Does it get any better than a batch of warm cranberry muffins with walnut streusel for breakfast? I think not! These are tender and moist, and perfectly strike the balance between sweet and tart. Fresh cranberries shine, while the walnut streusel topping gives these cranberry muffins that something extra — a satisfying crunch and rich walnut flavor that will have you reaching for a second one as you dash out the door in the morning.

Close up view of a cranberry muffin with walnut streusel

why you will love our cranberry muffins

Our cranberry muffins with fresh cranberries make the perfect breakfast, brunch item, or snack! They are deliciously tart and fruity, and get extra points for being portable- the easiest grab-and-go breakfast! On an early and cool autumn morning, a cranberry muffin is exactly what I need.

Why we know you’ll love these cranberry muffins with walnut streusel:

they are sweet and fruity and packed with fresh cranberries
tender muffins and crunchy walnuts combine for the perfect texture
easy to make, these are in the oven in just 15 minutes!

For more muffin madness checkout these cheesecake stuffed pumpkin muffins or these chocolate chip muffins with a toffee crumb streusel.

Ready to make a batch? Let’s get started!

Close up photo of half of a cranberry muffin with walnut streusel topping

how to make cranberry muffins

Our cranberry muffins come together with the following ingredients:

all-purpose flour
baking powder
baking soda
salt
granulated sugar
melted butter
vegetable oil
eggs
sour cream
vanilla
fresh cranberries

what is the streusel topping made of?

A streusel has a sweet and crumbly texture. Our cranberry muffins with walnut streusel includes a spin on a classic streusel of flour, butter, and sugar. This walnut streusel is made with four ingredients: chopped walnuts, flour, brown sugar, and butter.

Overhead view of cranberry muffin batter with spatua, egg shell, measuring spoons and towel in background

the process for cranberry muffins with walnut streusel

Our cranberry muffins are perfect for busy weekday mornings when you need breakfast in a pinch. Bake them up the night before or make a batch for a few days’ worth of snacks and meals (if they’ll last that long, that is!). 😉

Here’s how to make them (scroll to the bottom of the page for all the ingredient amounts and the full recipe):

Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-muffin tin or insert paper baking cups.
Make the batter: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar, butter, oil, and eggs until they’re combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until the mixture is well-blended. Slowly combine the two mixtures. Toss the fresh cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, then gently fold the berries into the batter.
Make the walnut streusel: Blend the walnuts, flour, sugar, and butter together until small clumps form. Fill the muffin tins completely with the batter and sprinkle the tops with the streusel.
Bake the cranberry muffins: Bake the muffins at 425°F for 5 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake another 12-15 minutes then remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool completely before removing them from the pan.

Baked cranberry muffins with walnut streusel in a muffin tin

More Easy Quick Bread Recipes

tips for the best cranberry muffins with walnut streusel

Here are a few of our recipe notes to ensure your cranberry muffins are the very best!

don’t skip tossing the cranberries in the flour before adding to the batter– it helps keep the berries suspended and prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.
frozen or fresh cranberries work well for these cranberry muffins but if you choose frozen cranberries, do not thaw them.
the high bake temperature for the first five minutes gives the muffins a big burst of heat that helps the baking powder/soda react quickly and results in a taller, bakery-style muffin (don’t forget to turn down the oven though!)

How to store these cranberry muffins.

Since these muffins have fresh cranberries in them, they will stay moist a bit longer than muffins that have dried cranberries. Keep them in an airtight container for the best freshness. They keep for about 3 days at room temperature and 4 to 5 days in the fridge.

You can also freeze these muffins. To do that, keep them in a freezer-proof container for 3 to 4 months.

Overhead view of a cranberry muffin on a serving plate with a fork. Napkin and coffee in background

Our cranberry muffins with walnut streusel boast an incredibly cozy combination that we know the whole family will enjoy! There’s something extra special about waking up to freshly-baked muffins, and these have all the warm flavors we love this time of year.

More Recipes You Will Love

Banana Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping These bakery-style banana blueberry muffins have a crunchy cinnamon crumb topping and a generous measure of juicy blueberries.
Cheesecake Stuffed Pumpkin Muffins: These pumpkin muffins are light, tender and moist. We stuffed these muffins with a creamy cheesecake filling then topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel and cream cheese glaze.
Veggie Quinoa Egg Muffins: Quinoa Veggie Muffins are packed with quinoa and vegetables for a great start the day.

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Cranberry Muffins with Walnut Streusel

Tender, moist Cranberry Muffins with Walnut Streusel! Made with fresh cranberries these muffins are sweet and tart with a crunchy sweet topping. This is the perfect muffin for a cool fall breakfast.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings: servings

Calories: 554kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 270 grams
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar 100 grams
6 tablespoons butter melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups sour cream full-fat
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries

Walnut Streusel Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 90 grams
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F (you will reduce the temperature to 350°F after the muffins bake for 5 minutes)
Coat a 12-cavity standard-size muffin tin, or use paper baking cups.
In a medium size bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
In another bowl, beat the sugar, butter, oil and eggs together to combine. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until well blended.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Measure the cranberries into a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour; then, using a rubber/silicon spatula gently fold in the cranberries until the batter is combined. Do not over mix the batter.

Make the Streusel Topping:

Blend the walnuts, flour, sugar and butter together and stir until you have small pea-sized clumps.
Fill the muffin tins completely full then sprinkle the tops with the streusel topping.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F; then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool completely before removing them from the pan.

Notes

Tip: Tossing the cranberries with a bit of flour before adding to the batter will keep the cranberries suspended and not sink to the bottom while baking.
Frozen cranberries can be used instead of fresh cranberrides. Do not thaw.
We recommend using full-fat sour cream
Start cooking the muffins at 425°F for only 5 minutes. The high burst of heat at the beginning helps the baking powder/soda react quickly and will make a tall bakery-style muffin. Be sure to turn the oven down to 350°F after the initial 5 minutes.