Orange Cranberry Muffins

Delight in homemade orange cranberry muffins, a perfect balance of zesty citrus and sweet-tart cranberries, just like Panera's beloved recipe.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: 12

Line muffin tin with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and extract until smooth. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients and set aside.
For the muffin batter, cream together milk and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add egg and oil. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms.
Fold in cranberries.
Use a cookie scoop to fill each of the muffin tins with batter right to the top.
Sprinkle a tablespoon of the topping mixture on the top of each muffin.
Snip the tip of the piping bag and squeeze two tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the center of the batter.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the muffin tops are golden brown.

A large Ziploc bag may be used instead of a pastry bag to pipe the cream cheese filling into the batter.
Don’t overmix the muffin batter — a few lumps are totally fine and keep the texture soft.
Want a stronger orange flavor? Add a splash of orange juice to the batter.
If using dried cranberries, soak them in warm water or orange juice for 10 minutes first.
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container on the counter for 3–4 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
To reheat, pop them in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to make them taste freshly baked again.