Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (2024)

4.58 from 7 votes

By Kristy Richardson on | Updated | 19 Comments

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“Did you say creamsicle muffins?” You might as well insert the heart eyes emoji here because that was my six-year-old when I told her I was making a yummy citrus muffin recipe around one of her favorite fruits. With a mouthful of fresh and delicious muffins, she turned around and said something that makes every mama happy. “Can I put one of these muffins in my lunchbox tomorrow?”

Table of Contents

Squeeze The Day With Deliciously Cheery Creamsicle Muffins

*This post has been sponsored by Darling Clementines. All opinions and the recipe are my own.

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (1)

I always know a muffin recipe (or any recipe to be honest) is going to be a winner when it is requested for a lunchbox. Pro mom tip, it means she really likes it and this clementine recipe should likely be made on repeat!

We’ve been packing Darling Clementines in our lunchboxes for a while now. They are portable and travel so well to school for afterschool practice as a snack.

But these creamsicle muffins are a new way to enjoy clementines in our lunchbox, and I love that they include the entire fruit, it makes them wonderfully sunshiny and a great treat. I know my child’s face just lights up when she sees one in her lunchbox.

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (2)

I went around and around when I was making this clementinemuffins recipe, but finally settled on this variation with a bit more crumb texture but with a sweet punch of citrusy vanilla clementine. My family voted and these were by far the winner. These cheery clementine muffins were slid into more than one happy lunchbox and not a crumb came home.

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (3)

When I was prepping the pictures for this recipe, I sent a text to a few friends asking their opinion on which photos I should use. Sometimes when you are staring at crumbly, citrusy delicious muffins it’s hard to pick which photo!

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (4)

Stop The Car For Creamsicle Muffins

One of my friends happened to be headed somewhere near my house. She stopped by for a muffin because they looked so good. I can’t really blame her, I would have stopped the car too.

She later told me citrus muffins aren’t usually her thing, but these clementine muffins? They were worth stopping for and totally made her day.

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (5)

This muffin batter is one of the most delicious smelling muffins I’ve made so far. It’s citrus and vanilla goodness. Try not to lick the spatula because it smells JUST like a clementine creamsicle. Well maybe we shouldn’t be licking spatula because of the raw eggs… but sometimes I live life on the edge.

This is one of those recipes where it is important to mix the wet ingredients separately from the dry ingredients. This allows all the ingredients to mix thoroughly together without overmixing. Citrus can be a little fussier sometimes because it’s acidic. By mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately you’re also adding air to your batter without overmixing. It’s what helps keep your muffins light and fluffy. Don’t skip the extra prep bowl for this recipe, it’s worth it!

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (6)

Love muffins? You’ll love this Blueberry Loaf recipe. It’s like a blueberry muffin all in one loaf pan, and you can slice it as big or little as you like!

How To Make Mini Clementine Muffins

I made these as full-size muffins for my family, but you could also make these as mini muffins. I would bake mini sized muffins in the oven for about 7-10 minutes.

Whether you made these full-sized muffins or a mini version make sure you check if they are done with a toothpick. The toothpick should come out of the muffin with no batter attached and clean. Mini-sized muffins sometimes work better for smaller kids in their lunchboxes.

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (7)

Orange Muffin Toppings

This clementine muffin recipe doesn’t need a topping, but sometimes if you are feeling fancy, a few mini chocolate chips on top can go a long way! You could also save a little clementine zest to sprinkle on top with a few tablespoons of course sugar. The chocolate chips were by far the favorite for my kid in her lunchbox, and it didn’t take very many!

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (8)

Other Recipes You Will Love

One Bowl Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins With Applesauce

Cozy Apple Walnut Cake

Easy Mini Cornbread Muffins

Lunchbox Sandwich Ideas From The Lunchpunch

Love these clementine muffins and Darling Clementines? Have another fun way of adding a clementine recipe to your kid’s lunchbox or breakfast? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (9)

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (10)

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe


Author Kristy Richardson

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes minutes

Total Time 33 minutes minutes

This cheery clementine muffins recipe packs some serious citrus and orange flavor. With a deliciouscrumb almost like anorangecake, these muffins are delicious as a treat for lunchboxes, as an after-school snack, or a delicious breakfast treat.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 large egg Beaten
  • 3 medium clementines zested and fruit inside blended
  • 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  • In a big bowl, start by mixing together your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a spatula. Set to the side.

  • In a medium sized bowl melt your butter. Then add your vanilla extract, sugar, greek yogurt and beaten egg. Cream together your ingredients with a whisk, adding air to your batter as you mix.

  • Zest the outside of three clementines and add the zest to your wet ingredients. Mix!

  • Remove the clementine segments from the skin. (The same clementines you zested works!) Take care to remove the white strings in the middle and any stuck to the outside. Unlike other citrus, darling clementines are pretty easy to peel.

  • Add the blended clementines to the wet ingredients and mix. Batter will be thick.

  • Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and blend well with a spatula.

  • Fill muffins all the way to the top with batter, dividing it evenly among the muffins.

  • Bake muffins in the oven for 10-13 minutes, or until when pricking with a toothpick no batter clings to the toothpick.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal

Did You Make This?

I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (11)

Created by Kristy Richardson

HI There, I'm Kristy Here you will find ideas for helping kids have fun with food, recipes both kids and parents love, great tips and a little bit of humor. I hope you find an idea your family loves.

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Sharie says

    Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (12)
    This recipe is just delicious! Thanks for sharing. I made mine in two mini bundt pans, took around 25 minutes.

    Reply

  2. Laurie Hudon says

    Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (13)
    Easy recipe! Love it. Since we are all adults here I put crushed pecans on top….it’s hard to wait until they have cooled to try them…the house smells soooo good. I used the standing mixer to get the air into the wet ingredients but also could have used a hand mixer and then added to the sifted dry ingredients..

    Reply

    • Kristy Richardson says

      Love the pecan addition, sounds delicious!

      Reply

  3. Lynn Schultz says

    I haven’t made them yet but does the recipe mean to blend the orange segments in a blender or just to mix them into the wet ingredients. I have an abundance of clementines right now and this recipe sound delicious.

    Reply

    • On My Kids Plate says

      Hi Lynn- Thanks for reaching out! You blend the clementine segments in the blender and then add it to your dough.
      I hope you love the muffins, they are pretty delicious! Happy baking, let me know how they turn out!
      -Kristy

      Reply

  4. Vanessa says

    Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?

    Reply

    • On My Kids Plate says

      They kept for about a week for us. They also freeze beautifully if you want to extend them a little longer. Hope you like them!

      Reply

  5. Suzanne says

    This looks so good! It would be fun to make with kids too!

    Reply

    • On My Kids Plate says

      Thank you, I hope you give these clementine muffins a try! They are really delicious and my kiddo was a fan. Hope your family loves them.

      Reply

  6. Erin says

    You don’t say where to add the yogurt

    Reply

    • On My Kids Plate says

      Thanks for the note, and sorry about that! You add the yogurt when you are mixing the other wet ingredients- sugar (becomes a wet ingredient when mixed with butter), butter, yogurt, egg, and vanilla all go in at the same time. Hope you love the muffins! I’ve edited the recipe to reflect that, which you should see if you refresh!

      Reply

      • Erin says

        That’s what I did so I’m glad I did it right! I used half coconut sugar and half white sugar and I used sour cream instead of yogurt (cause it’s what I had) and they turned out AWESOME!! Made a double batch and took them to church tonight and they were a hit! Someone asked for the recipe so I’ll share it with her. I’m sad they all got eaten, but I plan to make another batch tomorrow since they’re all gone!

        Reply

        • On My Kids Plate says

          Oh perfect, I’m glad they came out delicious! It sounds like your substitutions were super smart too. I hope your friend from church enjoys the recipe too, and you enjoy the next batch fresh from the oven. 🙂 Thank you for circling back around to tell me about making these muffins, you made my day! This recipe took a few batches to get just right, so I’m really glad you love them!

          Reply

  7. The Allergy Chef says

    This recipe looks delicious! Looking forward to trying it out.

    Reply

    • On My Kids Plate says

      Thanks, I hope you give it a try. They are really delicious muffins!

      Reply

Cheery Clementine Muffins Recipe Perfect For Breakfast or Lunchboxes (2024)

FAQs

Is a muffin good for lunch? ›

Muffins for lunch? Yes, and they're really good. Especially when they come packed with protein and vegetables, like these delicious healthy lunch muffins with spinach and feta. These easy savory muffins taste incredible and are the perfect grab-and-go lunch recipe.

What can I do with excess clementines? ›

Other than eating and juicing, here are 13 more fun ways to use 'em Mandarin Oranges up before they rot!
  1. Make Mandarin Orange Jam. Get the recipe on Guai Shu Shu.
  2. Bake Mandarin Orange Steamed Sponge Cake. ...
  3. Bake Citrus Olive Oil Cake. ...
  4. Make Mandarin Orange Smoothie. ...
  5. Decorate your smoothie bowl.

Can I use clementines instead of oranges? ›

Clementine Recipes

Use them as a substitute for other oranges or add clementine sections to tossed or fruit salads.

Can you eat muffins in the morning for breakfast? ›

"They can be packed with added sugar and low in fiber, sending your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster before you even get to work," says Charlotte Martin, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CPT. Yet, muffins can be a healthy breakfast option if you make them at home yourself.

Is it healthy to eat a muffin for breakfast? ›

Unfortunately, this is often a misconception. In fact, most muffins are made with refined white flour, oil, and loads of sugar, offering little in the way of protein or fiber. Additionally, they're often large and loaded with calories, some containing nearly 400 calories each ( 10 ).

Is 4 clementines a day too much? ›

In the case of clementines, you can definitely have too much of a good thing, so dietitians agree that capping out at around four of them per day is a decent rule of thumb.

Is it OK to eat 6 clementines a day? ›

Eating too much of anything, including clementines, is unhealthy. Up to 3 or 4 clementines per a day is fine, as long as you don't eat other acidic foods.

How long can clementines stay unrefrigerated? ›

When stored at room temperature, most clementines will last up to two or three days. If the fruit was in excellent condition starting out and the conditions of the room are ideal, you may even be able to store the clementines in this manner for a full week.

What fruit is closest to a clementine? ›

There are three types of clementines: seedless clementines, clementines (maximum of 10 seeds), and Monreal (more than 10 seeds). Clementines resemble other citrus varieties such as the satsuma and tangerines.

Can diabetics eat clementines? ›

The sugars in clementines are natural sugars and are often a good option for people to eat when they need to boost low blood sugar. However, consuming too much sugar could present problems for people with high blood sugar or people who are concerned about avoiding blood sugar spikes.

What's the difference between clementines and cuties? ›

A: CUTIES® are actually two varieties of mandarins: Clementine mandarins, available November through January; and W. Murcott mandarins, available February through April. CUTIES® have several distinct characteristics that make them the perfect anytime, anywhere snack.

Is it healthy to eat a muffin? ›

Conclusion. Muffins are a quick and easy choice for breakfast on the go, but unfortunately, many bakery and coffee shop muffins are high in calories and added sugar, and they lack protein and fiber. If your goal is to lose weight, these kinds of muffins are not the best option.

What time of day should you eat a muffin? ›

Muffins are good 'round the clock, too. They make a good snack any time of day. With a piece of cheese and piece of fruit, you have a good light lunch. Quick and simple to prepare, they are best eaten fresh and hot, straight from the oven.

Are muffins healthy to eat? ›

In addition to being low in calories, certain English muffins contain high amounts of fiber and several other important vitamins and minerals. Whenever possible, choose whole wheat English muffins and add healthy toppings like hummus, eggs, or nut butter to maximize the nutritional value of your morning meal.

Can I eat a muffin while trying to lose weight? ›

Toasting an English muffin seems simple enough, but there is one key rule about it — it needs to be whole wheat. A high-fiber, low-fat option with calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium, whole wheat English muffins make a great weight loss breakfast food.

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