Studded with juicy chunks of ripe orange, fresh squeezed juice, and a pile of zest, this orange muffins recipe takes your typical orange muffin to another level, while a sugar encrusted dome provides a sparkling finish.
Like clockwork every year, the spring equinox shifts my attention from warm and cozy "in-here" energy towards a sunnier, more vibrant "out-there"-ness. The ever-lengthening lightness of the days and the irresistible pull generated by a season of sprouts, seedlings, and sparks in all their forms, at last coalesce into a fertile soil ripe for ideation.
As we inhaled our late-winter haul of Minneola oranges (also known as Tangelos!) from our local Caraluzzi's market, one such idea broke through the thaw. An unmistakably spring-induced spark, in the form of a desire to create a muffin recipe around this star of our winter citrus season.
Where lots of other orange flavored muffins recipes use extracts or rely heavily on OJ for flavor, I envisioned chunky pieces of succulent orange strewn throughout the muffin batter. No glaze or elaborate toppings to obscure their beauty, when a humble crown of glimmering sugar is all this citrus needs to shine like the springtime sun.
With a clean, bright orange flavor and spongy light texture, these muffins are far from being those bakery-style, ultra dense behemoths that leave you in need of your bed. These zesty orange muffins bring instead a spirited zap, a burst of levity, and an energetic uplift. Perhaps just the thing to help us heed the equinox's annual call for the return of vitality.
ingredients for this orange muffins recipe
ingredient notes & swaps
- The orange flavor of these muffins is very much dependent on using fresh orange juice, zest, and segments. Bottled orange juice or pre-cut orange slices are convenient, but at the cost of their flavor. Take the few extra minutes to zest, juice, and slice up some fresh oranges and you'll be rewarded with the best tasting orange muffins! Breathe deep the invigorating aroma as you work. Get your hands all sticky like a toddler. Slurping the juice off of the cutting board when you're done is optional but recommended 😉
- Using both baking powder + baking soda in this orange muffin recipe creates a balanced, reliable rise, resulting in tender muffins that dome nicely on top. The baking soda in particular reacts with the acidity of the orange ingredients, creating bubbles and lifting your muffins to fluffy heights.
- Using two eggs in this muffin batter is a higher proportion than typical muffin recipes, but an important increase to note. The large chunks of juicy fresh orange in these beauties are going to create little pockets of steam inside the muffins as they bake, so a bit of additional structural support is needed. An egg-rich batter provides the perfect type of spongy yet stable crumb that is capable of suspending juicy bits of fruit without sogging.
- I love the flecks of vanilla bean that vanilla paste gives these muffins, but you can certainly use regular vanilla extract. Or if you're feeling indulgent, use fresh vanilla bean!
- Coarse crystal sugar gives your muffin tops a decadent crunch as well as those winky sparkles we love so much. Clear sugar gives the best shimmer, but raw sugar or demerara sugar will provide just the same texture, albeit with a little less glitz. I was running low on clear crystal sugar when I made this batch so I actually used a combo here and they turned out great!
Minneola orange muffins recipe
Studded with juicy chunks of ripe orange, fresh squeezed juice, and a pile of zest, this orange muffins recipe takes your typical orange muffin to another level, while a sugar encrusted dome provides a sparkling finish.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons orange zest (approx. yield from 1 orange)
- 1 cup chopped orange segments (approx. yield from 2 oranges)
- ½ cup orange juice (approx. yield from 1 ½ oranges)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla paste
- Coarse crystal sugar, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400℉. Lightly coat a 12-cup (or two 6's!) muffin pan with cooking spray, oil (I love using my Evo oil sprayer for this!), or butter.
- Prep the oranges first. Start by zesting until you have 2 teaspoons, then slice away the peel from the fruit and use a paring knife to remove and chop the orange segments, removing any seeds as you do. Try to avoid as much of the white pith and membranes as you can, as these parts of the fruit have bitter flavors. Finally, squeeze the juice from any remnants if possible, otherwise slice into a new orange to get the ½ cup of juice you need. Set aside all of your orange ingredients for later.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: eggs, olive oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla paste in a second mixing bowl.
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, then add the orange juice and zest (hold off on the orange pieces for a moment). Fold the wet and dry ingredients together until loosely combined. The batter will seem a bit stiff here and that's perfect because the orange pieces are going to bring the rest of the moisture we need!
- Add the chopped oranges to the bowl and gently fold them into the batter, bringing the whole thing together. Try not to overmix here; it's okay if a few lumps remain. You'll see the batter start to do some fizzy bubble action as you stir; that means the acidity and baking soda are reacting to create lift which will give your muffins their fluffy texture.
- Divide the muffin batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling them pretty full to the top. I like to try to make sure there's a visible bit or two of orange at the top of each muffin!
- Sprinkle muffins with coarse sugar as desired.
- Transfer to the oven, immediately reduce the heat to 375℉ and bake for 18-20 minutes until cooked through and golden brown around the edges. Cool the muffins in the pan for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Or better yet, enjoy while still warm!
Notes
- When prepping the oranges, take care to avoid the pith (the spongy white part of the rind) and the membranes (the thin white layers in between the orange segments) as these are the parts of the fruit that contain bitter flavor compounds.
- To zest an orange: gently run the orange down the length of your zester once, then roll your orange it to a fresh spot and repeat.
- To segment an orange: first use a paring knife to slice the rind off in thick strips and reveal the bright orange flesh underneath, leaving you with what I call a naked orange! Now, hold the naked orange in your non-dominant hand, and use the paring knife in your other hand to slice out one triangular orange segment from in between two of the membrane dividers. Repeat until you have sliced out all of the flesh, then squeeze the leftover core & membrane pieces over a bowl to extract the juice.
- Once baked, don't let the muffins sit in the muffin pan for more than a couple of minutes. Steam is created as they sit, which can cause sticking and make them harder to remove later.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 257
- Sugar: 19.2 g
- Sodium: 166.9 mg
- Fat: 10.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 38.3 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
FAQs
What is the most common mistake when making muffins?
Not oiling the pan enough! I have done it myself, been a little too thrifty with the oil spray and ending up with stuck-in-pan muffins. The key is to apply a light, but even coating of your grease of choice, making sure to get into all of the corners and edges. Using a nonstick pan helps too. If you frequently have issues with muffins that are hard to remove, I would recommend trying a different pan or using liners. Life's too short to spend it fighting a mob of stuck muffins!
How do you store orange muffins?
First, let me say that due to their sugared dome, these muffins are definitely at their best the same day you bake them. Once sealed in a storage container, the crunchy sugar topping softens and gets stickier over time. To combat this, store them in an airtight container with a layer of paper towel to help absorb moisture.
Can you make this recipe for orange muffins into mini muffins?
Yes definitely! You'll want to cut the orange chunks smaller than I do here though. Bake them at the same temperature but start checking them after just 8-10 minutes or so, using a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center. Their small size means they will cook quickly so keep a close eye when they start to get close.
If you love citrusy treats like these orange muffins, try my crunchy Sugar-Glazed Meyer Lemon Cake or creamy No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake.
dig in!
Enjoy & let me know what you think 🌙 💛
