Bright & vibrant Orange Muffins topped with zesty orange glaze are absolutely delicious! They’re perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Orange muffins are the perfect way to start the day. Orange Rolls, Cranberry Orange Bread, and Copycat Orange Julius are also perfect for breakfast or a quick snack!
Zesty Breakfast Muffins
I don’t know about you, but when I think of breakfast, I think of Orange Juice. It’s sweet, refreshing, and just tastes so good.
Orange muiffins may not be a tall glass of orange juice, but they still pack that same sweet and refreshing punch!! They are filled with orange zest, making them bright and delicious and filled with the citrus flavor that is so good.
Our favorite part is the orange glaze on top! It is the perfect topping for these sweet muffins.
This tasty muffin recipe is bursting with orange flavor and is perfect for breakfast, but sweet enough to be a late-night snack. I know you will love these as much as we do!
Making Orange Muffins
Orange muffins with glaze are bright, sweet, and a perfect summer treat.
PREP. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.
DRY INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
WET INGREDIENTS. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together butter, sour cream, egg, orange juice, and orange zest. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.
BAKE. Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray about ⅔-¾ full. Place into oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Orange Glaze
MIX. To make the glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar as needed.
DIP. When the muffins are done, cool for 10 minutes and dip the muffin crown into the glaze. Let them set and dip a second time.
SET. Allow glaze to set before serving.
Variations
Here are a few ways to change it up…
- Toppings. Top with toasted, chopped, or sliced nuts, shredded coconut, poppy seeds, or shaved white chocolate.
- Make them Mini. Divide the batter into mini muffin tins and bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cranberry Orange Muffins. Make cranberry orange muffins by folding in some dried cranberries. Or, use fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries, making sure to toss them in flour before folding them into the batter.
Recipe Tips
Perfect tops. Divide the batter evenly into the 12 liners and they will rise to the perfect height and shape.
Zest. If you don’t have a zesting tool, easily use the small section of a cheese grater. Rub the peel of the orange until the white layer is reached. Easily adjust the citrus flavor of the muffin by how much zest you include.
Muffin method. Many baked goods direct to combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls before combining them together.
This is called the muffin method and is designed to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed without having to over-mix the gluten in the batter. This method will help create a tender crumb.
Storing Info
STORE. Keep orange juice muffins in an airtight container for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
FREEZE. I like to put each muffin in a fold-top sandwich bag and then put them all in a Freezer Ziploc. They’ll last for 3 months. Allow them to thaw a bit before eating.
To Reheat: Place the muffin in a microwave-safe place and cover it with a damp paper towel. Heat for about 8 seconds. Check and heat for another 5 seconds, if needed.
Recipe Faq
You will need 1-2 fresh oranges to squeeze out enough juice for this recipe. Or use store-bought pulp-free orange juice.
Here are three tips for making your muffins light and fluffy:
1. Stick to the ingredients listed. Baking is science and when measurements are off or ingredients are substituted it can alter the result.
2. Make sure that the baking powder is not expired.
3. Over or underbaking will alter the textures. Let the muffin cool in the pan for 1-2 minutes before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.
for more breakfast Muffins, try:
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Lemon Crumb Muffins
- Chocolate Muffins
- Healthy Apple Muffins
- Sweet Honey Muffins
- Coffee Cake Muffins
Orange Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- zest from 1 orange
Zesty Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1/8 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together butter, sour cream, egg, orange juice, and orange zest. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray about ⅔ – ¾ full.
- Place into oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- To make the glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar as needed.
- When the muffins are done, cool for 10 minutes and dip the muffin crown into the glaze. Let them set and dip a second time.
- Allow glaze to set before serving.
I love the freshness from the orange flavor & the little specs of orange zest!! They are great for breakfast or snacking!
I really love orange sweet rolls and so I was excited to try these. I was really happy with the result. They were much less effort that rolls and had the same zesty orange taste. I thought the texture was kind of a cross between a muffin and a cupcake and loved it. I’ll definitely be be making more now that Arizona citrus season is right around the corner.
Oh I love these muffins!! It quickly became a favorite at my house!
These muffins were incredible, so vibrant and fresh, the perfect treat for the kids! I also love how easy this recipe was to follow!!
Oh my gosh these are so easy and totally delicious. The perfect amount of orange flavor!
Such a great tasting orange muffin that will make a great addition to any breakfast. Sweet and satisfying.
Would this work as a cake in a 9×13 pan? BTW, my maiden name is Luna as well 😉
Oh I have never tried it as a cake, so I’m not totally sure. You could certainly give it a try. Or maybe in bread loaf pans too? You’ll have to let us know how it turns out if you end up using the cake pan!