Name: Cranberry Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 ¼ cups granulated white sugar; 1 Tbs baking powder; 1 tsp salt; ½ cup vegetable oil; 2 large eggs (lightly beaten); ¾ cup milk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries; 3 Tbs all-purpose flour; 3 Tbs granulated white sugar; 3 Tbs salted butter (cut into cubes); ½ tsp ground cinnamon

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These Cranberry Muffins are light and fluffy with a hint of vanilla and filled with fresh, tart cranberries. Topped with a crunchy, cinnamon sugar streusel on huge muffin tops.

These are bakery-style muffins you can make at home in one bowl with simple ingredients.

Step by step photos and instructions below!

These muffins are SO good. They’re soft and airy with a sweet but tart hit of flavor from the cranberries.

Much like the Cranberry Cake I posted recently, simple recipes around the holidays are a key survival tip. Doing complex recipes just doesn’t work for me! I need things that don’t require a lot of ingredients or anything I need to order from a specialty store. I also don’t want to dirty up the entire kitchen so simple, one-bowl recipes are my JAM.

The recipe makes 12 muffins, but if you have a lot of cranberries leftover from making Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry Cake or whatever delight you whipped up for Thanksgiving, I’d make a double batch and share with neighbors!

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!

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Why you’ll love this recipe

Simple ingredients. Nothing fancy, and items you likely already have.
Uses just one bowl. We can get behind the low dishes requirement.
Adaptable. See the notes for suggestions on how to mix this recipe up!

Ingredient Notes

The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.

How to make cranberry muffins from scratch:

Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!

Get prepped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a muffin pan by lining with paper muffin cups or spray with non-stick spray.

Make the batter

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the oil, beaten eggs, milk and vanilla extract.
Stir just until everything is combined.
Fold in the cranberries, then scoop the batter into the muffin tin filling them right to the top.

step by step photos showing cranberry muffin batter being made

Make the Streusel Topping

To make the streusel topping, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl.

With your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles crumbs.

step by step photos showing streusel topping being made

Bake

Sprinkle the streusel on the tops of the muffins then place on the center rack of the oven to bake.

Bake for 28-30 minutes until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely and then move to an airtight container for storage.

before and after pics of muffins unbaked and baked

Devour.

Kylee’s Notes & FAQs

These will work fine with either fresh or frozen cranberries. Frozen cranberries, however, will tint your batter pink.

Don’t over mix the batter, mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing will result in heavier muffins.

Using an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the muffin tin makes things super quick and results in more uniform muffins.

Fill the muffin tins right to the top for the big, fluffy muffin tops.

These can be made into mini muffins vs regular sized muffins. Be sure to adjust the cook time down though, as they won’t need as much time in the oven to cook.

How long will these muffins keep?

They will keep for about 5 days in an airtight container.

Can I freeze these muffins?

Yes, they freeze very well in an airtight container or ziplock bag. They should keep for several months.

Can you use dried cranberries instead of fresh in muffins?

Yes, but you will need to reduce the sugar in the recipe. Dried cranberries are dried with sweeteners and will affect your final result.

Do you have to cook cranberries before baking?

Nope, throw them right in!

Substitutions/Additions

You can replace the cranberries with blueberries, blackberries or raspberries.
Vegetable oil can be replaced with melted butter or melted coconut oil.
Replace vanilla extract with orange or lemon extract.
Replace the streusel topping with chopped nuts.
You can add orange or lemon zest to the batter for different flavor combinations.
You can replace part of the white flour with whole wheat. You may need to add a bit of extra milk when doing this.

Some of our favorite muffin recipes

Trail Mix Muffins – Make these fun trail mix muffins for a boost in lunchboxes, or make them for yourself! Fluffy muffins with fruit and nuts – irresistible!
Blueberry Crumb Muffins – Not your average muffin, these streusel muffins take it up a notch with a sweet streusel topping
Fresh Strawberry Banana Muffins – packed full of fresh flavors, and last about 5 minutes after coming out of the oven! They’ll be devoured FAST!
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins -A hybrid between a donut and a muffin – sweet, fluffy, dipped in butter and then rolled in cinnamon sugar.
Jammy Crumb Muffins – Delicate, vanilla-y muffins, with a buttery crumb topping, and a sweet jammy surprise inside, these won’t last long!
ALL MUFFIN RECIPES

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