Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.There’s nothing better than a freshly baked muffin to brighten your day, and my Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins are a perfect example! Packed with vibrant flavors from tangy cranberries and zesty orange, these muffins are a gluten-free delight. Ready in just 30 minutes, they make the perfect quick-and-healthy option for breakfast or a satisfying midday snack.
As much as I adore a traditional muffin, I’ve always felt they could use a little improvement in the health department. Most store-bought options are loaded with refined sugars and unhealthy fats, not exactly my idea of a nourishing snack. That’s why I created these healthy cranberry orange muffins: they’re light, and full of flavor without any unnecessary extras, much like my Christmas muffins.
I’ve shared these muffins with my family on cozy weekends, brought them to Christmas parties, and even frozen a few for busy weekday breakfasts, and they’ve never failed to impress. Sometimes, I’ll serve them alongside other holiday favorites like my festive gingerbread Bundt cake , it’s always a hit!
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
I’ve always believed that eating healthy doesn’t mean giving up your favorite treats. That’s why I love my cranberry orange muffins – they’re moist, fluffy, packed with bright citrus flavor. Every time I bake them, my kitchen fills with the warm, comforting smell of orange and baked goodness.
Whenever I see basic ingredients in my pantry: almond milk, olive oil, and flour, I can’t help but feel inspired to bake something delicious. My healthy cranberry muffins are naturally vegan, and every time I make them for my gluten-free friend, she’s obsessed, she even asked for the recipe right away! 😉
The best part? They’re absolutely foolproof! Even if you’re new to baking, these muffins turn out perfectly moist and fluffy every single time. I’ve had so much fun experimenting with this recipe too, sometimes I’ll toss in extra cranberries, a bit more orange zest, or even some chopped nuts for added texture.
For me, these muffins are more than just a treat, they’re a little celebration of the season. They’re perfect for Christmas morning or when I want to add something special to a brunch spread. They’re not too sweet, which makes them feel light and satisfying, I know you’ll love them as much as I do, they’ve become a staple in my kitchen, and I can’t wait for you to try them!
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🥘 Ingredients
Making my cranberry orange muffins is a breeze because the ingredients are so simple and easy to find. Honestly, you probably already have most of them in your kitchen!
Flour: I use either gluten-free or all-purpose flour as the base for these muffins. If you’re going gluten-free, a 1:1 mix like Bob’s Red Mill works best.
Orange Zest: Fresh orange zest is what makes these muffins so bright and flavorful. I love how it balances perfectly with the tart cranberries.
Dried Cranberries: I always add dried cranberries for their tart, chewy goodness.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are my go-to leavening agents for making the muffins rise. They give the perfect fluffy texture every time.
Almond Milk: Unsweetened almond milk adds moisture to the muffins and keeps them soft and tender. I also love the subtle nutty flavor it brings.
🍲 Substitutions
Flour: I sometimes swap gluten-free flour with almond flour or another favorite, but I keep in mind that different flours absorb liquids differently. A little adjustment to the liquid might be needed.
Sugar: These muffins are super flexible, I’ve used coconut sugar, brown sugar, or even maple syrup, and they all work great. Just remember to adjust the sweetness to your taste.
Oil: I like using olive or vegetable oil, but melted coconut oil or canola oil are great substitutes.
Cranberries: For more tart muffins, I use frozen or fresh cranberries instead of dried. If you’re using frozen cranberries, just toss them in frozen, no need to thaw. Blueberries works fine too!
Milk: I often switch almond milk for soy, oat, or rice milk, and when I’m not sticking to vegan, regular cow’s milk works too.
Vinegar: If I’m out of vinegar, fresh lemon juice works perfectly in its place. It still helps the muffins rise beautifully.
🔪 How To Make
Ready to fill your home with the incredible aroma of my homemade cranberry orange muffins? Let me guide you through my easy recipe, step by step.
Preheat The Oven: I start by preheating my oven to 350°F (170°C) this step is so important for even baking. Then, I line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners to get everything ready for the batter.
Create Vegan Buttermilk: In a small bowl, I combine the almond milk and vinegar. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes until it curdles, creating a vegan buttermilk.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, I add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and bright orange zest. Whisk these ingredients together until they are well combined.
Add Wet Ingredients: Now, I add the remaining wet ingredients to the flour mixture. This includes the vegan buttermilk, vanilla extract, and oil. I mix until the batter is smooth, but remember not to over-mix.
Fold In Cranberries: Then, I add the dried cranberries to the muffin batter. I carefully fold them in to distribute them evenly throughout the batter. You can do this in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, but a mixing bowl and wooden spoon or rubber spatula will also work just fine!
Spoon Batter Into Muffin Tin: I divide the batter evenly amongst 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners.
Bake Muffins: I bake the muffins for about 20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. For an added crunch, I sprinkle the top of the muffins with sliced almonds before baking.
Cool Muffins: After removing the warm muffins from the oven, I let them cool in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes. Then, I transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
These delicious, moist muffins are my kids’ favorite! They’re perfect for a busy morning before heading to the park with friends, or I’ll pack them up, and we’ll enjoy them as a treat while we’re there.
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for making my Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins perfectly fluffy every time is to avoid overmixing the batter! I learned this the hard way after a few batches turned out dense instead of light and airy. Now, I gently mix the wet and dry ingredients just until they’re combined, it’s such a simple step, but it makes all the difference in creating those soft, bakery-style muffins we all love.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Use Vegan Buttermilk: I make vegan buttermilk by mixing almond milk with a little vinegar and letting it sit for 5 minutes to curdle. It adds a tangy flavor and keeps the muffins moist and fluffy!
- Combine Dry Ingredients First: I always whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and orange zest, before adding the wet ones. It ensures everything is evenly mixed for the best texture.
- Choose Your Cranberries: For sweeter muffins, I stick with dried cranberries, but fresh or frozen ones work too. If you use fresh cranberries, you might want to add a little extra sugar to balance the tartness.
- Let the Muffins Cool: After baking, I let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. It helps them hold their shape and makes them easier to handle.
📖 Variations
I love how versatile my healthy cranberry orange muffins are, they’re perfect as is, but you can easily customize them to suit your taste!
Mini Muffins: I love turning this recipe into mini muffins, they’re so cute and perfect for snacking! Just use a mini muffin pan and check for doneness halfway through baking with a toothpick.
Nutty: For a crunchy twist, I like to add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter. They pair so well with the tart cranberries and bright orange zest.
Protein-Packed: To boost protein, I sometimes mix in a scoop of plant-based protein powder with the dry ingredients. I add a splash of almond milk to keep the muffins moist and fluffy.
Nut-Free: To make these nut-free, I swap the almond milk for soy or oat milk. It’s such an easy change, and the muffins still turn out delicious.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
My gluten-free cranberry orange muffins are not just for breakfast! They can be enjoyed in a variety of ways throughout the day. Here are some of my favorite serving suggestions:
Breakfast: I love starting my day with these cranberry orange muffins paired with my breakfast fruit salad or my easy raspberry smoothie. The tart cranberries and zesty orange flavor are so refreshing in the morning.
Brunch: These muffins are a must-have on my brunch table, they pair perfectly with my tofu scramble or my hearty mochi pancakes. A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice makes the combo even better.
Christmas Morning: These muffins are my go-to for Christmas morning, they’re festive, delicious, and bring so much cheer to our holiday breakfast table. It’s the perfect way to celebrate cranberry season – don’t miss my delicious cranberry sauce made with dried cranberries.
🫙 Storage Directions
Refrigerating: Once we’ve enjoyed these vegan cranberry orange muffins, I store the leftovers in an airtight container. They stay fresh in the fridge or at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Freezing: These muffins freeze beautifully! I pop them into a freezer-safe bag or container, and they’re good for up to 3 months, perfect for quick snacks or surprise guests.
Reheating: From the fridge, I either let them come to room temperature or warm them in the microwave. If frozen, I thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in the microwave or oven. They taste just as fresh as when I first baked them.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes, you absolutely can! This recipe is super versatile and works perfectly with both gluten-free and regular all-purpose flour. I just make sure to measure carefully so the muffins turn out fluffy and moist every time!
Of course! When I want a more tart flavor, I use fresh or frozen cranberries instead of dried ones. The best part? You don’t even need to defrost the frozen ones before adding them to the batter.
I mix almond milk and vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes to create vegan buttermilk. It adds a subtle tang and makes the muffins wonderfully tender and moist.
The secret to fluffy muffins is simple, don’t overmix the batter! Once I combine the wet and dry ingredients, I stir until just combined. It’s okay if the batter looks a little lumpy, that’s exactly how it should be.
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🎥 Watch How to Make It
Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour OR gluten-free flour (1:1 blend)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¾ tbsp vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 170 C.
- Mix together the almond milk and vinegar in a small bowl. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes to curdle. It will become vegan buttermilk.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and orange zest in a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients including the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and oil. Mix until smooth. Do not over mix. Add in the dried cranberries, and carefully fold them together.
- Divide batter amongst 12 cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven. Allow to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the batter! I learned this the hard way after a few batches turned out dense instead of light and airy. Now, I gently mix the wet and dry ingredients just until they’re combined, it’s such a simple step, but it makes all the difference in creating those soft, bakery-style muffins we all love.
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- For sweeter muffins, I stick with dried cranberries, but fresh or frozen ones work too. If you use fresh cranberries, you might want to add a little extra sugar to balance the tartness.
- I always whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and orange zest, before adding the wet ones. It ensures everything is evenly mixed for the best texture.
- After baking, I let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. It helps them hold their shape and makes them easier to handle.
What a fabulous flavor combination in this light and fluffy muffin. It’s a great muffin to start the day with.
Yes! They’re a great breakfast for sure – thanks Nikki!
This flavor combo is so perfect for the holiday season! 🙂 These make the perfect addition to a holiday brunch table.
Totally! Thanks Carrie! 🙂
I really love the combination of flavors in this muffin! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear that Toni!
Absolutely delicious. A lovely little bake for the whole family.
Great to hear that Sisley!
Perfect breakfast treat. Love it!
Thanks Ann!!
Oooh! These look sooo good! Been waiting for this recipe!
Will be trying this tonight.
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful and easy recipes. Love watching your cooking videos, too. You make it look so easy!
Thanks, Shanny
Yay!! I can’t wait for you to try these Shanny! Keep me posted on how they turn out!
These were super tasty and my kids gobbled them up which is always a win! 🙂
Yay! So happy to hear that Kristen! 🙂
Beautiful muffins! And perfect for the chilly weather- love cranberry and orange together. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Totally!! So glad you liked them!
I love cranberries in sweets and these muffins look so delicious and perfect for a little midday snack and even for a sweet breakfast ♥
Aw thank you Natalie! Enjoy!
Such a refreshing citrus flavor! I love how you made the muffins with made with gluten-free flour and vegan ingredients. They look so good!
Thanks so much Tara!! You will love them!