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Home > Vegan Recipes

Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe

4/6/23 by Nicole | Leave a Comment

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5 from 1 vote. Leave a review!

This vegan cranberry orange muffin recipe is incredibly easy to make. It creates muffins that are packed with the fresh flavor of oranges and tart, rich cranberries. They’re soft, fluffy, tender and perfectly sweetened. No one will know these are dairy free and eggless!

You can also make an optional orange or cranberry glaze for the top. The glaze adds extra flavor and sweetness, taking these muffins to the next level for a sweeter treat.

Stack of two orange cranberry muffins, one in a paper liner with other blurry muffins behind.

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Ingredients for Vegan Orange Cranberry Muffins

This recipe uses basic ingredients to create delicious, fresh-tasting muffins. Everything should be easy to find at a typical grocery store, including:

  • Ground flaxseed: This is the perfect vegan egg replacement when baking muffins. Ground chia seed can also work (but not whole seeds).
  • Orange juice and zest: For tons of fresh orange flavor, you’ll need the zest and juice of about two oranges. While you could use orange juice from a carton, without the zest, this recipe will lack orange flavor.
  • Plant-based milk: The muffin batter needs liquid to work, and plant-based milk makes a great choice for tender and rich muffins. I use soy milk, but any type of plant-based milk should work.
  • Apple cider vinegar: Some vinegar helps thicken the plant-based milk and works with the baking soda to make fluffy muffins.
  • Granulated sugar: For added sweetness, use some granulated sugar. These muffins aren’t overly sweet, and the tart cranberry flavor comes through nicely. I haven’t tested this recipe with sugar substitutes.
  • Vegetable oil: For moist, deliciously soft muffins, select a neutral-flavored oil for this recipe (stronger flavored oils like olive oil can work but impact the taste).
  • Vanilla extract: Enhance all the other flavors with some vanilla extract.
  • All-purpose flour: For tender, soft muffins, use basic all-purpose flour. I haven’t tested this recipe with other types of flour, but you could replace up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour if you like.
  • Baking powder and soda: For fluffy muffins, you’ll need a combo of baking powder and soda.
  • Cranberries: Select fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe. I use frozen cranberries that I thaw and slice in half.
Small bowls with ingredients for cranberry orange muffins.

Orange Glaze (Optional)

  • Icing sugar: Also called powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar, this is the key to making a quick and easy glaze.
  • Orange or cranberry juice: A small amount of extra orange juice (or cranberry juice) flavors the glaze and helps to dissolve the sugar.
  • Optional orange zest: If you have extra oranges around and want a glaze with tons of orange flavor, add some zest. You could also use cranberry juice (instead of orange juice) plus orange zest for a cranberry-orange glaze!
Small glass bowls with ingredients to make orange glaze.

How to Make Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins

This recipe is very easy to make with just a few simple steps.

Step 1: Prepare a Flax Egg

Start by zesting two oranges. Use the small grating edge of a box grater or a handheld small grater (microplane). Zest is the bright orange layer of the peel. Don’t grate into the white pith underneath if you can avoid it.

Then, juice the oranges so you have ⅓ cup of orange juice.

Mix the orange juice, orange zest and ground flaxseed together in a small bowl and set aside. This should thicken into a gel texture and is called a flax “egg” as it’s used to replace eggs in vegan baking recipes.

Hand using fork to whisk ground flaxseed with orange juice and orange zest in small glass bowl.

Step 2: Mix Liquid Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar. Let this sit for 1-2 minutes.

The milk should thicken and may seem curdled (lumpy); this is perfect consistency for a dairy free buttermilk!

Then, add sugar, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and everything is well combined.

Add the flaxseed “egg” mixture to the bowl and whisk this through.

Four images showing the steps of preparing the liquid ingredients for cranberry orange muffins (buttermilk, whisk in oil and sugar, add flax egg and whisk again).

Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients

Next, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the mixing bowl. Stir together until almost combined.

Then add the cranberries. I highly recommend slicing your cranberries in half or quarters (if they’re very large) to get a piece of cranberry in most bites.

When the cranberries are in, finish stirring the batter together until it is just combined. This means to stir until the cranberries are evenly mixed into the batter and there’s no more dry clumps of flour visible.

Don’t over-mix the batter. It will be thick and not a pourable consistency.

Two images showing partially stirred muffin batter then fully mixed batter with cranberries in it.

Step 4: Bake

Preheat your oven to 350 °F, then prep a 12-slot muffin pan with liners.

Evenly divide the muffin batter into all 12 muffin slots. You’ll need to scrape the bowl with a spatula to get it all out.

Hand using scoop to add muffin batter to muffin tin lined with paper.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Once out of the oven, let the muffins cool for a minute or two before carefully removing from the pan and transferring to a wire cooling rack.

You can serve these hot or let them cool completely before glazing and storing them.

Step 5: Optional Glaze

To make the glaze, simply stir together icing sugar with orange juice (or cranberry juice). If adding orange zest, stir this in too.

Wooden spoonful of orange glaze over glass bowl of glaze.

Make the glaze just before you’re ready to glaze the muffins, otherwise the top layer of glaze will become hard and crusty (you can cover the glaze with plastic wrap if you make it too early).

When the muffins cool fully, dip the top of each muffin into glaze.

Small wood board with cranberry orange muffins, one cut in half and one with glaze along with cranberries and orange slices.

Vegan Muffin Variations

Vegan muffins are super easy to make. If you’re a fan of this sweet treat, here are some other recipes you may like:

  • Vegan chocolate chip muffins
  • Vegan blueberry muffins
  • Vegan lemon poppy seed muffins
  • Vegan double chocolate zucchini muffins
  • Vegan lemon blueberry muffins

How to Refrigerate and Freeze Leftovers

Cool leftover muffins to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container.

You can store them on a countertop for 2-3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to a week.

You can also freeze these muffins in any freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. They can be frozen with glaze on top.

To defrost, let your muffins thaw on your countertop for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Heat the muffins in a microwave for a few seconds before serving (if desired).

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Close up of a stack of two cranberry orange muffins, one in a paper muffin liner.

Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins

These vegan cranberry orange muffins are full of fresh flavor. They’re soft, fluffy, tender and perfectly sweetened. Top with an optional glaze for a deliciously sweet treat!
5 from 1 vote. Leave a review!
Prevent screen going dark
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Servings 12 Muffins
Calories 193 kcal
Cuisine Vegan

Equipment

  • Whisk
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Muffin tin (12 slots)
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Spatula

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Orange Muffin “Wet” Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (20 grams)
  • ⅓ cup orange juice (80 milliliters)
  • 1-2 tablespoons orange zest *
  • ¾ cup plant-based milk , I use soy milk (185 milliliters)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (5 milliliters) **
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar (130 grams)
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil (80 milliliters)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 milliliters)

Cranberry Orange Muffin “Dry” Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (280 grams)
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup cranberries (115 grams)***

Orange Glaze (Optional)

  • 1 cup icing sugar (140 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice ****
  • orange zest , to taste (optional)
Prevent screen going dark

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare a Flax Egg

  • In a small bowl, mix ground flaxseed with the orange juice and orange zest. Set aside.
    2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, ⅓ cup orange juice, 1-2 tablespoons orange zest

Step 2: Mix Liquid Ingredients

  • In a large mixing bowl, add plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar. Whisk to combine and let sit for 1-2 minutes.
    ¾ cup plant-based milk, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • Then, whisk in granulated sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until evenly combined.
    ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Add your prepared flax egg and whisk through.

Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients

  • Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until the batter is almost mixed then add cranberries.
    2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, pinch of salt, 1 cup cranberries
  • Mix until the batter is just combined (no clumps of dry flour visible and cranberries are evenly mixed through).

Step 4: Bake

  • Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
  • Prep a 12-slot muffin tin with muffin liners.
  • Divide the batter evenly into the 12 muffin slots.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  • When out of the oven, let the muffins sit for a few minutes before carefully transferring to a wire baking rack to cool.

Step 5: Glaze (Optional)

  • To make the glaze, stir together icing sugar and orange juice. You may want to add some orange zest as well.
    1 cup icing sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, orange zest
  • Make sure the muffins are fully cooled before dipping into the glaze.

Video

Notes

*The zest of 2 oranges.
**Can use white vinegar.
***Fresh or thawed cranberries. I like to halve or quarter large cranberries, but you can keep them whole.
****Could make cranberry glaze by using cranberry juice instead of orange juice.
Nutrient analysis performed on muffins only - no optional orange glaze added. 
Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Muffin (1/12 of recipe)Calories: 193 kcalCarbohydrates: 30 gProtein: 3 gFat: 7 gSaturated Fat: 1 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4 gMonounsaturated Fat: 2 gSodium: 159 mgPotassium: 74 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 12 gVitamin A: 10 IUVitamin C: 6 mgCalcium: 84 mgIron: 1 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Dessert Recipes

Like this recipe? You should also try:

  • Close up of a mug filled with apple cake.
    Vegan Apple Mug Cake for the Microwave
  • Close up of a chocolate chip muffin with the paper muffin liner pulled back.
    Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
  • Close up of a vanilla cake with sprinkles with a bite removed showing a fluffy, soft texture.
    Vegan Vanilla Mug Cake Recipe
  • Close up of a stack of three chocolate chip cookies that are cut in half.
    Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (Soft and Chewy)

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.


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Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

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