If you love copycat recipes, you need to try these Panera orange cranberry muffins. This easy muffin recipe is just what you need! They’re made with wholesome ingredients that are easy to find and tastes just as good as the original.
If you love the classic Panera orange cranberry muffin, these will be your new favorite! It’s made with wholesome ingredients that are easy to find and tastes just as good as the original.
Whether you’re looking for something quick, easy, and on-the-go or an indulgent treat that’s tasty enough to share with loved ones – a festive cranberry orange muffin is just what you need. It is a perfect breakfast or snack for kids or adults who are looking for something flavorful!
These Cranberry Orange Muffins are packed with flavour and the best part, they’re so moist! They’re not just any muffin-they taste like a fruity dessert. I love how each bite of muffin gives you a pop of cranberry. The combination of flavor between the tart cranberries and fresh orange zest is perfect.
I love making muffins because it’s really easy to do. Making them early in the week ensures that you have a delicious breakfast or afternoon treat for an entire week. The next time you want some bakery muffins try making pumpkin muffins, blueberry muffins or this orange cranberry muffin recipe.
These Cranberry Orange Muffins are the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Adding orange zest to them just takes it up a notch! Besides giving these Cranberry Orange Muffins a burst of flavor, the oranges are so fragrant! My house smells AMAZING. You can smell them all over your house for hours after you bake this recipe.
This time of year while fresh cranberries are abundant in stores during cranberry season, I like to pick up a few bags when I can find them on sale so that way we have plenty of sweet treats all winter long!
Cranberries are great for fall, but if you don’t want to wait until the season is over before enjoying them then buy some at your local grocery store and freeze for later.
How to Make the Best Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 1/2 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter until it is light and fluffy.
- Add both sugars to the butter. Scraping the sides down as needed.
- Add the eggs, yogurt or sour cream, vanilla and mix on high for about 1 minute.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat until the batter is fully incorporated.
- Mix in the orange zest.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and with a spatula mix together.
- Add the milk and orange juice into the batter. Fold in the cranberries.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees f. Line muffin cups with paper liners. You will need a 12 cup muffin pan.
- Spoon batter to the top with cranberry orange batter.
- Sprinkle tops of muffin batter with coarse sugar.
- Bake the cranberry orange muffins for a total time of 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center and your muffins are golden brown.
- Let your orange cranberry muffins cool on a wire rack.
Cranberry Orange Muffins Panera Bread Copycat Recipe serves: 12 large, bakery style muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.
After you zest the orange, cut it in half and juice it. You will need these oranges for your recipe–the flavorful juices moisten up Cranberry Orange Muffins to perfection!
The batter for these muffins is really thick.
There’s no need to defrost your cranberries if they are frozen
Store your cranberry orange muffins recipe in an airtight container.
Check out this entire list of amazing muffin recipes!

Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 1/2 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter until it is light and fluffy.
- Add both sugars to the butter. Scraping the sides down as needed.
- Add the eggs, yogurt or sour cream, vanilla and mix on high for about 1 minute.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat until the batter is fully incorporated.
- Mix in the orange zest.
- In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and with a spatula mix together.
- Add the milk and orange juice into the batter. Fold in the cranberries.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with liners.
- Fill each liner to the top with cranberry orange batter.
- Bake the cranberry orange muffins for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Let your cranberry orange muffins cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Cranberry Orange Muffins Panera Bread Copycat Recipe serves: 12 large, bakery style muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.
After you zest the orange, cut it in half and juice it. You will need these oranges for your recipe--the flavorful juices moisten up Cranberry Orange Muffins to perfection!
The batter for these muffins is really thick.
There’s no need to defrost your cranberries if they are frozen
Store your cranberry orange muffins recipe in an airtight container.
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Jennifer Kelsch
Sunday 14th of February 2021
These muffins are very delicious. I love the tartness of the cranberries and the are very moist.
Stacey Dedering
Monday 31st of August 2020
Can you use craisins in place of fresh cranberries?
Kimberly Bliss
Thursday 24th of September 2020
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.
momma lew
Monday 31st of August 2020
I never tried before, but there's only one way to find out -- TRY!