These delightful lemon cranberry muffins always brighten my day! They’re bursting with juicy cranberries and zesty lemon flavor in every bite.
The aroma alone is enough to make your mouth water. As soon as they came out of the oven, the citrusy scent filled my kitchen.
The best part? You can have them ready in less than an hour. They’re the perfect brunch treat or grab-and-go breakfast during the week.
Trust me, they’ll become a new family favorite!
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Cranberry Muffins
Burst of Flavor: The combination of tart cranberries and zesty lemon creates a delightful balance of flavor.
Bakery-Style Texture: They have a tender, moist crumb, and a slightly crisp exterior. They’re just like muffins from your favorite bakery.
Versatile Treat: Enjoy these muffins as a satisfying breakfast, a delightful afternoon snack, or even as a light dessert.
Easy to Customize: Adapt this recipe to your liking by adjusting the amount of lemon zest or cranberries. You can also experiment with different citrus fruits and berries for a unique twist.
Ingredients
- Fresh or Frozen Cranberries: They add a burst of flavor and a beautiful pop of color to every bite.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: The bright, citrusy kick perfectly complements the sweetness of the muffins.
- Lemon Zest: The secret weapon that infuses every crumb with lemon essence.
- All-Purpose Flour: It provides structure and a tender crumb.
- Baking Powder: The leavening agent helps the muffins rise to fluffy perfection.
- Salt: A subtle but essential ingredient to enhance the flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: It adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the tartness of the cranberries and lemon.
- Large Eggs: The binding ingredient holds everything together.
- Milk: It adds moisture and creates a soft, delicate crumb in the muffins.
- Vegetable Oil: The key to a moist, tender muffin.
- Vanilla Extract: A classic flavor enhancer!
How to Make Lemon Cranberry Muffins
These muffins are easy enough for beginners!
1. Preheat and prepare. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Make the lemon sugar. In a separate bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant. Add this lemon sugar to the flour mixture and whisk to combine.
4. Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well blended.
5. Combine and fold. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the chopped cranberries.
6. Fill the muffin cups. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
7. Bake the muffins. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool and serve. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
Tips For the Best Lemon Cranberry Muffins
- Zest first. Zest the lemon before juicing it to make the process easier.
- Be a little rough. Roughly chop the cranberries so they’re better distributed throughout the muffins.
- Don’t overmix! Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined to avoid tough muffins.
- Take a toothpick test. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Let them chill. Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Be creative. Try substituting other berries like blueberries or raspberries, or add chopped nuts for crunch.
How to Store
Here’s how to keep your muffins fresh to enjoy them all week.
To Store: Keep muffins at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To Freeze: Let muffins cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before reheating.
To Reheat: Wrap muffins in a paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds to re-crisp the tops. Or, warm them in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
Lemon Cranberry Muffins
12
servings10
minutes22
minutes230
kcalThese lemon cranberry muffins are bursting with fruity flavor! They’re moist, fluffy, and delicious for breakfast or snacks.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant. Add this lemon sugar to the flour mixture and whisk to combine.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the chopped cranberries.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
