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
- 1-Bowl Carrot Apple Muffins (Vegan + GF)
- Fluffy Almond Butter Sweet Potato Muffins (GF)
- 1-Bowl Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins (Vegan)
- 1-Bowl Fudgy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
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!
Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Jill says
These muffins are absolutely delicious and the perfect way to use up cranberries after Thanksgiving! I didn’t have almond flour, so I subbed 1/2c coconut flour + 1/2c cassava flour. They’re not as fluffy as they would have been, but they’re still good. Can’t wait to try them again with almond flour.
We’re glad you enjoyed the muffins! Thank you for sharing, Jill! xo
prashanthi atluri says
can this be oil free
Hi, This one might work okay since it’s a small amount. The muffins may turn out more dense though. You could try dairy-free yogurt instead!
Isabelle says
I have made these muffins twice and both times they came out delicious! The first time I made them, I ate almost the whole batch myself…they were that good. The second time I took them to my family’s house on Christmas morning and they all got eaten up. Everyone raved about them. They’re sweet (but not too sweet) and the sweetness of the muffin contrasts beautifully with the tartness of the soft cranberries. This recipe will stay in my rotation.
I made two changes: I used 2 tsp of psyllium husk instead of 2 Tbs of flax meal and I subbed tapioca starch for potato starch. I made these swaps both times and both times the recipe turned out great.
Thank you so much Minimalist Baker for this treasure trove of gluten free, egg free recipes that are genuinely delicious!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Isabelle! Thank you for the kind words and support!
Becky says
Very delicious! Nice crust, very light , fluffy inside. Not crumbly. Flavor balance good. Maybe could go a little less on maple syrup for my taste but not overly sweet. My batter was not very thick, a bit loose but i let it sit 5 minutes before putting it in the tins and it thickened up more. Seemed like right consistency. After reading other reviews, i set timer for 28 minutes, just right. Thanks for the excellent recipe!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Becky. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Steph says
I am unable to have potatoes so I typically use tapioca or arrowroot starch instead. Turned out great with the tapioca starch. I brought them into a class to share and people were surprised that these were gluten free and vegan. Those who tried them went back for more :)
Cranberry orange is a nostalgic flavor for me. My grandmother always made cranberry nut bread for everyone around the holidays, and I’m always looking for ways to replicate the experience since my health has led to many dietary restrictions.
Aw, love that holiday tradition, Steph. We’re so glad this recipe brought back some of the nostalgia. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Leah Bernstein says
So delcious! I made it in a 9×9 instead of muffins and baked for 45 mins. I also ran out of potato starch and subbed about half the amount for arrowroot starch and it worked out great!
Amazing! We’re so glad it was a success. Thank you for sharing, Leah! xo
veronique says
Delicious! But as other said, a little crumbly. But the taste wins over the crumbliness!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Veronique. Thank you for sharing! You could experiment with baking for slightly less time for a less crumbly result. Hope that helps!
Molly Scott says
Hi – do you have a recommendation if i wanted to use egg? Obvi take out flaxseed but what else would need to adjust? I’m not vegan and found them dry/crumbly but loved the flavor (i do also think i could too long) and wondering if an egg or two will also help.
Thanks!
Hi Molly, if they were dry/crumbly, we’d suggest using less potato starch or baking for less time. Adding an egg will help them hold together, but might actually make them more dry. If using eggs, you probably won’t need the almond milk.
Patricia says
I am interested in making these cranberry muffins. In one of your comments you mentioned possibly using a psyllium husk egg. Can you explain that for me. I have used psyllium husk before and like how fluffy it is when used in breads. If using it, how much do I use for a psyllium husk egg? Also, is it whole or powdered psyllium?
Thanks for your informational help.
Hi Patricia, we haven’t tested with pysllium so can’t guarantee it will turn out the same, but we’d suggest trying 2 teaspoons whole psyllium husks. The lesser amount is because it’s more absorbent than ground flax. Hope that helps!
Sarah says
Have you tried corn starch or corn meal instead of potato?
Hi Sarah, not in this recipe, but we have experimented with cornstarch in place of potato starch in other recipes. It’s just not the same, unfortunately! Potato starch yields an especially light and fluffy result that’s preferable. Corn meal will be more dense and less absorbent.
Fi says
I just made these for the first time and they smell delicious (haven’t taste tested yet). I followed the recipe exactly but my batter turned out much dryer than yours. If that happens again what should I add to thin in out but not affect the desired texture?
Thanks! My son is allergic to dairy, eggs and wheat so I’m still learning the ropes to this style of baking. So glad I came across this recipe!
Hi Fi, Thank you for sharing your experience! How did they end up turning out? If good, you may not need to adjust :) If too dry, we wonder if you were using store-bought or homemade oat flour? If store-bought, it tends to be more absorbent, so you could try starting with less of it. Otherwise, adding a splash of dairy-free milk would be an option if it’s still too thick. Hope that helps!
Fi says
They tasted delicious but they were definitely dry. I made my own oat flour. I followed the reciped exactly with no modifications but my batter was much more dry than the one in your video. I’ll try an extra splash or df milk next time. Thank you!!!
Thank you for the additional feedback!
Natalie says
These are so good but mine came out flat on top. I’m wondering if it’s the altitude here that’s cause it What elevation are you baking at? I’m at 5,000 ft here.
Thank you
Natalie
Hi Natalie, that could be the culprit!
Jennifer says
Bursting with flavor! Yum! As others mentioned they were perfect fresh from the oven. However, they were crumbly once they cooled. I followed the recipe exactly and spooned my flours into the measuring cup. Would definitely make this recipe again.
Hi Jennifer! We’re so glad you enjoyed these overall! Hmm… because you followed the recipe without modifications, we would have to guess that they might need a few minutes less in your oven! Hope this helps for next time. xo
Ana says
Hi! I would like to do this recipe, but I also have chocoholics in my family. Is it possible to divide batter into two – a half with cranberries and a half with chocolate chips? Would it work? Thank you for your answer.
That sounds like it would be delicious, Ana! Let us know how it goes!
Taylor says
Could I use this same batter recipe for a bread instead?
Hi Taylor, we haven’t tried it and think it could be too dry, but it might work! If you try it, we’d suggest baking for 45-60 minutes. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Marie Biddix says
We have been making these pretty consistently, but using blueberries and they are so good! We have swapped tangerines, mandarins, just whatever orange we have on hand. We also top with raw sugar and cinnamon prior to baking. SO GOOD! Thank you again! I am considering trying lemon instead of orange, one of my most favorite combinations. Maybe next time! :)
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Marie! Lemon blueberry sounds delicious!
Stephanie says
What are other neutral oils that could be used? We don’t cook with oil so we’ll probably just borrow some from our family for this recipe! Really looking forward to trying it.
Hi Stephanie! Melted refined coconut oil is neutral in flavor! You could also try grapeseed oil.
Maggie says
Oh my, just the smell coming off the batter was a sensory delight. Finally got to make these after eyeing this recipe for weeks (and weeks) – amazing. I added a few walnuts, and probably baked them a little too long – so they came out just slightly drier than I’d like, but still, sooooo good, the tops nice and crunchy, the inside, tender. Thank you for this fantastic recipe – I will be making it again and again. Mmmmmm.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Maggie! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Andie says
Made these with sorghum flour, as I am allergic to oats. They were delicious! I would recommend baking a little less when using sorghum, or the texture gets really crumbly. But great flavor, beautiful muffin top and a definite make again in our house!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification, Andie!
Jess says
Hello!
Would this work if I omit the flaxseed? My son is allergic (also can’t have chia seeds) thank you!
Hi Jess, we think this recipe needs a binder like flax or chia eggs. You could try using a 2 real eggs if you eat them or even psyllium husk eggs!
Jana says
These are AMAZING! Smelled so good while making them and the finished product lived up to expectations. Thanks Minimalist Baker!
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear it, Jana! Thank you for sharing! xo
Telma says
Hi Dana, I’m very interested in doing this recipe. We don’t actually have cranberries where I live (Portugal), neither fresh nor frozen, so what would you recommend I use instead? Raspberries, due to the acidity? Or would blueberries or blackberries work? Neither are in season, but I can find them frozen.
Thank you!
Hi Telma, we haven’t tried it but we think raspberries or blueberries would work, and should be tasty!
Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran says
Excellent recipe! Great for a snack – I’ve made them a few times now, using mini-muffin tins. Bakes a little quicker that way. Delicious!
Thanks so much, Julie!
Brenda says
I am obsessed with this recipe. Since I discovered it, I have made them 3-4 times in just a few weeks. It’s simple. It’s clean and the muffins are absolutely delicious. The flavor and the texture are heavenly. I highly recommend it.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the great review, Brenda!
Annmarie Allen says
Hi! Is flaxeed meal something I should buy ground or can I pulse whole flaxseeds in the processor to make the meal? Thank you! Looking forward to making these with leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving!
Hi Annmarie, we’re not sure if they will grind fully in a food processor, but a spice grinder or powerful blender work well. You can also buy pre-ground. Hope that helps!
The Vegan Goddess says
Five stars and two thumbs up! These are amazing!
I made this with freshly squeezed orange juice so that took a little extra time but was worth it.
The flavor combination of oranges and cranberries is heavenly!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed these!
The Vegan Goddess says
I made these again and sent some as a gift to someone.
OMG, these are so amazing. Just had to post that praise again.
Whoop! We’re so glad you’re enjoying them!
Michelle W says
These are EASY. They are very yummy and did I mention EASY.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Michelle. Thank you for sharing! xo
Jen says
Can you use coconut flour? I have a bag I want to use up and trying to find something good to make them! Also cranberries left over.
Hi Jen! We don’t think this recipe would work well with coconut flour because it is so absorbent! However, we have a bunch of recipes here that use coconut flour! Hope this helps. xo
Alle says
These are amazing!!! I was a little low on oat flour (.25 cup low), so I upped the Almond flour by .25 cup. The flavor is so good! I thought that might be a lot of maple syrup, but with the tartness of the frozen cranberries, the flavor was nicely balanced.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Alle. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Julie says
Very tasty! Healthy ingredients and wonderful flavor!
Yay, thanks so much, Julie!
Dawn says
These were very tasty and easy to make! Will definitely make these again.
Yay! Thanks, Dawn!
Jennie says
I’d love to make this and have everything except the potato starch. My question is, if I want to replace it with a different flour should I also replace the oat flour with that same flour? (I have oat flour).
Also, I have your GF mix at home as well as spelt,WW Pastry, and all purpose. Which one of these do you think would be the best substitute for the potato starch?
Hi Jennie, if you don’t need these muffins to be gluten-free, we think all-purpose flour would be a great substitute! Alternatively you could try using the GF mix. We would keep the almond flour and oat flour. Hope this helps!
Elizabeth says
Made for thanksgiving morning – perfectly timed recipe release! Absolutely loved while watching parade and prepping thanksgiving dinner. Cut the maple syrup in half bc that’s how I roll and added a little more orange juice and extra splash of almond milk to make up for moisture loss. Delicious with some vegan butter and a drizzle of maple syrup on top. Oh! I also added a dash of cinnamon. Thanks for another wonderful recipe! Perfect texture.
Wooohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Elizabeth!
Diane says
Thank you for this yummy recipe. I followed it as written and was sooo surprised at how fluffy these muffins are! Made them this morning for my Thanksgiving treat!
Blessings
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Diane!
Rebecca Davis says
I made this recipe this morning and the flavor is great but they were on the dry side. Do you think if I reduced the potato starch to 1/2 cup, that might help with that? Thank you for your time and help!
Hi Rebecca! That would help with the dryness, however we suggest spooning the flours into the measuring cups and leveling them off before adding them to the recipe to avoid over packing them with flour. We’re so glad you enjoyed the flavor!
Diane says
Sooo, when I wrote in, I had JUST eaten a warm muffin that had recently come out of the muffin. Since then I noticed that my muffins are “crumbly”. They still have an amazing taste…just fall apart as I eat it🤔😟. Wanted to share that also…..saw that someone else commented on hers being dry. Am wondering how I will tweak them….just LOVE using fresh organic cranberries! Thanks for the recipes you share….am truly thankful for them!
Btw, I have learned to spoon the flours into the measuring cups…..so that was not my issue with the crumbling…..thx!👍🏼
Thanks for sharing, Diane! A bit more oat flour could possibly help if they are crumbly. When using fresh cranberries (instead of frozen) the batter tends to be a bit thinner!
Maryellen says
Can an all purpose GF flour substitute for the individual flours?
Hi Maryellen, we haven’t tried it but we think you could substitute a gluten-free flour blend for the oat flour and potato starch. We still suggest keeping the almond flour for texture and flavor!
Lindsae Klein says
Do you think it would work ok to cut back on the maple syrup a bit and use extra OJ, as long as I kept the overall measurements the same?
That might work!
Theresa says
Thanks for the recipe! I’m keeping a lookout for baking recipes for my husband. He is allergic to eggs, dairy…and nuts. Is there a particular substitution you might recommend for the almond flour? Could I just use regular multipurpose in its place, do you think? He’s not sensitive to gluten. Thanks again!
Hi Theresa, we haven’t tested it with all-purpose flour, but it might work in place of all the flours listed. We suggest starting with slightly less flour and referencing the photos above for the correct batter texture. Let us know if you try it!
Helen says
Is there any nut free substitute for the almond flour? I know the answer is often no, but I thought it would be worth asking.
Hi Helen, if you can have other nuts, cashew flour or tiger nut flour would be the best replacements for almond flour. Hope this helps!
Megan says
These look amazing! Can I substitute another starch for the potato starch? Like tapioca or arrowroot?
Hi Megan! We haven’t tried this recipe with other starches but think arrowroot or cornstarch would be the next best choice!
Lynn says
Oh yum, looks amazing! And just what I’m looking for!
But I am *not* GF… would I just use regular wheat flour for the almond and oat flour? What about the potato starch, please? And thank you!
Hi Lynn, we haven’t tested it with all-purpose flour and can’t guarantee results! However, it might work in place of the oat flour and potato starch! We do think the almond flour might be necessary for the texture to be light and fluffy. Let us know if you try it!
Alisha says
Can I use regular flour for this? I don’t have the gluten free flours on hand, but have everything else.
Hi Alisha, we haven’t tried it and can’t guarantee results but we think it could work! We suggest starting with less to try to get the consistency of the batter as close to the consistency of the photos above!
Heidi says
What can I substitute for the almond flour due to nut allergy yet still be gluten free?
Hi Heidi, the almond flour is pretty key for fluffiness in this recipe. More oat flour might work, but they will end up with a gummier texture. If you can have cashews, cashew flour or tiger nut flour would work great!
Megan says
Do you think this would work with a 1:1 GF flour blend?
Hi Megan, we haven’t tested it that way and can’t guarantee results, but it might work in place of the oat flour and potato starch! However the almond flour is necessary for the texture to be light and fluffy. Let us know if you try it!
Sydney says
Hi, could I substitute a gluten free flour blend I get from the store for the oat and potatoes starch?
Or not gluten free with whole wheat pastry flour?
These sound perfect for breakfast after thanksgiving!!
Hi Sydney, we haven’t tested it that way and can’t guarantee results, but either might work in place of the oat flour and potato starch! However we do think the almond flour is necessary. Let us know if you try it!
Sadie says
Can this be made Gluten free? Would the ratio be the same? Thank you
Hi Sadie, do you mean NOT gluten-free? The recipes as written is already gluten-free.
Susana says
Hi. If NOT gluten free, how much whole wheat flour do you think is necessary? Would baking times/temperature change? Thanks!
Hi Susana, we haven’t tried this one with all-purpose flour, but we think it might be able to replace the potato starch and oat flour. We do suggest keeping the almond flour the same because it adds such a nice light, fluffy texture! The oven temperature will stay the same but they might bake up a little bit quicker. Let us know if you try it!