These Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins are super moist, bright, and flavorful! A soft and fluffy bakery-style muffin recipe that's healthy, vegan, and allergy-free. Bursting with tart and tangy cranberries, fresh squeezed orange juice, and orange zest, these easy muffins are perfect for a busy morning, a snack, or your next holiday breakfast or brunch!

Soft, fluffy, and super moist, these tangy, zesty muffins are winter breakfast perfection! Cranberry orange muffins seem like a bakery delicacy and can always draw you in during the winter holidays, but when they're fresh and made from scratch, there's an even greater appeal! Not to mention, these muffins are perfectly gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free so there's no need to tantalize the senses, thinking you can't have one; just bite right in!

Why You'll Gluten-Free Muffins

These fruity muffins are made with real fruit! Fresh cranberries, orange, and applesauce for sweetness and moisture! No oil or butter is needed, these healthy bakery-style muffins are way better than anything you'll find at Starbucks, Panera, or the (Canadian) McDonald's. There are no preservatives or refined sugar, just real wholesome ingredients! These homemade muffins are:

Gluten-Free
Vegan
Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
Low in Sugar
Quick, Easy, Just 9 Simple Ingredients
Kid-Friendly
Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly
Perfect Winter or Holiday Breakfast, Brunch, or Snack

Ingredients For Cranberry Orange Muffins

Gluten-Free Flour: Your favorite gluten-free all-purpose or 1-to-1 baking flour will be perfect for the crumb and texture of these muffins.
Baking Powder + Baking Soda + Salt: Lots of baking powder for that fluffy "bakery-style" effect, plus some baking soda and salt which will react to the acid in the orange juice for perfect leavening.
Granulated Sweetener: You can keep these muffins naturally sweet by using sugar-free sweetener or just use your choice of granulated sugar.
Applesauce: The applesauce adds natural sweetness to the zest and tartness of the orange and cranberries, as well as moisture in lieu of oil or butter.
Non-Dairy Yogurt: Moisture! Vegan yogurt is the perfect thick creamy ingredient that helps replace eggs, dairy, and oil in these eggless muffins.
Fresh Orange Juice + Orange Zest: Real, fresh, bright flavor! You'll want to use fresh sweet oranges for the best flavor. Juicy, sweet, citrusy. The zest adds even more "zestiness" and bold flavor from the natural oils released from the skin, which you do not want to skip out on!
Fresh Cranberries: The ruby red star of the show! Fresh cranberries add the perfect amount of tartness and juicy pops to these seasonal fruity muffins.

Can You Use Frozen Or Dried Cranberries Instead?

Sometimes you have the craving for these cranberry muffins when it's not cranberry season. Lucky for you, you can substitute frozen or dried berries in this muffin recipe!

Using Frozen: If you are using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them! You can add the frozen berries directly to the batter, just like you would with fresh cranberries, but bake the muffins for a few extra minutes since the batter will be starting at a cooler temperature.
Using Dried: If you are using dried cranberries, soak the berries in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften them as craisins are harder and chewier for a soft muffin. Use about 1 ½ cups of dried and soaked cranberries instead of the 2 cups as written in the original recipe.

Other Ingredient Substitutions

Vanilla or Orange Extract: You can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for a subtle hint of vanilla or 1 teaspoon of orange extract for super orangy muffins.
Cinnamon: Adding half a teaspoon of cinnamon will give your seasonal muffins a hint of cozy warming spice.
Seeds or Nuts: You can add in some roasted sunflower seeds or nuts like pecans, walnuts, or macadamia nuts if you aren't concerned with nut allergies.

How To Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins

In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add in the granulated sweetener and mix to combine.

Add in the applesauce, orange juice, and vegan yogurt.
Mix the muffin batter together until smooth and combined.

Finally, add the cranberries and orange zest to the wet better.
Gently fold in the berries and zest until everything is combined.

Grease or line a 12-cup standard muffin tin before spooning 3 tablespoons of batter into each hole.
Bake the muffins in the oven at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden brown.

Let the baked muffins cool on a wire rack.
Drizzle on a simple sugar glaze, if desired, before serving.

How To Make The Simple Glaze

To add a little something extra to the tops of your muffins, combine some powdered sugar (or sugar-free sweetener) together with a few teaspoons of water or non-dairy milk. Use a spoon to quickly drizzle the glaze onto the cooled muffins and allow it to set and harden before serving.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

It's best to use fresh oranges since you need the zest anyway. If you use store-bought juice, make sure it's 100% pure orange juice with no added sugar and you'll be skipping the zest.
Press a few extra cranberries into the tops of the muffins before baking for a prettier (instagramable) presentation.
If you don't want the icing glaze, you can also top your muffins with granulated or Turbinado sugar before baking for a crisp and crunchy top.
If you are not using muffin liners, make sure to grease the holes of the muffin tin well for easy removal.
Don't over-mix the muffin batter when folding in the berries. This will make the muffins dense and not fluffy and light.

How To Store Leftover Muffins

You can store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Placing a paper towel on the bottom of the container will help absorb excess moisture. You can store them longer in the fridge for up to 7 days. Storing them in the fridge is best due to the water content in the cranberries; it also helps keep the top glaze from melting.

Make-Ahead & Freezer Instructions

Make-Ahead: If you plan on making the orange cranberry muffins ahead of time, hold off on the glaze until you are ready to serve. It's best to not make these more than 3 days in advance of serving.
Freezing: To freeze baked muffins, freeze them on a baking tray until solid before transferring them to an airtight container or freezer bag. You can also wrap muffins individually in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Store for 4-6 months for best quality. Allow frozen muffins to thaw overnight in the fridge before bringing them to room temperature or quickly warming them in the microwave.

What To Serve Cranberry Orange Muffins With

Whether you're preparing a Christmas brunch or meal prepping a delicious baked treat for a quick and cozy winter breakfast, serving your vegan muffins with one of these recipes will make the experience even better!

More Delicious Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes:

Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins (Vegan, Allergy-Free)

overhead view of plate with glazed cranberry orange muffins

Print Recipe

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5 from 1 review

Author: Rebecca Pytell
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 Muffins 1x
Category: Breakfast, Snack
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

2 Cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
½ Tsp Baking Soda
¼ Tsp Salt
¾ Cup Granulated Sweetener (or preferred granulated sugar)
½ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce (or one 4-oz cup)
½ Cup Unsweetened Plain Non-Dairy Yogurt
½ Cup + 3 TB Fresh Orange Juice
1 TB Fresh Orange Zest
2 Cups Fresh Cranberries*

Simple Glaze:

½ Cup Powdered Sweetener (or preferred powdered sugar)
3-4 Tsp Water or Non-Dairy Milk

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sweetener. Mix to combine.
Add the applesauce, non-dairy yogurt, and ½ cup of orange juice. Mix until smooth. If needed, add the extra 3 tablespoons of orange juice, one at a time.
Add in the orange zest and cranberries. Gently fold in the fruit until combined.
Line or grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Fill each hole with 3 tablespoons of muffin batter. Top the wet batter with a few extra cranberries, if desired.
Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a muffin.
Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before gently transferring the muffins to a wire rack.
Once the muffins have cooled to room temperature, drizzle on the simple glaze using the back of a spoon, if desired.

Notes

Using Frozen Cranberries: If you are using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them! You can add the frozen berries directly to the batter, just like you would with fresh cranberries, but bake the muffins for a few extra minutes since the batter will be starting at a cooler temperature.
Using Dried Cranberries (Craisins): If you are using dried cranberries, soak the berries in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften them as craisins are harder and chewier for a soft muffin. Use about 1 ½ cups of dried and soaked cranberries instead of the 2 cups as written in the original recipe.
Leftovers: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Placing a paper towel on the bottom of the container will help absorb excess moisture. You can store them longer in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Make-Ahead: If making the muffins ahead of time, hold off on the glaze until you are ready to serve. It's best to not make these more than 3 days in advance of serving.
Freezing: To freeze baked muffins, freeze them on a baking tray until solid before transferring them to an airtight container or freezer bag. You can also wrap muffins individually in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Store for 4-6 months for best quality. Allow frozen muffins to thaw overnight in the fridge before bringing them to room temperature or quickly warming them in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 Muffin

There's something about cranberry treats during the season, like these white chocolate cranberry cookies! And baking with orange? That's always delicious too, like this blood orange quick bread! Combine both of these winter-season fruits and you have a delicious little bite on your hands!

So tell me:

+ What's your favorite way to use fresh cranberries during the cold months? Let's not forget about cranberry sauce!

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Comments

Raenna Chan

October 23, 2023 at 2:59 am

Thank you, Rebecca for sharing. I made the above yesterday for a tea ceremony. They were moist and fluffy, and were gone within a blink of an eye 🙂
I used chickpea flour and wholemeal flour for the flour part, vegan butter as I do not have applesauce in my pantry, I put 1/3 cup of sugar instead and topped up the batter with walnut.
Many thanks for the recipe 😊

- Rebecca Pytell
  
  October 23, 2023 at 9:49 am
  
  Thanks for sharing!