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Flavorful Cranberry Orange Cream Cheese Muffins with Walnut Crunch

cranberry orange cream cheese muffins - featured image
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These muffins combine tart cranberries, zesty orange, and a creamy cream cheese swirl topped with a crunchy walnut crumble for a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and creamy flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk (or milk + 1 tsp vinegar)
  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese filling)
  • 1/2 cup (50g) chopped walnuts, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted (for topping)
  • 1 cup (about 100g) fresh or frozen cranberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well. Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and orange zest.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until slightly frothy. Add buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix gently until combined.
  4. In a mixer bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
  5. Stir cooled toasted walnuts with brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter to make the walnut crunch topping.
  6. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Fold in cranberries carefully to avoid overmixing.
  7. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup. Add about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling on top, then cover with another 2 tablespoons of batter to enclose the filling.
  8. Sprinkle walnut crunch topping evenly over each muffin, pressing lightly to adhere.
  9. Bake on middle rack for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center (avoiding cream cheese) comes out clean and tops are golden brown.
  10. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Fold batter gently to avoid tough muffins. Toast walnuts just until fragrant to prevent bitterness. Chill cream cheese filling briefly if it starts to ooze during baking. Use room temperature eggs and butter for better rise. Can substitute walnuts with pecans, almonds, or seeds. For gluten-free, use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. For dairy-free, use coconut cream cheese and plant-based milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry muffins, orange zest, cream cheese muffins, walnut topping, easy muffins, holiday muffins, quick breakfast

Find it online: https://jodierecipes.com/flavorful-cranberry-orange-cream-cheese-muffins-5-easy-steps-for-perfect-walnut-crunch/