Lemon Cranberry Muffins

These Lemon Cranberry Muffins are an easy way to enjoy the tartness of those ruby red berries in a sweet batter that’s brightened with citrus. Delicious for breakfast or a snack, these made-from-scratch muffins are perfect for the holidays and beyond.

With basic pantry ingredients, you can mix this batter quickly and enjoy these muffins in as little as 30 minutes, from start to finish. Oh, and you don’t even need to haul out a mixer – a large spoon will do!

I love these muffins because the combination of lemon and cranberry is irresistible. The tart zing from the cranberries is balanced with the sunny citrus of lemon. They’re both wrapped in a not-too-sweet batter that’s the perfect base to showcase this flavor duo. Plus they smell amazing as they bake!

These muffins are also great for brunch, parties, to share with friends, neighbors, and co-workers, or to tuck in a lunchbox for someone special.

Ingredients Needed

Cranberries– Use fresh cranberries for the best flavor.

Lemon – You’ll need the juice as well as the zest to help brighten the flavor of the muffins.

Sugar – Use granulated sugar which helps sweeten the cranberries and the batter.

Flour – Use all-purpose flour.

Baking Powder – Helps the batter rise.

Salt – Enhances all the flavors.

Eggs – Use room temperature eggs.

Butter – You’ll add melted butter to the batter along with oil to keep the muffins moist.

Canola Oil – You can also use vegetable oil.

Milk – For added fat and moisture for the batter.

Vanilla – To help flavor the muffins.

How To Make Lemon Cranberry Muffins

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare your muffin tin with spray or liners. Set aside.

Step 2: In a small bowl, toss cranberries, lemon zest, and 1 tbsp of sugar. Set aside.

Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk together ½ cup sugar, eggs, melted butter, and oil, until combined.

Step 5: Add dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just combined.

Step 6: Fold in the cranberry mixture.

Step 7: Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups and bake for 22-25 minutes, until muffins are golden brown on the edges.

Fruit Variations

If you stumbled on this recipe and cranberries aren’t in season, you can substitute in any other small berry, such as fresh blueberries or fresh raspberries. How easy is that? The lemon in the recipe pairs perfectly with blueberries or raspberries. Give it a try!

Can I Use Frozen Cranberries?

Yes. Just put them in whole and frozen, right in the batter. They’ll soften once they’re baking in the oven.

Can I Use Dried Cranberries?

Yes, but use unsweetened. The flavor and texture will be different, but in a pinch, you can use dried cranberries. Be sure and soak the dried cranberries in warm water for 15 minutes to rehydrate as well as soften them. Drain and dry them by lightly patting them with a paper towel before adding them to the batter.

Topping Ideas

• Lemon Glaze Topping: Get a little fancy with these delicious muffins and add a simple glaze to the top. You’ll need 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Just whisk both together in a small bowl and drizzle the lemon glaze over the top of the cooled muffins.
• Sugar Crust Topping: After you’ve added the batter to the muffin tins, lightly sprinkle granulated sugar over the tops of each unbaked muffin. Once baked, they’ll have a crunchy and glittery crust, plus an added bite of sweetness.
• Nutty Topping: You can sprinkle finely chopped walnuts tossed with a little granulated sugar on top of the unbaked muffins for a crunchy and sweet finish.

Tips And Tricks

• Use a cookie scoop to divide the batter evenly in the muffin tins.
• You can swap out the lemon zest and juice for orange zest and juice.
• You can make larger muffins by using a jumbo muffin tin. This recipe will yield 6 jumbo muffins. You may need to bake the jumbo muffins a little longer. Use the toothpick test to check for doneness at the 25 minutes mark. Leave in longer if the toothpick doesn’t come out clean.

Storage

Cooled muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. They’ll keep for 5-7 days in the fridge.

Are These Muffins Freezer Friendly?

Absolutely! Just be sure and cool the baked muffins completely before storing them in a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

How To Reheat The Muffins

For the microwave, reheat in 10-second increments until the desired temperature is achieved. You can also use a toaster oven. They’ll take about 3 minutes, depending on the toasted oven temperature.

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