Cranberry Orange Muffins (gluten-free, whole grain, dairy-free)
These super moist and flavorful cranberry orange muffins use oat flour, making them 100% whole grain and gluten-free! With a dairy-free option.
My latest post over on My Baking Addiction is these gluten-free cranberry orange muffins. I hope you all aren’t sick of the orange and cranberry combination yet because these are so worth making!
I went through eight versions of a different recipe until I finally decided it’d be easier to adapt my whole-grain apple muffins. Those are already pretty moist and soft, and weirdly enough, the oat flour makes them even moister and more delicate. If you don’t want to use oats and don’t need them to be gluten-free, white whole wheat flour works too. However, be sure to opt for white whole wheat, not the traditional kind. Unless you don’t mind the muffins tasting grainy.
I used buttermilk in these muffins, but I’ve listed a way to make homemade dairy-free buttermilk in the recipe. The same lemon juice + milk trick works with dairy-free milks, too! Except for canned coconut milk. I’ve never tried i,t and it’d be too thick, anyway, so stick to soy, almond, oat, etc. milk.
These cranberry orange muffins are entirely honey-sweetened, and you can taste it, but it’s not overwhelming at all! Orange is definitely the predominant flavor here. I don’t recommend substituting honey with anything else. It’s a large amount to sub (2/3 cup), and I’m afraid using anything else would throw off the entire recipe.
I also haven’t tried these with dried cranberries, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work. And I can’t wait to try these muffins with blueberries! I’m so, so ready for berry season.
These make for a great make-ahead breakfast, by the way. They stay fresh at room temperature for a few days and stay nice even once refrigerated. I hate it when my muffins dry out in the fridge, but that’s definitely not an issue with these. :)
Cranberry Orange Muffins (gluten-free, whole grain, dairy-free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (184 grams) flour see notes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs 50 grams each out of shell, room temperature
- 2/3 cup (213 grams) honey
- 3/4 cup (177 ml) canola oil or light olive oil
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 1/4 teaspoons orange extract
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) fresh cranberries divided
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup (30 to 40 grams) sliced almonds for sprinkling on top, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.2 cups (184 grams) flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, oil, orange zest, orange extract, vanilla extract and buttermilk.2 large eggs, 2/3 cup (213 grams) honey, 3/4 cup (177 ml) canola oil, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 1/4 teaspoons orange extract, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until combined. Stir in 1 cup cranberries, reserving the rest to sprinkle on the top.1 1/2 cups (180 grams) fresh cranberries
- Divide the batter among the liners, filling almost to the top, and sprinkle the remaining cranberries over the top.1/3 – 1/2 cup (30 to 40 grams) sliced almonds
- Add sliced almonds, if using.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack to cool. If you used almonds, you may want to tilt the pan and use a spoon to remove them from the pan so that the almonds don’t fall off.
- Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 4 days.
Notes
- For the flour, you can use 2 cups (184 grams) gluten-free oat flour or 2 cups (250 grams) white whole wheat flour for a non-GF version.
- To make oat flour, pulse gluten-free oats in a food processor or coffee grinder until finely ground and powdery.
- For dairy-free buttermilk, put 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice in a 1/2 cup measuring cup. Fill with dairy-free milk (almond, soy, oat, etc. but not canned coconut milk), and let sit for 5 minutes.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator. Values calculated without the optional almonds on top.
- Source: My post on My Baking Addiction: gluten-free cranberry orange muffins.
Made these muffins and they were AMAZING but SUUUUUUPER crumbly! can anyone think of why? I did accidentally overcook them by 2 or 3 minutes but that usually doesn’t make a difference…?
I’m happy you enjoyed them! It’s because there’s no gluten in them so there’s nothing holding them together. But I’ve never had this issue so I’m not sure what the problem is! Baking them longer makes them drier and crumblier but they still shouldn’t be super crumbly. I hope you could still enjoy them! I’m sorry I don’t have a better answer for you.
Hi Erin , can I make the oat flour by processing instant quaker oats or does it have to be rolled or steel cut?
Hi there! I’m pretty sure it needs to be quick oats or rolled / traditional oats. I don’t think instant would work and am doubtful about steel cut!