Description
These Orange Muffins with Sour Cream and Cinnamon offer a delightful balance of citrus brightness and warm spice, enriched with creamy sour cream for moist, tender crumb. Finished with a delicate orange glaze, these muffins are perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
Ingredients
Muffins
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups (250 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (18 grams) orange zest (about 4 oranges)
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 grams) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) orange juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 4-5 teaspoons orange juice, fresh squeezed
- 1/16 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin liners to prevent sticking and for easy removal.
- Melt Butter and Mix Dry Ingredients: Melt the butter over medium-low heat and let it cool until barely warm. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt for 30 seconds to combine evenly.
- Prepare Orange Sugar: Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl on a kitchen scale. Zest about 4 oranges into the sugar to yield 18 grams of zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar takes on a vibrant orange color and sandy texture.
- Juice Oranges: Juice the oranges until you have a total of 1/3 cup of fresh orange juice for the batter and glaze.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the orange-infused sugar and whisk in the eggs until the mixture lightens in color, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cooled melted butter, then stir in the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the orange juice, and vanilla extract. Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold gently using a silicone spatula until incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, folding just until there are no visible streaks of flour to avoid overmixing.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Evenly distribute the batter among the 12 prepared muffin cups.
- Bake Muffins: Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F (176°C) and continue baking for 10-12 minutes, until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool Muffins: Remove the pan from the oven and let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely if glazing is desired.
- Make Orange Glaze: In a bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Add the kosher salt and then 3 teaspoons of the fresh orange juice; stir well. Add more orange juice in 1/2 teaspoon increments until a thin glaze that easily drips over the muffin tops is achieved.
- Glaze Muffins: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of glaze onto each muffin and spread evenly across the top for a bright, citrus finish.
- Store Muffins: Store muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Make sure butter is just warm, not hot, when mixing to avoid cooking the eggs.
- Folding the flour gently preserves muffin tenderness and avoids dense texture.
- Resting the batter before baking enhances flavor and texture.
- Do not open oven door during initial temperature change for best rise.
- The glaze is optional but adds a flavorful and attractive finishing touch.
- Muffins are best enjoyed fresh but can be frozen for longer storage.
