Description
These delightful Orange Muffins are moist, flavorful, and bursting with fresh citrus zest and juice. Perfectly sweetened and topped with a tangy orange glaze, they make an excellent breakfast treat or afternoon snack. The batter rests briefly before baking, ensuring a tender crumb, and the muffins bake quickly under high heat before being finished at a lower temperature for a golden, soft texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- Zest of 3 oranges
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
Glaze
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line every other cavity of a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners to prevent sticking and allow proper air circulation.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and then add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, orange zest, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Stir until the mixture is smooth and uniformly combined.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients. Gently fold everything together just until the ingredients are combined; avoid over-mixing to keep the muffins tender. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes to hydrate the flour and develop the texture.
- Fill muffin cups: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each cavity completely full. Smooth the tops with the back of a spoon for even baking.
- Bake at high heat: Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425°F. This initial high heat will help the muffins rise quickly.
- Reduce temperature and finish baking: After the initial 7 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 13 to 16 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool muffins: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prepare glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of fresh orange juice until smooth.
- Glaze the muffins: Once the muffins are completely cool, spoon or dip the orange glaze over the tops. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- Allowing the batter to rest before baking helps produce fluffier muffins with a tender crumb.
- Using fresh orange zest and juice enhances the bright citrus flavor.
- Filling the muffin liners completely full gives a dome-shaped top.
- The two-stage baking process ensures a good rise and moist interior.
- Cool muffins thoroughly before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting.
