Cranberry Orange Cottage Cheese Muffins
- Cook Time: 37 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/3 cup melted butter or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
Instructions
- Oven and Pan Preparation: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups thoroughly with cooking spray to ensure the muffins release easily after baking.
- Mixing the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Making sure these are well-combined prevents any clumps and ensures an even rise for your muffins.
- Whisking the Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. If you prefer a smoother texture without visible cheese curds, you can pulse the wet ingredients in a blender for a few seconds.
- Combining the Batter: Gently pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the mixture together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the muffins tough; a few streaks of flour are perfectly fine at this stage.
- Adding the Cranberries: Gently fold in the cranberries. If using frozen berries, do not thaw them beforehand, as this can cause the juice to bleed and turn the batter pink. Stir just enough to distribute the berries evenly throughout the batter.
- Filling and Baking: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Place the tin in the center of the oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. The muffins are done when the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cooling: Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This allows them to set slightly so they don’t fall apart when you remove them.