Orange and cinnamon muffins

These orange and cinnamon muffins are wonderfully soft, irresistibly aromatic and perfectly studded with deliciously juicy mixed fruit. They're the perfect treat for the festive season.

If you're expecting Christmas guests, these muffins are a total win; ready within 30 minutes from first to last.

The crunchy topping and soft, buttery crumb beautifully compliments the classic combination of orange and cinnamon.

The orange and cinnamon cake batter can be prepared in a single bowl. You'll simply cream butter and sugar together, whisk in eggs and then fold in self raising flour and cinnamon. The addition of mixed dried fruit and the zest and juice of an orange completes the batter.

Once spooned into a muffin tin, you'll scatter with flaked almonds and a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before baking for 20 minutes, filling your kitchen with gorgeous festive aromas. And that's all there is to it!

Here's how to make 12 golden-crusted, orange and cinnamon muffins.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan).

Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Beat until creamy.

Add the eggs.

Beat until well combined.

Add the flour and cinnamon.

Fold through.

Add the mixed fruit, orange zest and juice.

Fold through.

Line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases and share the mixture evenly between them, levelling off.

Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top.

To make the cinnamon crust, put the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.

Mix well to combine.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the muffins.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack before serving.

You'll love the soft, tender cinnamon and orange crumb, dotted with juicy mixed fruit.

They're a wonderful treat to serve at a Christmas get together. How will you serve yours?

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect cinnamon and orange muffins

Are cinnamon and orange muffins easy to make?

Yes! These festive fruity muffins are so easy to make, you can mix everything in one bowl and once the batter is divided into the muffin cases they’ll take about 20 minutes to bake to perfection, filling the kitchen with tempting and warming Christmasy smells.

Perfect for a family get-together, and a lovely alternative for those who don’t like mince pies. 

Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?

You should be able to find everything you need in the average kitchen. The full list of equipment can be found on the recipe card below.

The main things you’ll need are weighing scales, a large bowl and spoon for mixing, and a 12 hole muffin tin and cases. 

Where can I buy mixed dried fruit?

Mixed dried fruit can be easily found in the baking section, particularly in the run-up to Christmas. It’s a ready mix combination of juicy raisins, currants, and sultanas combined with a zesty mixed peel. It’s so good for recipes like this so you don’t need to buy lots of different elements. 

How can I tell if eggs have gone off?

In the UK most eggs are produced to the Red Lion code food standard and bare a stamp on the box or egg to show this.

They will have a Best Before Date, but may still be ok to use a few days after this as long as they’ve been kept at a constant low temperature, and don’t show any other signs of spoilage.

In the UK eggs don’t need to be kept in the fridge as they haven’t been washed like eggs in the USA are.

However, it’s important to keep eggs at a constant temperature below 20C so if your kitchen fluctuates even when cooking it might be best to keep them in the fridge, or a cool cupboard or pantry. When you’re cooking or baking with your eggs, just get out the number you need rather than the whole box. 

Eggs that have gone bad will have an unmistakable rotten sour smell, and the yolk or egg white may be discoloured.

You can check your eggs by breaking them into a small bowl before putting them into a recipe, this way you won’t waste all the other ingredients if the eggs have gone off. 

Are cinnamon and orange muffins suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, this recipe is suitable for vegetarians, it contains no meat or fish so tuck in!

Are cinnamon and orange muffins suitable for vegans?

The way I’ve made these muffins is with dairy butter and chicken eggs so they are not vegan.

That said, you can easily switch these elements for plant-based alternatives if you want to try and make them vegan.

For the butter simply use vegan butter or baking block, and for the eggs you’ll need to use a replacer, such as one of the following (each = 1 egg, so multiply as needed for any given recipe):

• 1 tablespoon of crushed chia seeds or flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (the water you get in a tin of chickpeas).
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce (bear in mind this will add sweetness).

I haven’t tested this recipe vegan yet, let me know how you get on in the comments below!

Are cinnamon and orange muffins gluten-free?

In this recipe I’m using wheat-based self-raising flour so they are not gluten-free. I haven’t tried to make this recipe gluten-free yet but you could give it a go using gluten-free flour.

I always recommend using a good quality brand, which will usually be made from a blend of different flours such as rice flour, and oat flour, raising agents, of course, and usually a binding agent such as xanthan gum.

Are cinnamon and orange muffins keto-friendly?

This recipe contains flour and sugar so will be too high in carbohydrates to be suitable for a keto diet. 

Are cinnamon and orange muffins safe to eat while pregnant?

There is nothing in these cinnamon and orange muffins that would normally pose a risk to a pregnant woman, as long as all the ingredients are in good condition and the muffins have been prepared and baked hygienically. 

A Mummy Too does not give medical advice, if you have any worries or concerns please speak to a qualified health professional. 

What goes well with cinnamon and orange muffins?

These yummy fruity little muffins are perfect with a good cuppa. 

Can I make cinnamon and orange muffins without mixed dried fruit?

I love the sweet and fruity burst you get from the mixed dried fruit, and the added bonus of citrus peel too. If you don’t like one of the elements in mixed dried fruit you can either leave them out entirely or use a different dried fruit instead.

Chopped up dried figs work well, or something like dried mango or cherries if you prefer. Just keep the amounts the same as the mixed dried fruit in the recipe, and anything large cut up to about the size of a raisin so the pieces are evenly distributed in all the muffins. 

I haven’t got soft light brown sugar, can I use granulated sugar?

As well as sweetness, light brown sugar brings flavour to these cinnamon and orange muffins from the caramelly molasses that gives brown sugar its colour.

You can use granulated sugar instead, but keep in mind the flavour won’t be as rich and well rounded as using brown sugar.

If you don’t have light brown sugar, you could try using dark brown sugar instead. 

What is a good alternative to almonds to make this nut-free?

If you want to make this nut-free a good alternative would be to mix about 10g of rolled oats with the sugar and cinnamon topping, this will give you a little extra crunch and texture without the nuts. 

Can I make these cinnamon and orange muffins dairy-free?

If you’re making these muffins for someone who needs to avoid dairy you’ll need to use a dairy-free alternative to butter.

So either use a vegetable baking block like Trex, or you can try using a good quality dairy-free margarine, find one with a high-fat content.

Keep in mind this will just make these muffins dairy-free, they wouldn’t be suitable for a vegan as they still contain egg.

Can I add extra fruit to these cinnamon and orange muffins?

This recipe is perfectly balanced with the amount of fruit to give you a few juicy bursts without overwhelming the batter. If you tried adding more dried fruit the muffins won’t bake in the same way. 

How should I store these cinnamon and orange muffins?

Once cooled, you’ll need to store these muffins in a sealed container to keep them at their best. 

How long do cinnamon and orange muffins keep?

These muffins will keep for up to 5 days but are best enjoyed within a couple of days of baking. They also freeze pretty well and will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Can I leave cinnamon and orange muffins out on the counter?

Other than for serving, it’s best to keep these muffins in a sealed container rather than leave them out on the counter. If left on the counter they will dry out, and there’s an increased risk of foodborne illnesses spread on the muffins. 

Can I make these cinnamon and orange muffins ahead?

Yes, by all means, you can make these muffins the day before, make sure to cool them thoroughly before popping them into a sealed container ready for the next day.

If you want to get really ahead you can also freeze a batch of these muffins. Once cooled, pop them into a suitable container and get them into the freezer. Defrost overnight in the fridge before serving. 

Can I freeze cinnamon and orange muffins?

Yes, these muffins freeze well, sometimes I like to make a double batch and put some in the freezer.

It’s important to freeze them on the day of baking so they are kept at their best. Once cooled get your muffins into a freezer bag or container, labeled with the date and type of muffin. These muffins will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

What is the best way to defrost cinnamon and orange muffins?

As these muffins probably won’t be reheated, it's important to defrost them low and slow, this reduces the chance of bacteria multiplying in the food.

Take out the muffins you want to thaw out, and pop them on a plate in the fridge. You can defrost them overnight ready to enjoy the next day. Once thawed, consume within 24 hours, and don’t refreeze already frozen muffins. 

Can I make cinnamon and orange muffins in a different quantity?

Making more or less of these muffins is so easy, on the recipe card below you’ll see the servings are set to 12. Click on this number and a little slider will appear that you can move up and down to get the amounts of muffins you want to make.

All the ingredients will update automatically, which you’ll be able to see as you change the number of servings. For ease I’d recommend getting the eggs to a whole number, it's a bit difficult to put half an egg in the batter!

Can I make cinnamon and orange muffins in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

If you find it easier you can of course use a stand mixer to make the batter for these muffins.

Start by adding the sugar to the bottom of the bowl, add the butter and beat on medium with the paddle attachment. Once the mixture looks pale and creamy you can add the eggs, beating again on low to medium until combined.

Now time for the flour and cinnamon to be mixed in, and finally the orange zest and juice.

I like to stir in the mixed dried fruit by hand as you can fold them in more evenly and also check all the other ingredients are well mixed. 

How can I make sure my cinnamon and orange muffins are perfectly cooked?

These muffins will rise into gentle domes and be a lovely golden brown colour when baked.

You can test one by pushing a metal skewer into the middle of a muffin, if it comes out clean you’ll know they’re done, if not return to the oven to finish off. 

Why did my muffins turn out wet and sink in the middle?

This could be a number of things. Excess wetness could be a sign that too much liquid was added to the batter or not enough flour. If your orange was particularly big it may have added too much liquid to the batter. Try returning the cakes to the oven for a further 5 - 10 minutes to cook through. 

When the middles sink on cakes this usually means the oven door has been opened early on in the bake, your cakes will still taste delicious.

Why didn’t my cinnamon and orange muffins rise?

For this recipe we’re using self-raising flour alone as the raising agent so the muffins won’t balloon into a momentous mound, they will be a more gentle dome.

The flaked almond and sugar topping will also reduce the amount the muffins rise so don’t worry too much if your muffins have only slightly risen. 

How can I add/change the flavours in this dish?

You can play around with the dried fruit and spices in this recipe, why not try dried cranberries with nutmeg or dried figs with ginger. Make sure to chop any large dried fruits you might be using into smaller pieces, about the size of a raisin.

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