Our Favourite Recipe for Unforgettable Christmas Morning Muffins

What scent truly signals the start of Christmas Day in your home? For some, it might be the fresh pine of the Christmas tree or a cosy, crackling fire. For us, however, it’s the wonderfully warm and spicy aroma of baking that drifts from the kitchen. Among the excitement of opening gifts and sipping on hot cocoa, a special breakfast is an essential part of the celebration. But how can you create something delightful without adding extra stress to an already bustling day? The solution is simple: our fantastic recipe for Christmas Morning Muffins.

These muffins are far more than a simple breakfast; they are a festive event in their own right. Infused with the classic flavours of the season—sharp cranberries, zesty orange, and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg—they beautifully capture the spirit of Christmas. They are remarkably straightforward to prepare, can be made ahead to save time, and will fill your house with a scent so inviting it will draw everyone to the kitchen. Let’s get started and bake some wonderful memories.

Why You’ll Adore This Recipe

• A True Taste of Christmas: The blend of cranberry, orange, and warm spices offers the quintessential festive flavour, resulting in a treat that is both comforting and celebratory.
• Wonderfully Simple to Bake: With straightforward instructions and no complex techniques, this recipe is ideal for bakers of all abilities, even on a busy morning.
• Convenient for a Relaxed Morning: You can bake these muffins a day or two in advance, or even pop them in the freezer, which frees up valuable time on Christmas morning to spend with your loved ones.
• Soft, Fluffy, and Moist Texture: We use buttermilk and a gentle mixing technique to guarantee these muffins are delightfully light, moist, and airy every time.
• An Irresistible Festive Scent: There is nothing quite like the smell of these muffins baking to build a sense of festive excitement. It truly is the most delicious potpourri imaginable!

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• 100g caster sugar
• 50g light brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 180ml buttermilk, at room temperature
• 80ml vegetable oil (or melted unsalted butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 large orange
• 150g fresh or frozen cranberries
• 50g plain flour
• 40g demerara sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 40g cold unsalted butter, cubed

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Christmas Muffins

We’ve organised this recipe into simple stages. By following these directions, you’ll be sure to create wonderfully fluffy and flavourful christmas muffins that are bound to become a new family favourite.

1. Getting Started: The Topping and Tins

1. To begin, set your oven to preheat at 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners.
2. First, let’s prepare the crunchy streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine the flour, demerara sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Next, add the cubes of cold butter. With your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Avoid overworking it, as the little pockets of butter are what make it crisp. Place the bowl in the fridge to chill while you prepare the batter.

2. Creating the Muffin Mixture

1. In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: the plain flour, caster sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisking them thoroughly ensures everything is distributed evenly.
2. In a separate jug or medium-sized bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: the egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Using a spatula, gently fold everything together until it is *just* combined. It is vital that you do not overmix the batter! A few lumps are completely normal and are the key to a tender muffin.
4. Lastly, carefully fold in the orange zest and cranberries. If you are using frozen cranberries, add them straight from the freezer to stop the colour from bleeding into your batter.

3. Baking to Golden Perfection

1. Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 prepared muffin cases. We find an ice cream scoop works wonders for this, ensuring uniform muffins. The cases should be filled approximately two-thirds of the way.
2. Take the streusel topping from the fridge and sprinkle it generously over the batter in each muffin case.
3. Bake in your preheated oven for 18-22 minutes. The muffins are ready when they have turned a lovely golden-brown colour and a toothpick inserted into the centre of one comes out clean.
4. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling. While they are delicious served warm, letting them cool helps the crumb to set properly.

Top Tips for the Best Christmas Morning Muffins

To make sure your muffins are absolutely exceptional, we’ve gathered a few of our favourite professional tips.

• The Golden Rule: Don’t Overmix: We really can’t say this enough! Overmixing the batter develops too much gluten in the flour, which results in tough muffins rather than light, fluffy ones. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see any dry streaks of flour.
• The Importance of Room Temperature: Using an egg and buttermilk that are at room temperature helps them to blend together more smoothly, which creates a more uniform texture in your finished muffins.
• Use Fresh Zest for the Best Flavour: While dried zest can be used if you’re in a bind, the vibrant flavour from the aromatic oils in freshly grated orange zest truly elevates these muffins.
• Achieving that Bakery-Style Dome: For those impressive, high-domed tops, you can start the oven at 220°C for the initial 5 minutes of baking, then lower it to 200°C for the rest of the time. This initial burst of high heat helps the muffins rise quickly.

Customisations and Variations

One of the great joys of christmas baking is adding a personal touch to a recipe. Here are some of our suggestions for customising your muffins:

• Add a Nutty Crunch: Stir 75g of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter along with the cranberries to introduce a lovely texture and toasted flavour.
• A Dreamy White Chocolate Twist: Cranberry and white chocolate is a match made in heaven. Fold in 100g of white chocolate chips for little pockets of creamy sweetness.
• A Simple Zesty Glaze: If a streusel topping isn’t your thing, you can leave it off and drizzle the cooled muffins with an orange glaze instead. Simply mix 100g of icing sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice to create a thick, pourable glaze.
• Enhance the Spice: For a deeper, more complex spice profile, feel free to add ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger or allspice. Spices such as cinnamon have a rich history in festive food and are cherished for their warmth. You can discover more about cinnamon’s benefits from reliable sources like BBC Good Food.

Planning Your Festive Feast

These muffins offer the ideal, fuss-free beginning to your Christmas celebrations, leaving you with more time to relax and soak up the morning’s magic. While our muffins provide a beautiful start, planning the main meal is also key. If you’re searching for dinner ideas that are both special and simple, our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe is a wonderful crowd-pleaser for a cosy festive dinner. For something a little different, these Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls are a fun and effortless choice for a laid-back Boxing Day meal.

Storing Your Christmas Muffins

These muffins are among the best christmas breakfast ideas partly because they are so easy to prepare in advance. To store them, allow them to cool completely before placing them in an airtight container. We recommend lining the container with a paper towel to soak up any condensation. They will remain fresh at room temperature for up to three days.

For longer-term storage, these muffins also freeze exceptionally well. Wrap each muffin individually in cling film and then place them all inside a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat one, simply let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours, or warm it gently in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

FAQ

Start a Delicious New Christmas Tradition

And there you have it—a simple, dependable, and incredibly tasty recipe that we believe is destined to become a cherished part of your festive celebrations. These Christmas Morning Muffins are so much more than just a breakfast item; they are a whole experience. They represent the scent of happiness, the taste of togetherness, and the perfect, easy start to a truly magical day.

This year, we hope you’ll be inspired to put on your apron, gather your ingredients, and begin a wonderful new tradition. We can assure you that the delightful aroma alone will make your Christmas morning feel extra special. We would be thrilled to see your festive bakes, so please do leave a comment below to share how they turned out, or tag us in your photos online!

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• For the Muffins:
• 250g plain flour
• 100g caster sugar
• 50g light brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 180ml buttermilk, at room temperature
• 80ml vegetable oil (or melted unsalted butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 large orange
• 150g fresh or frozen cranberries
• For the Streusel Topping:
• 50g plain flour
• 40g demerara sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 40g cold unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Make Topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, demerara sugar, and cinnamon for the topping. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Chill in the fridge.
3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the plain flour, sugars, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate jug, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
5. Combine Batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a lumpy batter is a good sign.
6. Add Fillings: Carefully fold in the orange zest and cranberries.
7. Fill & Top: Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 prepared muffin cases (about two-thirds full). Sprinkle the chilled streusel topping over each muffin.
8. Bake: Bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.