Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a standard muffin tin with liners, or spray with cooking spray.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl add sugar and orange zest and stir well to combine. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and stir. Set aside.
Mix wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla.
Combine: Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Fold in the halved cranberries.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan and bake for 20-26 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.
Glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Whisk until smooth. Add more juice if needed to thin, or powdered sugar to thicken. Drizzle glaze over cooled muffins.
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Notes
Cranberry Substitute: You could use dried cranberries, if you don't have fresh, or try substituting fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries, for a fun flavor twist.Mini Muffins: For mini muffins, bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 11-13 minutes or until baked through. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.Jumbo Cranberry Orange Muffins: for larger, bakery style muffins, divide batter between 10 muffin cups, instead of 12.Freezing Instructions: Allow muffins to cool completely, then place in an airtight container of freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or rewarm in the microwave for a few seconds.