Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Add the coconut oil and maple syrup to a large bowl and beat together with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated.
Next, add the orange juice and zest (if using) and vanilla extract. Continue beating for about 2 minutes.
In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet ingredients, stirring gently just until combined.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in 3/4 cup of the cranberries along with the pecans. Evenly divide the muffin batter between the muffin cups. Press 2 or 3 of the remaining cranberries into the tops of each muffin.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for another 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
In the meantime, place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add orange juice, one tablespoon at a time, and stir until the desired consistency is reached. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins.
Notes
Resist the urge to stir and stir the muffin batter. Too much and the muffin texture becomes a little drier and tougher.Spoon muffin batter into the pans immediately after you have completed mixing the batter together and get them into the oven quickly. This will result in better rising.Once the muffins come out of the oven, don’t let them sit in the pan any longer than 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack. Otherwise, the muffins will begin to sweat.