the muffins a nice rise, for that perfectly bakery-style muffin texture.

Eggs

Eggs help bind the ingredients together and add richness to the batter. I also add in an extra yolk for a bit more moisture and richness, contributing to the muffins’ tender texture.

Sugar

A combination of light brown and white sugar gives these orange cranberry oatmeal muffins the perfect level of sweetness. Light brown sugar adds a hint of molasses flavor and extra moisture, while white sugar provides that classic sweetness.

Melted Butter

I use melted butter in this recipe, but you can use oil instead. I use olive oil in many of my muffin recipes, like these healthy raspberry muffins and these lemon muffins, and that would work great here, as well as any neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil.

Vanilla

A touch of vanilla extract is a must to add warmth and depth to the orange and cranberry notes.

Milk

Milk helps create a smooth, moist batter, contributing to the muffins’ tender crumb. It also helps the other ingredients blend together seamlessly.

Yogurt

Yogurt adds moisture and a slight tang to these orange cranberry oatmeal muffins, which complements the tart cranberries beautifully. It also helps keep the muffins soft and tender.

Orange Zest

Orange zest is key to giving these muffins their bright, citrusy flavor. I don’t use orange juice in these muffins but if you want to boost the orange flavor even more, you can substitute half of the milk with orange juice.

Oats

Usually I like to let the oat texture come through when I add oats to muffins, like in these banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins. But for these muffins, I let the oats soak in the liquid for a few minutes to soften them, and they are all but undetectable in the baked muffins. Feel free to skip the soaking if you want a more hearty, wholesome feel.

I like to use old-fashioned rolled oats for these muffins!

Cranberries

Fresh or frozen cranberries provide bursts of tartness that balance the sweetness of the muffins. If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before adding to the batter.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by either greasing it or lining it with paper muffin wrappers. (Note: this recipe will make about 18 muffins, so you can either prepare two separate pans, or bake them in batches in the same pan.)

1. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, egg yolk, both sugars, melted butter, milk, yogurt, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth.

1. Add the oats and stir to combine. Allow the oats to soak and soften for 10 minutes. (Note: this step is optional and makes the oats virtually undetectable in the baked muffins. if you would like to keep the hearty texture of the oats, simply add them in with the dry ingredients in the next step instead).

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

1. Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir everything together until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix.

1. Gently fold in the cranberries, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.

1. Fill each muffin cup with the batter and sprinkle some sugar on top of the muffins. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

1. Let the muffin tin cool on a wire rack before taking the muffins out.

Recipe Tips

• When combining wet and dry ingredients, be careful not to over-mix. Stop stirring as soon as the ingredients are just combined. Over-mixing can lead to dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones!

• For a smoother batter and even baking, use room temperature eggs, which will incorporate better and yield a better texture.

• Make sure to properly grease your muffin tins before adding the batter.

• Be sure to measure your flour accurately by using the spoon-and-level method, or by weighing it. Too much flour will make your orange cranberry oatmeal muffins too dry!

Recipe Variations

• You can try swapping the orange zest with lemon or lime zest for a different citrus twist.

• For some added crunch, fold in a handful of chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds along with the cranberries.

• If you can’t find fresh cranberries, dried cranberries will also work for these orange cranberry oatmeal muffins. Simply soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes to plump them up before adding to the batter.

• You can also replace the milk and yogurt with dairy-free alternatives, such as almond milk and coconut yogurt, for a dairy-free version of these muffins.

Storage Instructions

You can store these orange cranberry oatmeal muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want them to last a bit longer, store in the refrigerator and they will keep well for up to a week.

These orange cranberry oatmeal muffins are also freezer friendly! Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature or warm them in the microwave or oven.

More Healthy Muffin Recipes

One Bowl Raspberry Muffins

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

Lemon Muffins

Blueberry Banana Muffins