I love cranberry muffins, it’s what I often buy when I visit a coffee shop, if available, and if there is a hit of citrus I’m all for it! Now that I am in ‘my make it at home’ era, you know I had to create them with sourdough. And yes, I am also in my sourdough everything era and LOVING it! My mission is to create all that I can using sourdough discard!
The combination of orange and cranberries, scream fall mornings, cozy moments and simple baking vibes. I wanted to a recipe that used my sourdough discard and did not need commercial yeast or baking powder. To be honest, I am all about experimenting and creating recipes using different techniques, good or bad! These muffins are soft, tender and moist. They are also bursting with citrus flavour and cranberries in every bite, everything I need in a quick grab and go breakfast or snack.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s naturally leavened with sourdough discard, no commercial yeast or baking powder needed.
- No resting needed, just mix-and-bake.
- Citrus flavours can be swapped in/out. E.g. lemon for orange.
- These muffins are moist and tender (yes, I have to say it twice)
- Warm spices and subtle extracts elevate the flavour of muffins.
Ingredient Breakdown
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – provides structure for muffins.
- Sugar – adds sweetness and moisture and helps with caramelization.
- Salt – balances the sweetness and enhances flavour.
- Cinnamon & cardamom – adds warmth and depth to muffins.
- Baking soda – reacts with the acidity from orange juice and sourdough discard to give the muffins a light lift. (Optional: muffins will be a lot denser without it.)
Wet Ingredients
- Sourdough discard – adds a tangy flavour.
- Milk – adds moisture and richness for a softer muffin crumb.
- Orange juice – brightens the flavour and complements the cranberries.
- Melted butter – adds richness and enhances overall taste.
- Egg – binds the batter and supports muffin structure.
- Orange zest – boosts the citrus aroma.
- Vanilla & almond extract – round out and balance the flavours.
Add-Ins
- Cranberries – Adds flavour boost that compliment the sweet and spiced muffin batter.
Things to Note
- Almond extract is optional but highly recommended for added flavour.
- Swap cranberries for blueberries if you prefer.
- Swap orange juice & zest with lemon if you prefer.
- Swap melted butter for a neutral oil. Same ratios
- Sprinkle a few extra tablespoons of sugar on top before baking for a lightly crunchy topping.
- For dairy-free muffins, substitute milk with plant-based milk of your choice.
- A sugar blend of brown and white sugar can be used.
- Adding sugar and zest together first, releases more flavour.
- Muffins can be stored in freezer for up to 3 months (I have done longer). Reheat/warm in oven before serving.
- This recipe can double as a loaf cake, just bake in a loaf pan.
How To Make Them
- Servings: 12 -14 muffins
- Prep Time: 10-15 min
- Bake Time: 18–22 min
Ingredients
Dry
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar + 1–2 tbsp for topping
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cardamom (optional)
- 1 tsp baking soda
Wet
- 150 g (¾ cup) sourdough discard
- 80 g (⅓ cup) milk
- 40 g (3 tbsp) orange juice
- 60 g (¼ cup) melted butter or neutral oil
- 50 g (1) large egg
- 1 tbsp orange zest (zest of 1 orange)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp almond extract (optional)
- 100 g (1 cup) cranberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C / 350°F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- Whisk flour, salt, spices and baking soda in a bowl, set aside.
- Mix discard, sugar, milk, orange zest, melted butter and orange juice (add last) together in a bowl.
- Fold dry into wet until just combined. Do Not Over Mix! Fold in cranberries.
- Divide batter into muffin cups. Top with remaining sugar.
- Bake 18–22 min. Toothpick should come out clean.
- Cool 5 min in tin, transfer to wire rack.
I find this recipe to be one of my easiest sourdough recipes, I love a quick mix anything and the fact these don’t require any form of resting is a plus for me. If you know anything about sourdough (or don’t) time is your currency. Sourdough mostly requires a long resting period, for fermentation and rise. These muffins do not which make them perfect! As I like to say, I create recipes that double and triple for something else, so if you want muffins, yes, this is for you, but if you also want to make a loaf cake you can, just bake in a loaf pan. I made these muffins during my Sourdough Bake-a-thon on YouTube and I had the best time. It was fun trying to figure these muffins out, because like I said, baking with sourdough is tricky. If you add too much of anything or not enough of something you get a very creative end product lol, but I love to experiment so this was fun to make and very delicious!
FAQ
Q: Can I use frozen cranberries?
A: Yes! Fold them in frozen, toss in a little bit of flour before baking.They will release some juice while baking which gives the muffins extra flavour.
Q: Can I make these dairy-free?
A: Absolutely. Substitute your favorite plant-based milk, or use only orange juice ( adjust the measurements), you can even use water. Use what you have!
Q: Can I use more baking soda for extra rise?
A: Stick to 1 tsp. Adding more can make the muffins taste soapy or overly tangy which will through off the flavour.
Q: Do these muffins need to rest before baking?
A: No. These muffins are mix-and-bake immediately. The sourdough discard adds flavor, but no long fermentation is required which I love.
If you love these muffins, you will LOVE my sourdough Bake-a-thon. Every month we host livestreams on YouTube, where you the viewer gets to vote on what we make, and we bake them live, no matter how long the recipes takes.
I’ve made it a mission to make everything I can possible make out of sourdough discard. The bake-a-thon is a way to keep me baking and to experiment. Baking is my passion and I share almost everything with you. I truly appreciate the support from you all. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow for more flavourful, naturally leavened bakes! Learning to bake with sourdough has been challenging but it has also been rewarding for me.
If you are also in your sourdough era, let me know in the comments below. If there is a recipe you want to see from me, let me know, I love experimenting and sharing with you guys.!
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