Cranberry & Cream Cheese Muffins with Orange

Cranberry & Cream Cheese Muffins with Orange

If you're looking for a muffin recipe that delivers on both texture and flavor, these Cream Cheese Cranberry Orange Muffins are exactly what you need. With a rich, moist crumb thanks to the cream cheese and butter, and a bright, tangy balance from fresh cranberries and orange zest, each bite is pure comfort. The natural sweetness of bananas rounds everything out, making these muffins a perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.

Not only are they incredibly delicious, but this recipe is also effortless to double or triple—ideal for meal prepping, holiday baking, or sharing with family and friends. They freeze beautifully, making them a great make-ahead option for busy mornings.

What You Will Love About This Recipe:

✔ Super Moist & Tender: The combination of butter, cream cheese, and mashed bananas ensures every bite is soft, rich, and perfectly moist.

✔ Balanced Flavors: The tartness of cranberries, the brightness of orange zest, and the sweetness of bananas create a wonderfully complex yet harmonious flavor profile.

✔ Easy to Make & Scale Up: Whether you need a dozen or a few dozen, this recipe is simple to double or triple without extra effort.

✔ Perfect for Any Occasion: Great for breakfast, a snack, or a holiday treat—these muffins are always a hit.

✔ Freezer-Friendly: Make a big batch and freeze extras for a quick, homemade muffin whenever you need one!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1 package (250 g / 8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Zest of 1 large orange

• ¼ cup fresh orange juice

• 4 large eggs

• 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two 12-cup muffin tins with liners or lightly grease them.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice. Beat until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

6. Fold in the cranberries and mashed bananas, stirring until evenly distributed.

7. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about ¾ full (roughly ½ cup batter per muffin). This should yield about 24 muffins.

8. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

9. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

10. Enjoy! These muffins are best fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for a few days or frozen for longer storage.

Cream Cheese Cranberry Orange Muffins

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Yield: 24

Author: Richelle Fortin

If you're looking for a muffin recipe that delivers on both texture and flavor, these Cream Cheese Cranberry Orange Muffins are exactly what you need. With a rich, moist crumb thanks to the cream cheese and butter, and a bright, tangy balance from fresh cranberries and orange zest, each bite is pure comfort. The natural sweetness of bananas rounds everything out, making these muffins a perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.Not only are they incredibly delicious, but this recipe is also effortless to double or triple—ideal for meal prepping, holiday baking, or sharing with family and friends. They freeze beautifully, making them a great make-ahead option for busy mornings.What You Will Love About This Recipe:✔ Super Moist & Tender: The combination of butter, cream cheese, and mashed bananas ensures every bite is soft, rich, and perfectly moist.✔ Balanced Flavors: The tartness of cranberries, the brightness of orange zest, and the sweetness of bananas create a wonderfully complex yet harmonious flavor profile.✔ Easy to Make & Scale Up: Whether you need a dozen or a few dozen, this recipe is simple to double or triple without extra effort.✔ Perfect for Any Occasion: Great for breakfast, a snack, or a holiday treat—these muffins are always a hit.✔ Freezer-Friendly: Make a big batch and freeze extras for a quick, homemade muffin whenever you need one!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 package (250 g / 8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 large orange
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• 4 large eggs
• 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two 12-cup muffin tins with liners or lightly grease them.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice. Beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
6. Fold in the cranberries and mashed bananas, stirring until evenly distributed.
7. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about ¾ full (roughly ½ cup batter per muffin). This should yield about 24 muffins.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Enjoy! These muffins are best fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for a few days or frozen for longer storage.

Feeding a Crowd RSS