With the classic flavors of Panettone, including dried fruit, citrus, and vanilla, these tender Christmas Muffins are a perfect make-ahead holiday breakfast for Christmas morning.
For years, my mom has been making the King Arthur Panettone Muffins for the holidays—the flavors are so good! The method takes a little longer than I prefer, though, so I took a chance to see if I could streamline it and still deliver on a delicious Christmas morning muffin. Spoiler: I did!
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s packed with citrus, vanilla, and fruit, which makes it really special for this time of year. It also works really well to bake them ahead of time so you can simply serve them on Christmas morning and enjoy the time with the kids—without being stuck cooking in the kitchen.
You can add festive sprinkles on top or dust with coarse sugar, as an option to dress them up even more, too.
(You may also like Christmas Pancakes, Gingerbread Muffins, Christmas Cookies for Kids, and Salt Dough Ornaments as more fun recipes for this time of the year.)
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Ingredients
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to have on hand to make Christmas Muffins so you know what to pick up from the store or have ready.
- Diced fruit: I like to use a combination of golden raisins, dried cranberries, and dried cherries in this muffin recipe since they pair so well with citrus.
- Orange juice and orange zest: I add fresh orange zest and orange juice to this recipe for maximum bright flavor in the finished Christmas muffins.
- Butter: I bake with unsalted butter, so that’s what I’m using here, but you can also use salted butter if that’s what you have on hand.
- Vanilla: You can use pure or imitation vanilla extract in this muffin recipe according to what you have. Both work to add more flavor to the muffins.
- Sugar: I prefer to use granulated sugar in this recipe since it enhances the texture and tenderness of the muffins. I used the lowest amount possible to allow the sweetness to primarily come from the fruit and orange juice.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour in this recipe to ensure the muffins are light, fluffy, and tender.
- Baking powder and baking soda: A combination of these ingredients ensures that the muffins bake through and rise as expected.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a preview of how to make these Christmas Muffins so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of this post for the full information, including the amounts and the timing.
Step 1. Add the dried fruit and orange juice to a medium bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2. Add the orange zest, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
Step 3. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir together gently but thoroughly.
Step 4. Divide the batter into prepared muffin cups. Top with sprinkles if desired. Bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use vegetable oil in place of the melted butter and a neutral flavored egg replacer in place of the egg to make this muffin recipe without eggs or dairy.
Gently stir the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients in a large bowl until just combined, but not over mixed. And do your best not to over bake the muffins and to allow them to cool on a wire rack, and not in the muffin tin.
How to Store
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for 5 days, or up to 6 months in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible in the freezer.
Thaw frozen muffins overnight in the fridge or at room temperature. Warm to serve, if desired.
Store leftover Christmas Muffins, or if you make them ahead of time, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or in the fridge for 5 days. Or you can freeze the muffins in a storage bag, with as much air removed as possible, for up to 6 months.
Best Tips for Success
- Warm slightly to serve.
- Top with butter or cream cheese or jam.
- Add gold sprinkles or coarse decorating sugar on top of the muffins before putting them into the oven to dress them up.
- To bake these in paper liners, spray liners lightly with nonstick spray to ensure the muffins don’t stick to the paper.
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- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and fill a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Spray very lightly with nonstick spray.
Add the dried fruit and orange juice to a medium bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the orange zest, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir together gently but thoroughly.
- Divide the batter into the prepared muffin cups, using a heaping ¼ cup in each. Top with sprinkles if desired.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out cleanly and the edges are lightly golden brown.
Remove from the pan and let cool fully on a wire rack.
- Store leftover Christmas Muffins, or if you make them ahead of time, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or in the fridge for 5 days. Or you can freeze the muffins in a storage bag, with as much air removed as possible, for up to 6 months.
- Warm slightly to serve.
- Top with butter or cream cheese or jam.
- Add gold sprinkles or coarse decorating sugar on top of the muffins before putting them into the oven to dress them up.
- To bake these in paper liners, spray liners lightly with nonstick spray to ensure the muffins don’t stick to the paper.
Serving: 1 muffin, Calories: 165kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 215mg, Potassium: 96mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 223IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg
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