Panera Cranberry Orange Muffins Copycat Recipe
This Panera cranberry orange muffin copycat recipe combines tart cranberries and fresh orange flavor in a homemade breakfast treat.
Serve a batch of this muffin recipe with your morning coffee, add them to a holiday brunch, or tuck one into your bag for a quick snack.
Orange juice and zest give the batter its citrus flavor, while the cranberries balance the sweetness.
You don’t need a mixer or complicated baking steps—just mix the batter, fold in the berries, and bake.
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Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Sweet and tart flavor: Cranberries balance the sweetness of the batter.
- Fresh orange flavor: Orange juice and zest add citrus throughout the muffins.
- No mixer needed: Mix the batter by hand with a whisk and spatula.
- Easy to make ahead: Bake a batch before a busy week or holiday gathering.
- Freezer-friendly: Wrap muffins individually so you can thaw just what you need.
Ingredients to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins
You’ll find the complete measurements in the recipe card. Here are a few tips for choosing and preparing your ingredients:
- Cranberries: Fresh cranberries add tart flavor. Remove any soft or shriveled berries.
- Orange juice and zest: Use fresh juice and zest for citrus flavor. Zest the orange before squeezing it.
- Butter, milk, and eggs: Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing it with the eggs.
- Pantry ingredients: You’ll also need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins:
- Line your muffin pan or lightly grease the cups.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together so the baking powder is evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, orange juice, milk, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest.
- Combine the batter, stir gently, stopping when the flour is just incorporated. A few small lumps are fine.
- Fold in the cranberries using a spatula, gently.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and bake, check the centers with a toothpick.
- Let the muffins rest briefly in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack.
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
No. This is a homemade copycat inspired by Panera’s cranberry orange muffins. The flavor and texture may differ from the bakery version.
Frozen cranberries are an option for cranberry muffins. Fold them into the batter straight from the freezer rather than thawing them first. They may make the batter colder, so check for doneness before removing the muffins from the oven.
Dried cranberries will give the muffins a sweeter flavor and a chewier texture. They aren’t an exact substitute for fresh berries, so expect a different result. If you try them, soak them briefly in warm water, then drain and pat dry before adding them.
Too much flour, overmixing, or old baking powder can contribute to dense muffins. Measure the flour lightly and stop stirring once the wet and dry ingredients are combined.
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More Homemade Muffin Recipes
Keep your breakfast baking simple with these other recipes:
- Try my Panera pumpkin muffins when you’re in the mood for pumpkin spice and a crumb topping.
- For another breakfast treat with the same sweet-tart flavor, try my cranberry orange scones.
Panera Cranberry Orange Muffins Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cranberries
- ½ cup of white sugar
- ¼ cup of unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup of fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of one orange
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F and line a regular muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease it.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir until they are well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, fresh orange juice, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
- Mix until the wet ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Slowly add the wet mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.
- Be careful not to overmix, as it can make the muffins dense.
- Gently fold in the dried cranberries with a wooden spoon until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full to allow for proper rising and even baking.
- Add a few juicy cranberries to the top of the muffins.
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven for a bake time of approximately 18-20 minutes until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Can you use craisins in place of fresh cranberries?
I never tried before, but there’s only one way to find out — TRY!
I used dried, I just put them in a sauce pan with orange juice and water and brought to a boil, then let them simmer 10 minutes until they were soft again.
These muffins are very delicious. I love the tartness of the cranberries and the are very moist.
You say fresh cranberries as well as dry , is it a typo
Yes it was. I fixed it. However, you could either or if fresh are available.