Description
These Gluten-Free Orange Cranberry Muffins are light, fluffy, and bursting with fresh cranberries and bright citrus flavor. Perfect for breakfast or a festive snack, they feature a tender crumb made with a gluten-free flour blend, balanced by a hint of cinnamon and a touch of natural sweetness from honey or maple syrup.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free measure-for-measure flour blend (240 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- Zest of 1 orange (about 1-2 teaspoons zest)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 3/4 cup milk (unsweetened almond or cashew milk preferred)
- 1/3 cup avocado oil (or another neutral-tasting oil like canola or vegetable oil)
- 1/3 cup honey (or pure maple syrup)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 tablespoon coarse Turbinado sugar (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prep Your Pan: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with parchment muffin liners or grease it to prevent sticking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly mixed.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, milk, avocado oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add Wet Ingredients to Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, ensuring there are no large patches of dry flour; some small lumps are okay.
- Fold In Cranberries: Gently fold in the fresh cranberries to the batter. Optionally, reserve a few cranberries to place on top of the muffins for a decorative finish.
- Rest the Batter: If possible, let the batter rest for 30-60 minutes to encourage the muffins to rise taller during baking.
- Scoop Batter into Muffin Pan: Divide the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups, filling them full. Place any reserved cranberries on top and gently press them into the batter, then sprinkle with coarse Turbinado sugar.
- Bake Muffins: Bake at 425 degrees F for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 15 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Muffins: Remove muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve & Store: Serve the muffins fresh, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, refrigerate for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Resting the batter for 30-60 minutes improves the rise and texture of the muffins.
- Use a neutral oil like avocado or canola to keep flavors balanced and moistness in the muffins.
- You can substitute honey with pure maple syrup for a different natural sweetness.
- Coarse sugar on top adds a nice crunch and sparkle to the muffins.
- These muffins freeze well; wrap individually and thaw before serving.
- Ensure to use a gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 252 kcal
- Sugar: 23.3 g
- Sodium: 107.8 mg
- Fat: 7.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.5 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 2.6 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
