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Simplify your holiday with these easy Orange Cranberry Corn Muffins, which come together in about 10 minutes thanks to help from a boxed mix! Whether you serve them as a festive Thanksgiving side dish or stash a batch in the freezer for busy weeknight suppers, the sweet, tart, and tender muffins are the perfect make-ahead companion for all of your favorite dinners!
Hey, what can I say? I love a good shortcut that doesn’t actually taste like a shortcut! By jazzing up a box of my favorite corn muffin mix, I can bake a dozen warm autumn-inspired muffins in a matter of minutes!
What You Need
- Corn muffin mix (I use Jiffy brand)
- Eggs
- Orange zest
- Orange juice
- Milk
- Dried cranberries
Seriously, guys…these are probably my favorite muffin recipe to date, and that’s saying a lot from this self-proclaimed muffin aficionado!
While they are certainly fancy enough and delicious enough to serve in a basket alongside your other Thanksgiving fare, please don’t limit yourself to just one holiday!
Oranges and cranberries are seasonally appropriate all winter long, so feel free to enjoy them for months to come.
Can You Make Corn Muffins in Advance?
You absolutely can make these cornbread muffins in advance. They keep really well and you can wither warm them up for serving or enjoy them at room temperature.
To store leftovers simply keep them in a sealed container for up to 1 week or freeze them in batches.
How to Make Orange Cranberry Corn Muffins
- Grease muffin pan or line with paper baking cups.
- In a large bowl, stir together first 5 ingredients. Batter will be slightly lumpy.
- Fold in cranberries and let batter rest for 3-4 minutes.
Stir gently and divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
Bake until golden brown.
How To Serve These Orange Cranberry Corn Muffins:
They are great with roasted pork or chicken, a sweet contrast to a hot bowl of soup or chili, or even an easy make-ahead breakfast option for mornings on-the-go.
They freeze perfectly, so just defrost as many as you need (either overnight on the counter or in the microwave for 20-30 seconds) and your meal will be complete!
Different Variations
I absolutely love the flavor combination of orange and cranberry and it goes so well with savory dishes but feel free to switch them up depending on what you’re using them for.
You can opt for different dried fruit such as apricots or candied lemon and why not tru different zest and juice such as lime (works really well).
Coconut could be another great addition that would go really well with hearty stews.
Get creative and experiment with different flavors you love!
Top Tips for Making Corn Muffins
- Make sure to let the batter rest before baking (see recipe card)
- Don’t over mix the batter or it will become too dense
- To check the muffins are done insert a toothpick into the center and make sure it comes out clean
- Store leftover muffins in a sealed on a container to wrap tightly in the freezer
Looking for other delicious sides? Try these favorites:
- Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
- Fall Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Goddess Dressing
- Southern Cornbread Stuffing
- Autumn’s Best Tossed Salad with Apple Butter Vinaigrette
Orange Cranberry Corn Muffins
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Grease muffin pan or line with paper baking cups.
- In a large bowl, stir together first 5 ingredients. Batter will be slightly lumpy.
- Fold in cranberries and let batter rest for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir gently and divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- Want to Prep Ahead? You can bake a batch of these muffins in advance and keep them wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw as many muffins as you need on the counter for an hour or two before you're ready to enjoy.
- Make sure to let the batter rest before baking (see recipe card)
- Don't over mix the batter or it will become too dense
- To check the muffins are done insert a toothpick into the center and make sure it comes out clean
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in November, 2015. The photos were updated in September, 2018.
Oh I love the sound of these muffins! Orange and cranberry sound like the perfect combo, and even better when added into cornbread. What a perfect Thanksgiving side!
Thanks, Gayle!
I could go to town on these muffins, Blair! Corn muffins are good on their own, so I can only imagine how much better they are with orange and cranberry.
Yes, Jen — they’re like the side dish cousin to your orange cranberry upside down cake!!
that combo! like sweet and savory and buttery. YOu go! Mom of the year here!
Exactly, Lindsay! So much deliciousness crammed into one little muffin! 🙂
Mmm…the perfect fall and winter muffin!! Such a delicious flavor combo; I bet these taste just heavenly! 🙂 Pinned!
Thanks for the pin, Anna!! 🙂
I would never have thought to serve these with savoury dishes…great idea!
Thanks, Emily!
Oh, these sound wonderful! A must try since we live in Chelsea,.Michigan, home of Jiffy Mix! Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful! I hope you love the, Rhetta! 🙂 Jiffy mix is the best!
I am so excited to try these. I am going to make these today and freeze them to use for Thanksgiving. I am making to- go plates for people in the military and I think these and my stuffing muffins will be a great way to get some home cooked love to these soldiers. Thanks for the recipe!!!
That’s amazing, Hanna! Thank you for your generous help for our soldiers. What a great cause!
Delicious! I made them last night. Next time I may put more cranberries. 🙂
Thanks, Denise! I’m so glad that you enjoyed them. Yes, you can definitely add as many cranberries as you like. 🙂
Can you use fresh cranberries? cut up.
Hi, Trisha! Yes, fresh or frozen cranberries that you chop will work great!