Delicious Panera Cranberry Orange Muffin Recipe

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Without ever having had the Panera cranberry orange muffin recipe and admitting to the fact that I’ve only ever been to Panera once in my life, I’m not really sure if this is THE cranberry orange muffins recipe that everyone loves. However, I love this moist muffin with juicy fresh cranberries that are perfect for the holiday season.

panera cranberry orange muffin recipe in muffin tim with butter dish and red checked napkin

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Apparently this favorite muffin recipe is no longer made by Panera and this muffin’s fame only became known to me when I started researching homemade muffins made for cranberry season.

This is a 5 star recipe from the NYT and that is good enough for me.

I do not claim to be the originator of all good recipes and I am perfectly content to just finding the best that’s out there.

However my pumpkin muffins are one of my favorite muffin recipes if you must know!

But back to these gorgeous muffins made with juicy cranberries and orange zest.

panera cranberry orange recipe in muffin tins with red checked napkin

Why I Adore this Maybe Panera Cranberry Orange Muffin Recipe

Let me count the ways!

This orange cranberry muffin recipe comes together fast.

15 minutes and they are in the oven.

These muffins produce a tender crumb and are light and fluffy, which to me is how the texture of muffins should be.

This tasty recipe makes for a delicious breakfast and this easy muffin recipe is also perfect for gifting.

Besides…aren’t they gorgeous?

With or without the orange glaze, this Panera cranberry orange muffin recipe is divine.

I chose to add the sweet orange glaze to help balance the flavor of the tart cranberries.

But even if you don’t, these muffins with lots of orange flavor, are always the hit of the show!

Made in a regular muffin pan, one doesn’t have to worry about breaking the bank when it comes to calories.

It was only within the last few years that I discovered I love the flavor of orange in baked goods.

These muffins with their fluffy texture and zingy flavor are so hard to resist.

panera cranberry orange muffin recipe in old muffin tin with buter and split muffin with red checked napkin

Simple Ingredients for Orange Cranberry Muffins

Vegetable or canola oil, plus more for the muffin pan

Granulated sugar

Large eggs at room temperature

Buttermilk (You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar to a 1/2 c of whole milk or skim milk)

Orange juice- Fresh orange juice is what I used but bottled orange juice is fine, too.

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) (If you are using Morton’s, use 1/2 the amount)

Finely grated orange zest

Baking powder and baking soda

All-purpose flour

Fresh or frozen cranberries (if using frozen cranberries halve them and mix them in frozen. You may also halve the fresh cranberries if you are worried about getting too tart of a bite)

For the optional glaze:

Powdered Sugar

Orange juice (fresh or bottled)

Finely grated orange zest

panera cranberry orange muffin recipe with muffins in tin in background and split muffin in front with butter dish in back

How To Make Copycat Panera Cranberry Orange Muffin Recipe

Combine the vegetable oil, sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl. Whisk well.

Add the buttermilk, oj, salt and orange zest and whisk well again.

I also added a dash of vanilla extract because I love the flavor it brings out in the muffins.

Measure the all purpose flour by spooning into a dry measuring cup and then stir in the baking powder and soda.

(For high altitude I used 1 3/4 t of baking powder and a bit over 1/4 t of baking soda.)

Using a rubber spatula, add the flour mixture along with the cranberries.

Whatever you do don’t overmix the batter!

cranberry orange muffin batter in muffin tins

Preheat the oven to 425.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Fill 12 prepared muffin cups with muffin batter. Mine were filled almost to the top.

Place oven rack in the upper third of the oven.

Bake at 425 for 6 to 9 minutes. Without opening oven door, peek to see if the muffins are about a 1/4 to 1/2″ above the paper. That means it’s time to turn the oven heat down to 350.

Bake 6 – 10 minutes longer or until toothpick inserted comes out barely clean. (My muffins were ready with the shortest times mentioned.)

Remove from oven and place on cooling rack for 1 – 2 minutes.

Then remove from pan. If you leave them in the muffin pan, the sides and bottom may become soggy.

panera cranberry orange muffin recipe in muffin tin with butter dish and red checked napkin

While muffins are baking prepare the simple glaze.

Whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest for a bright citrus flavor.

Add a dash of vanilla extract if you’d like.

When the Panera cranberry orange muffin recipe cools, drizzle the orange glaze over the top.

Glazing is optional, but I found that these muffins can be on the tart side and the glaze helps balance out the flavors.

This is a great recipe that’s perfect for busy mornings.

Leftover muffins are easily stored in an airtight container or in a freezer bag and can also be frozen and eaten when needed!

FAQ’s

Can cranberry orange muffins be made with dried cranberries?

Yes. Use 1 1/8 cups of dried cranberries that have been soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes. Dry well.
Muffins may be a touch sweeter since most dried cranberries are sweetened.

Can I make a cranberry orange loaf instead of muffins?

Yes. Just grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45 – 60 minutes. The loaf pan should be about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
Test for doneness with a toothpick or skewer.

Whether this is the Panera cranberry orange muffin recipe, I can’t tell you.

However I can tell you that this muffin with its delicious flavor is perfect this time of year.

Perfect for gifting, perfect for holiday mornings, these simple muffins are one way to get the kids out of bed.