Spiced Cranberry Orange Glazed Muffins

Ingredients:    **tsp = teaspoon, tbsp = tablespoon**

Muffins:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• Zest of 1 large orange
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped (or substitute with dried cranberries)

Orange Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp fresh orange juice
• ½ tsp orange zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners, or lightly grease each cup with butter or non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and orange zest.
4. In a separate bowl, add ½ cup of fresh orange juice, 1/3 cup of milk, and 1/3 cup of melted butter or vegetable oil. Stir to mix these ingredients.
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the ingredients together. Do NOT overmix. 
6. Add the chopped cranberries, folding them gently into the batter until they’re evenly distributed. 
7. Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup with batter until they’re about ¾ full. If you have extra batter, add it to any partially filled cups to ensure each muffin is of similar size.
8. Place the muffin tin on the centre rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean or with only a few crumbs.
9. Once done, remove the muffin tin from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before transferring the muffins to a wire rack. 
10. While the muffins cool, make the glaze. In a small bowl, add 1 cup of powdered sugar and the zest of ½  orange for extra flavour.
11. Add 2-3 tbsp of fresh orange juice, one spoonful at a time, stirring until the glaze reaches a thick yet pourable consistency. If you prefer a thinner glaze, add a little more orange juice; for a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar.
12. Once the muffins are cool to the touch, drizzle the glaze over each one. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before serving.
13. Enjoy!

By: Andrew Miao