• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Delightful Adventures
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • E-Book
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • All Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Newsletter
    • E-Book
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Muffins

    Vegan Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins

    Published by Gwen Leron on December 4, 2020

    5 from 2 ratings
    »
    4 Comments

    This page may contain affiliate links. Click to learn more. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
    Jump to Recipe
    Pinterest pin showing two images of gluten-free orange cranberry muffins, this image is to be used to pin this recipe to Pinterest.

    Moist, fluffy homemade vegan gluten-free cranberry orange muffins made with fresh (or frozen!) cranberries. These easy-to-make muffins are filled with bright, vibrant flavours and they’re perfect to make for the holidays as snacks or as part of your holiday breakfast or brunch table.

    A cranberry orange muffin on a white plate, more muffins sit in the background as well as an orange and fresh cranberries.

    Save This Recipe!

    In a hurry? Drop your email below, and this recipe will be sent straight to your inbox for later. You'll also get fresh recipes every week! You can unsubscribe anytime.

    Save Recipe

    I love baking with cranberries this time of year, which makes me wonder WHY I don't have more cranberry recipes on my website?!

    I do have a few:

    • Pear Cranberry Crisp
    • Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Orange Cranberry Loaf

    Just three. I can do better than that, starting with these dairy-free, egg-free, vegan gluten-free cranberry orange muffins.

    This was actually one of the first muffin recipes I made vegan and gluten-free many years ago but I never shared the recipe until now. I have no idea why because they have been a long time favourite in my home.

    They're so loved because the orange and cranberry flavours work so well together. Sweet, tangy, citrusy, tart...all combined into a soft, tender, delicious muffin!

    Are you new to vegan gluten-free baking? If so, be sure to read all of my vegan gluten-free baking tips!

    Ingredients You'll Need

    You'll need just a few simple ingredients, all can be seen below.

    A gluten-free flour blend (I use Bob's Red Mill all purpose blend in the RED bag (NOT the blue bag!)), plain applesauce, orange juice and zest, sugar, oil, vanilla, a flax egg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

    TIP: One medium-sized orange will give you the amount of juice and zest needed for this recipe.

    An overhead shot of the ingredients needed to make vegan gluten-free cranberry orange muffins.

    Preparing the Cranberries

    I usually use fresh cranberries to make this recipe and some of them can be quite large, so I cut them in half so every bite contains a perfect burst of cranberry. If you want smaller pieces of cranberries, feel free to cut them into quarters.

    If you can't find fresh cranberries, the next best thing is frozen, but you'll need to take an extra step to get them ready, full details are in the recipe notes.

    How to Make Them

    (Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions at the end of this post.)

    You'll start out by mixing the wet ingredients in one bowl and then in another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

    Combine the wet and dry ingredients and then fold in the cranberries.

    Two side by side images showing the sequence of steps to make cranberry orange muffin batter.

    Next, using a large scoop or a spoon, add the batter to your muffin pan and then bake.

    After they've baked, remove the muffin pan from the oven, let it sit for a minute or two, then remove and place your freshly-baked muffins on a cooling rack.

    Two side by side images showing muffin batter being scooped into muffin pan, the second image shows the finished muffins.

    They can be served warm or fully cooled as snacks and they also make a great addition to your breakfast or brunch table, especially during the holidays.

    Optional Recipe Variations

    Chocolate

    Cranberries go great with chocolate and oranges are perfect with chocolate, so if you want to change things up a bit, you can add a handful of mini chocolate chips to the batter when you add the cranberries.

    Walnuts

    These muffins are also great with walnuts, so you can add a half cup of chopped walnuts to the batter, if you'd like.

    Orange Glaze

    If you want to take these over the top for a special occasion, you can drizzle them with a little orange glaze. I've included info on how to make the glaze in the recipe below.

    Several fresh baked dairy free orange cranberry muffins on a cooling rack.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can a Different Flour Be Used?

    Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour Blend (the one in the RED bag) is the only flour I have tested this recipe with. I haven't made them with any other types of flours, so I can’t say how well others would work.

    If you do use a different gluten free flour blend, be aware that results will vary since ingredients and ratios are different between all of the brands and your results may not be the same as mine.

    Can a Different Sugar Be Used?

    I use organic cane sugar for this recipe because I wanted to keep the colour of the muffins light, but you can substitute with my regular go-to, coconut sugar, same amount, and still get a perfect result, the only difference will be that your muffins will be darker in colour. I would stay away from a liquid sweetener since major modifications will need to be made to the rest of the recipe to account for the extra moisture it would add.

    Can Cranberry Sauce Be Used Instead of Cranberries?

    No, the entire recipe would need to be adjusted to account for the extra moisture coming from the sauce. Stick to fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe.

    Can Dried Cranberries Be Used?

    Without having tested myself, I can't guide you on how to adjust successfully. For the best results, I would stick with the recipe as it's written.

    A vegan cranberry muffin on a white plate, the muffin wrapper is peeled down.

    What's the Texture Like?

    Have a look at the picture below to get an idea.

    They're soft, fluffy, and moist, just like you would expect a really good and proper muffin to be.

    No one will know they're vegan AND gluten-free!

    An overhead shot of a cranberry orange muffin split in half to show the fluffy inner texture.

    How to Store Leftovers

    Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, after that, move them into the refrigerator for another 3-4 days. When you’re ready to serve, bring them up to room temperature, and you can warm them up slightly, if you’d like, before serving.

    To freeze, fully cool and wrap them tightly so they are airtight. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to one month.

    When you’re ready to serve your amazing, delicious vegan cranberry muffins, thaw them at room temperature and serve. Just before serving, you can warm them up a bit in the microwave.

    If You Make This Recipe...

    Tell me how things went! Please leave a comment and rating below and you can also share a picture on Instagram and tag me, I'm @delightfuladventures on Instagram!

    And If You Like This Recipe...

    You may also like these other fruity muffin recipes (and be sure to check out all of my other muffin recipes!):

    • Banana Blueberry Muffins
    • Raspberry Muffins
    • Blackberry Muffins
    • Blueberry Muffins
    • Strawberry Muffins
    A cranberry muffin on a small white plate.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 2 ratings

    Vegan Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins

    Moist and fluffy homemade vegan gluten-free cranberry orange muffins made with fresh (or frozen!) cranberries. These easy vegan gluten-free muffins are filled with bright and delicious flavour and they’re perfect to make for the holidays as snacks or as part of your dairy-free gf holiday breakfast or brunch table.
    Prep Time:15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time:18 minutes minutes
    Total Time:30 minutes minutes
    Author: Gwen Leron
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free
    Diet: Vegan
    Servings: 12

    Suggested Equipment:

    • Kitchen Scale
    • Muffin/Cupcake Pan
    • Large Scoop
    • Glass Mixing Bowls
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
    • 6 tablespoons water
    • 1 ¾ cups (245g) gluten free flour blend **see important note about flour below**
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ⅓ cup (80ml) melted coconut oil (plus extra for greasing muffin pan, if needed)
    • ½ cup (100g) sugar
    • ½ cup (123g) plain unsweetened applesauce
    • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
    • 2 teaspoons orange zest
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup (100g) fresh cranberries (chopped, if needed) see note below

    Orange Glaze (Optional)

    • ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon orange juice
    • ¼ teaspoon orange zest

    Instructions:

    • Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C).
    • Prepare your flax eggs by whisking together ground flax seeds and water. Set aside to thicken.
    • Line a muffin tin with liners or generously grease the inside of each cup with coconut oil.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    • In a medium bowl, mix the coconut oil, sugar, applesauce, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, and flax eggs together until blended.
    • Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until combined. Fold in the cranberries.
    • Using a spoon or a large scoop, divide batter into the 12 muffin cups.
    • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the largest muffin comes out clean.
    • Let muffins cool in muffin pan for a few minutes and then remove and place them on a cooling rack.

    To Make Orange Glaze (Optional):

    • Add the powdered sugar to a small bowl and a little at a time, add the orange juice and whisk until you have a smooth glaze. You may not need the full tablespoon of orange juice, depending on how thick you want it. If you add all the juice and it's too thick, add a little more orange juice, if it's too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Add the orange zest and mix until it has been incorporated into the glaze.
    • Drizzle onto muffins just before serving.

    Recipe Notes:

    • Please read all of the information and FAQ info above and below before making this recipe.
    • It's important to know that different gluten-free flour blends use different ingredients and ratios, so results will always vary if you substitute. I have never used any other brand of flour to make this recipe (other than Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Amazon link) with the red label, NOT the blue label), so please know that your results may not be the same as mine if you substitute with another gluten-free flour blend. The weight listed above is for this specific brand of flour.
    • Make sure you measure your flour correctly.
    • If your cranberries are large, you can chop them, I usually just cut them in half (see pictures above).
    • Frozen cranberries can be used if fresh cranberries are not available. Simply thaw them on a paper towel. When thawed, pat any moisture away and then chop, if needed.
    • This recipe will NOT work with coconut flour or any other single gluten-free flour, it must be a blend, the one mentioned above for the best results.
    • Any type of neutral flavoured oil can be used in place of coconut oil, such as sunflower or safflower.
    • Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, after that, move them into the refrigerator for another 3-4 days. When you’re ready to serve, bring them up to room temperature, and you can warm them up slightly, if you’d like, before serving.
    • To freeze, fully cool and wrap them tightly so they are airtight. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to one month. When you’re ready to serve them, thaw at room temperature and serve. Just before serving, you can warm them up a bit in the microwave.
    • Nutrition info is based on 1 muffin. Nutrition info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.

    Nutrition Info:

    Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 96.1mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 10.5g | Vitamin A: 13.5IU | Vitamin C: 3.2mg | Calcium: 41.4mg | Iron: 0.8mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?If so, please share a picture with me on Instagram! Tag @delightfuladventures and hashtag #delightfuladventures. I can't wait to see!
    MuffinsSnacksGluten-FreeNo Nuts AddedAppleCranberryVanillaChristmasThanksgiving

    More Vegan Muffins

    • A vegan chocolate chip muffin sitting on a small white plate.
      Moist & Fluffy Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • Close up shot of a vegan banana oat muffin on a small white plate.
      Vegan Banana Oat Muffins
    • Close up shot of a vegan apple oatmeal muffin on a small white plate.
      Vegan Apple Oatmeal Muffins
    • Close up shot of a vegan pumpkin oatmeal muffin on a small white plate.
      Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes

      Did You Make This Recipe or Have a Question About It? Cancel reply

      If you’ve made this recipe and loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a comment and star rating. Your ratings help others discover my recipes so they can enjoy them, too. If you haven’t tried the recipe yet but have a question, feel free to ask, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you so much for your support!

      Sincerely,
      Gwen

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating





    1. Kristen says

      December 14, 2023 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I’ve made many of your muffin recipes and they always turn out great. In this case, I used more applesauce in place of the oil and they still turned out perfectly. So good, in fact, that I didn’t bother with the icing. It’s so hard to find recipes which are GF and vegan. Thank you for being a bright spot on the internet!

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        December 15, 2023 at 10:47 am

        Wonderful, Kristin! I'm so glad you trying the recipes and loving them. That makes me so happy to know 🙂 Enjoy! (and thank you so much for your kind words!)

        Reply
    2. Hannah says

      December 10, 2021 at 5:32 pm

      5 stars
      These are beautiful! My batter was very thick - I attribute this to having used a different gluten free flour blend than you have. I used the President's Choice All Purpose Gluten Free blend, which is quite high in starch. To compensate, I added two extra tablespoons of the orange juice. They turned out lovely and moist, and with such bright colours! I have celiac and my daughter has an egg allergy, and these are such a wonderful festive treat to have in the house. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        December 11, 2021 at 10:18 am

        Hi Hannah! I'm so glad you found the recipe, gave it a try, and liked it! I think it's definitely the flour blend that you used that made the batter so thick, but I'm glad you were able to adjust (I haven't tried the PC gluten-free blend yet.). Enjoy the rest of the muffins!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Image of person wearing a red shirt with a black apron over it.

    Hi, I'm Gwen! if you’re looking for easy-to-make, delicious vegan desserts & baking recipes you’ll want to make over and over again, you’ve landed in the right place!

    More about me →

    READER FAVOURITES

    • A jar of fresh strawberry sauce sitting on a wood surface, fresh strawberries sit to the left of the jar.
      Easy Strawberry Sauce
    • Lentil Sweet Potato Chili in a white bowl on a dark wooden table.
      Slow Cooker Lentil Sweet Potato Chili
    • Gluten Free Vegan Apple Muffins on a plate on a brown wooden table.
      Mini Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Muffins
    • A stack of four gluten-free sugar cookies on a small white plate, more cookies and a glass of milk sits behind it.
      Vegan Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

    Banana Favourites

    • A stack of five vegan banana chocolate chip cookies, fresh bananas and more cookies sit in the background.
      Vegan Banana Cookies
    • A piece of banana cake with cream cheese frosting sitting on a small white plate with a fork to the side.
      Easy Vegan Banana Cake
    • A piece of baked banana oatmeal on a white plate, a fork, a glass of orange juice, and bananas sit to the left of the plate.
      Vegan Banana Baked Oatmeal
    • Close up shot of a chocolate banana muffin on a white plate.
      Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Muffins

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    QUICK LINKS

    • ABOUT
    • CONTACT
    • WEB STORIES

    NEWSLETTER

    • SIGN UP FOR EMAILS AND UPDATES!

    INFO

    • ACCESSIBILITY
    • CCPA POLICY
    • DISCLOSURE & POLICIES
    • EDITORIAL POLICIES
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2014–2025 Delightful Adventures

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.