Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins (Dairy-Free)

Moist and tender, with a beautiful orange flavor and studded with cranberries, these gluten-free cranberry orange muffins are vibrant and perfect for the festive season. Make a batch to enjoy this fall! Dairy-free too.

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Festive Cranberry Muffins for the Holiday Season!

Nothing feels more festive than a bright pop of red, and cranberries always brighten up any table. From cranberry bread pudding, to cranberry orange bread, and cranberry orange scones, it’s no secret that we love cranberries.

Today, we’ll be making muffins. Vibrant and eye-catching, these moist, flavorful and delicious cranberry and orange muffins are the perfect breakfast, anytime snack or light dessert for this season!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

• Simple Ingredients: The ingredients required for making these gluten-free orange cranberry muffins are easily accessible at the local grocery store (nothing fancy required)!
• Easy to Make: Preparing the batter is just a matter of mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and then folding the cranberries in, before transferring to a muffin pan and baking! It doesn’t get much easier than that!
• Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: The best part is that this recipe for cranberry orange muffins is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy them without issues.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making these cranberry orange muffins.

(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Recipe Notes + Substitutions:

• Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but feel free to use cane sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or coconut sugar if you prefer (just bear in mind that the darker the sugar, the darker the batter will be).
• Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always keep a bottle of it on hand. However, feel free to use another type of vegetable oil if you prefer (such as canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil, etc).
• Eggs: The eggs are essential in binding the ingredients together, so make sure to include them in.
• Juice & Zest: For the best orange flavor, I recommend using freshly squeezed orange juice and freshly grated orange zest.
• Yogurt: I used plain dairy-free yogurt to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular Greek yogurt or sour cream instead.
• Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor. However, if you are not a fan of vanilla, feel free to leave it out.
• Gluten-Free Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour blend (a gluten-free 1:1 substitute for regular wheat flour) that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch) to ensure a lighter and fluffier final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.
• Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include xanthan gum, make sure to add it in.
• Baking Powder: Baking powder is the only leavening agent used in this recipe to help the batter rise, so make sure to add it in. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.
• Spices: To add fall flavors, I’ve used a combination of warm spices including ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground cardamom.
• Cranberries: I used fresh cranberries but frozen cranberries will work too. Alternatively, if you don’t have fresh cranberries, you can also use unsweetened dried cranberries (make sure to soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes before using).

How to Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins:

Mix Sugar, Oil & Eggs: In a large mixing bowl, whisk sugar and vegetable oil. Add eggs and mix until smooth.

Add Juice & Yogurt: Stir in the fresh orange juice and add the plain dairy-free yogurt. Mix well until the ingredients are combined.

Dish by Dish Tips:

• No Fresh Cranberries? If you don’t have fresh cranberries, you can also use unsweetened dried cranberries (make sure to soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes before using).
• Swap Orange for Lemon: While orange and cranberries make the perfect pair creating a sweet-tart flavor, you may also use lemon juice and zest if you prefer.
• Line Muffin Pan: I highly recommend lining the muffin pan with paper cupcake liners so the batter doesn’t stick to the pan, and it’s easier to remove the muffins once baked.

Other Cranberry Recipes to Enjoy:

• Cranberry Orange Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Cranberry Orange Scones (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Cranberry Bread Pudding (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• 20-Minute Cranberry Sauce (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Homemade Cranberry Juice (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Gluten-Free Muffins to Bake:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins (Dairy-Free)

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• Author: Felicia Lim
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 muffins 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Moist and tender, with a beautiful orange flavor and studded with cranberries, these gluten-free cranberry orange muffins are vibrant and perfect for the festive season. Make a batch to enjoy this fall! Dairy-free too.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2/3 cup dairy-free plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1 large orange)
• 1/2 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 3 cups gluten-free 1:1 flour
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

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Instructions

1. Preheat & Line: Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease each cavity.
2. Mix Sugar, Oil & Eggs: In a large mixing bowl, whisk sugar and vegetable oil. Add eggs and mix until smooth.
3. Add Juice & Yogurt: Stir with orange juice and add plain dairy-free yogurt. Mix well until the ingredients are combined.
4. Add Vanilla & Zest: Add vanilla extract and orange zest.
5. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
6. Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Add half the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix well, before adding in the remaining dry ingredients. Mix again until just combined (do NOT overmix.)
7. Add Cranberries: Fold in the cranberries until they are evenly distributed.
8. Divide Batter in Cups: Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups (they’ll be quite full).
9. Bake Until Golden: Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the muffins are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Let Cool Before Serving: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, before transferring them to a wire rack.
11. Sprinkle & Serve: Sprinkle the cooled muffins with powdered sugar and serve!

Notes

Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but feel free to use cane sugar, light brown sugar, or dark brown sugar if you prefer (just bear in mind that the darker the sugar, the darker the batter will be).

Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always keep a bottle of it on hand. However, feel free to use another type of vegetable oil if you prefer.

Eggs: The eggs are essential in binding the ingredients together, so make sure to include them in.

Juice & Zest: For the best orange flavor, I recommend using freshly squeezed orange juice and freshly grated orange zest.

Yogurt: I used plain dairy-free yogurt to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular Greek yogurt instead.

Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor. However, if you are not a fan of vanilla, feel free to leave it out.

Gluten-Free Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour blend (a gluten-free 1:1 substitute for regular wheat flour) that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch) to ensure a lighter and fluffier final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.

Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include xanthan gum, make sure to add it in.

Baking Powder: Baking powder is the only leavening agent used in this recipe to help the batter rise, so make sure to add it in. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.

Spices: To add fall flavors, I’ve used a combination of warm spices including ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and cardamom.

Cranberries: I used fresh cranberries but frozen cranberries will work too. Alternatively, if you don’t have fresh cranberries, you can also use unsweetened dried cranberries (make sure to soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes before using).

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Muffins
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American