Panera's delightful Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
½ cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup whole milk
¼ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins:
1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if frozen)
Topping:
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (for a crunchy top)
Instructions:
Preheat Oven:
Set your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a jumbo muffin pan with liners or grease it well.
Prepare Dry Ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
Prepare Wet Ingredients:
In another bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, milk, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has dissolved.
Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures:
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold the mixtures together using a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; the batter should be slightly lumpy.
Incorporate Cranberries:
Gently fold in the cranberries, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Fill Muffin Tins:
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
Add Topping:
Sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar over the top of each muffin for a sweet, crunchy finish.
Bake:
Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Cool:
Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips:
Measuring Flour: To avoid dense muffins, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife instead of scooping directly from the bag.
Mixing: Overmixing can lead to tough muffins. Stir the batter until the dry ingredients are just moistened.
Cranberries: If using frozen cranberries, add them directly to the batter without thawing to prevent them from bleeding into the batter.
Storage: Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them for longer storage.
Enjoy baking these flavorful muffins that bring a taste of Panera into your home!"