Home » Type » Bread » Muffins + Scones » Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins

Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins

Soft and tender on the inside with a crispy top (thanks to a little sugar) and full of orange and cranberry flavors, these Vegan Cranberry Muffins are my favorite in the winter months!

side angle view of freshly made oil free cranberry orange muffins.

Muffins are a great way to start the morning or enjoy as a light snack for a quick pick me up during the day.

These sweet and flavorful muffins are made dairy-free and refined sugar-free using wholesome, everyday ingredients – most of them are probably already in your pantry!

They’re oil-free too, using applesauce in its place to keep them moist, making them a healthy addition to your muffin routine.

Whether you are making them for family and friends, a holiday gathering, or just because – these delicious Cranberry Orange Muffins will not disappoint!

This post may contain affiliate links.

top down view of ingredients used to make healthy vegan cranberry orange muffins.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s a list of everything you’ll need, plus ideas for substituting when needed.

  • Cranberries – Fresh or frozen work well, so use whatever is most accessible. If using frozen, there’s no need to thaw them before adding to the batter.
  • Orange Juice + Zest – Use fresh squeezed or your favorite bottled brand. I highly recommend adding orange zest as it adds so much flavor and looks pretty too!
  • Flour – For best results, Use unbleached all-purpose flour, light spelt flour, or whole wheat pastry flour. For GF, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.
  • Sugar – I used organic pure cane sugar, but coconut sugar or date sugar would be great too. You may even be able to get away with using half and half of sugar and pure maple syrup. Adding a sprinkle of sugar before baking will yield a nice crunchy muffin top!
  • Applesauce – Unsweetened applesauce is preferred. You can make your own homemade applesauce (it’s so easy using an Instant Pot or slow cooker) or use store-bought. If you don’t have applesauce on hand, use light-flavored olive oil (or your favorite neutral-flavored oil).
  • Baking Powder – This double-acting leavening agent is a must to ensure a good rise and spread.
  • Baking Soda – Helps the muffins rise and gives the tops a nice golden color. If you don’t have baking soda on hand, use HEAPING teaspoons of baking powder.
  • Salt – My favorite everyday salt is pink mineral salt (affiliate link) which naturally contains essential minerals and trace elements the body needs.
top down view showing the process of making healthy cranberry orange muffin batter.

How To Make Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins

Making cranberry orange muffins is super easy and requires just a few simple steps. (Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post)

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with parchment liners or lightly grease with oil.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the orange juice and applesauce, mix well until just combined, don’t overmix. Gently fold in the cranberries and orange zest, as pictured above.
top down view of cranberry orange muffin batter in muffin tin and ready to bake.
  • Spoon the batter into the muffin tin holes, filling to the rim (shown above). Optionally, top with a few cranberries and sprinkle of sugar.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Once done (shown below), let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

Baking Tips

  • When measuring the flour, don’t scoop it out of the container with the measuring cup. Instead, spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.
  • Don’t overmix the batter, as overmixing can cause muffins to be tough and bake unevenly.
  • Add a sprinkle of sugar overtop each muffin just before baking. The sugar hardens and will create a nice crispy muffin top.
  • Place muffins on the center rack when baking.
  • To test for doneness, insert a wooden toothpick into the center of one of the center muffins in the pan. The toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

top down view of freshly made healthy vegan cranberry orange muffins in a muffin tin.

How To Store Leftover Muffins

  • Counter: Once completely cooled, store the muffins on the counter in an airtight container lined with a paper towel for up to 3 – 4 days. The paper towel will soak up moisture and keep them from getting too moist. They also do fine loosely covered for 1 – 2 days.
  • Refrigerator: Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • Freezer: Store in the freezer for up to 2 months, individually wrapped in a freezer-safe container or bag. When ready to eat, let the muffins come to room temperature and warm in a toaster oven before eating, if you like.

Can I make bread out of this muffin recipe? 

You sure can! Head on over to this Favorite Cranberry Orange Bread and give it a try.

top down view of cranberry orange muffin sliced in half on a small white plate.

More Easy Baking Recipes!

If you try this vegan muffin recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

Print

VEGAN CRANBERRY ORANGE MUFFINS

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 18 reviews

Sweet, fluffy, with an amazing orange aroma and juicy, tart cranberries in every bite, these Cranberry Orange Muffins are healthy, easy to make and so delicious!

  • Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: Makes 12 muffins 1x
  • Category: Breakfast, Snack
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar (pure cane, coconut or date)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with parchment liners or lightly grease with oil.

Mix: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the orange juice and applesauce, mix well until just combined, don’t overmix. Fold in the cranberries and orange zest.

Fill Muffin Tin: Spoon the batter into the muffin tin holes, filling to the rim. Optionally, top with a few cranberries as desired and a sprinkle of sugar for a crunchy top.

Bake: Place on the center rack and bake for 30 minutes. Once done, let cool a few minutes and enjoy!

Store: Muffins will keep on the counter, loosely covered, for up to 3 days. For longer storage keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 days, or freeze for up to 2 – 3 months.

Notes

Flour: Use light spelt, unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour. You can play around with a mix of any of these. For GF, use 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.

When measuring the flour, don’t scoop it out of the container with the measuring cup. Instead, spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.

Don’t overmix the batter, as overmixing can cause muffins to be tough and bake unevenly.

Add a sprinkle of sugar overtop each muffin just before baking. The sugar hardens and will create a nice crispy muffin top.

If you don’t have baking soda on hand, make the teaspoons of baking powder heaping.

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I love these parchment muffin liners for lining this 12-cup muffin tin (affiliate links).

FOLLOW TSV on FacebookInstagramPinterestYoutube, Subscribe (email), or RSS for more recipes and inspiration!

30 Comments

  1. Hi, is there any alternative that you recommend for the orange juice? Thanks!

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      You can use your favorite non-dairy milk, pref. unsweetened. Vanilla flavored would be a nice addition too. I hope that helps! Enjoy :)

  2. Thanks for the recipe! It worked out beautifully! I used fresh oranges and cranberries, and added little ginger and cinnamon powders to the batter as well. Makes a very refreshing breakfast!






  3. So tasty and fresh. I love the amount of cranberries and that it isn’t an oat flour recipe since I have so many of those. This is well loved by my coffee group and my family. I add 1/4 cup nuts as well.






  4. Delicious! I used Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour and Date Sugar. I squeezed fresh orange and used frozen cranberries. They are perfect and a nice healthy treat! Thank you for this great recipe!






Leave a Reply

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

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star