Picture this: It’s Thanksgiving morning, the pies are prepped, the holiday guests are still sleeping, and you have just enough time to whip up a batch of fresh muffins and enjoy a warm cup of [insert your favorite morning beverage] before the cooking marathon begins. Sounds dreamy, yeah?
These vegan, gluten-free cranberry orange muffins are IT, friends! They’re tender, zesty, and perfectly sweet with just the right balance of tart cranberries. Made in 1 bowl, they’re the ultimate treat for a bustling holiday morning or lazy weekend! Let us show you how it’s done!
How to make cranberry orange muffins
These 1-bowl beauties start with flaxseed meal for structure plus dairy-free milk and avocado oil for the wet ingredients. While maple syrup adds natural sweetness, vanilla adds flavor, and orange zest and juice bring big citrus vibes!
For the dry ingredients, a combination of almond flour, oat flour, and potato starch create a thick, fluffy batter that holds up beautifully to the juiciness of the cranberries. No soggy muffins here, please and thank you!
The remaining muffin essentials — baking powder, baking soda, and salt — ensure rise and add flavor!
Lastly, we stir in fresh cranberries for pops of brightness. Hello color, flavor, and nutrition! Frozen cranberries also work great and are more easily accessible year-round.
After dividing the batter, the muffins bake until golden brown and fluffy. Unlike some gluten-free baked goods, they only need to cool for a short time before enjoying. Big YES to muffins on demand!
We hope you LOVE these vegan gluten-free cranberry orange muffins! They’re:
Sweet
Tender
Zesty
Bursting with cranberries
& Perfect for fall & winter!
Enjoy them as a sweet holiday breakfast, grab-and-go snack, or healthier dessert!
Leftover cranberries? Check out these recipes next: Pear & Cranberry Champagne Cocktails, Orange Cranberry Crisp, Easy Orange Cranberry Sauce, Cranberry Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats, and Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal.
More gluten-free muffin recipes
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 12 (Muffins)
- 1 ½ Tbsp orange zest (1 medium orange yields ~1 ½ Tbsp zest)
- 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground flax seeds)
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- 2 Tbsp plain unsweetened dairy-free milk (we used almond)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour* (certified gluten-free as needed)
- 3/4 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard-size muffin tray with 12 paper muffin cups (adjust if altering the default number of servings). Set aside.
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In a medium mixing bowl combine the orange zest and flaxseed meal and whisk together. Next add the orange juice, maple syrup, avocado oil, dairy-free milk, and vanilla. Whisk well, until there is no separation between the oil and other wet ingredients. Add the almond flour, oat flour, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to fully combine and break up any flour clumps. Lastly, fold in the cranberries, making sure to distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
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Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins and bake for 30-35 minutes. When cooked, the tops will be golden and spring back when touched. Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing and letting cool for at least 15 more on a cooling rack. Then they can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature!
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Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
*If oat-free, we find sorghum flour usually subs well 1:1 for oat flour, though we haven’t tested it in this recipe and can’t guarantee the result.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Serving: 1 muffin Calories: 174 Carbohydrates: 23.3 g Protein: 3.7 g Fat: 8.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.7 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.9 g Monounsaturated Fat: 1.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 200 mg Potassium: 178 mg Fiber: 2.8 g Sugar: 12.4 g Vitamin A: 25 IU Vitamin C: 6.1 mg Calcium: 78 mg Iron: 0.9 mg
