Vegan Cranberry Almond Orange Muffins

These vegan cranberry almond orange muffins are fluffy, sweet, and bursting with juicy cranberries. Plus, they're packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats. They make the perfect addition to any weekend brunch!

This post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Blissful Basil!

These brunch-friendly muffins are perfect for any upcoming Easter celebrations you'll be hosting or attending.

They come together in a pinch and are a total crowd-pleaser (whether the crowd you're aiming to please is vegan or not).

The icing on top is completely optional but its sweetness takes these citrus-infused, cranberry studded muffins from delicious to downright delectable.

Their texture is light, fluffy, moist, and altogether unparalleled by any other muffins I've shared with you to date.

What's the trick?

Using a combination of Bob's Red Mill spelt flour and super-fine natural almond flour. The spelt flour offers just enough gluten to bind the muffins together while the almond flour adds lift and fluffiness (not to mention protein and fiber).

These vegan cranberry almond orange muffins come together with just 15 minutes of active kitchen time + a speedy 20-minute bake time.

To make them, you'll start by preparing a flax egg. Simply whisk together a bit of ground flaxseed and a splash of filtered water in a medium mixing bowl. Let the mixture rest for about five minutes, or until it thickens into a goopy, slightly gelatinous consistency.

Add the remaining wet ingredients to the bowl with the flax egg, including apple sauce, cranberries, Bob's Red Mill Coconut Sugar, virgin coconut oil, maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla. Set aside.

Next, add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl—Bob's Red Mill Spelt Flour + Super-Fine Natural Almond Flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Give it all a quick whisk.

Then, add the wet ingredients to the dry and use a spoon to gently mix until all of the flour has been incorporated.

The batter will be very thick and fluffy.

Once the batter is ready, divide it evenly between 12 muffin liners.

Since this batter is on the thicker side, I find it's easiest to use an ice cream scoop for this step, but you can also use the trusty double-spoon, scoop-n-slide method if you don't have an ice cream scoop.

Bake the muffins for just 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for a bit and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

If you opt for the (optional) icing, go ahead and prepare that while the muffins cool.

Simply scoop a cup or two of vegan powdered sugar into a medium mixing bowl, add a few teaspoons of filtered water, and whisk. Repeat this process until the icing reaches desired, drizzle-worthy consistency. It should be quite thick (to ensure it sets properly) but thin enough to drizzle with a forceful flick of the wrist.

Once the muffins are cool, drizzle them generously with the icing. Then, let them stand at room temperature until the icing sets (about 10 minutes depending on the consistency of your icing).

Once the icing has set, go on and dig in.

These vegan muffins are soft, fluffy, and oh-so-tender. The combination of spelt flour and almond flour gives them an irresistible lift, and the sweetness of the icing plays off the citrusy orange zest and tart cranberries in the best of ways.

I hope they're as loved in your home as they are in ours!

📖 Recipe

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5 from 3 votes

Vegan Cranberry Almond Orange Muffins

These vegan cranberry almond orange muffins are fluffy, sweet, and bursting with juicy cranberries. Plus, they're packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats. They make the perfect addition to any weekend brunch!

Course Breakfast, Muffins

Cuisine plant-based, Vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Author Ashley

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 2 tablespoons filtered water
• ¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce
• ¾ cup frozen cranberries, defrosted (include the liquid if there's any after defrosting)
• ⅓ cup Bob's Red Mill Coconut Sugar
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon melted virgin coconut oil (substitute grapeseed oil for a non-coconutty taste)
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• Zest of one large orange
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Bob's Red Mill Spelt Flour
• ½ cup Bob's Red Mill Super Fine Natural Almond Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Optional Icing

• Vegan powered sugar
• Filtered water

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with parchment paper liners.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed and water. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken. Then, whisk in the remaining wet ingredients (i.e.,apple sauce, cranberries, coconut sugar, coconut oil, maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla).
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (i.e., spelt flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt).
• Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and use a large wooden spoon to stir until just combined (read: no flour patches remain). Be careful not to overmix—spelt has a delicate gluten structure, so overmixing will result in dry, crumbly muffins. The batter should be quite thick and fluffy.
• Divide the batter equally among the 12 muffin liners. (Since the batter is quite thick and fluffy, an ice cream scoop is great for this job, but you can also go the double-spoon route.)
• If desired, garnish the top of each with a light sprinkling of slivered almonds. Press down lightly to ensure they stick to the batter.
• Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Cool completely.

For the Optional Icing

• Add a cup or two of powered sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Add a couple teaspoons of filtered water at a time and whisk. Repeat this process until the desired, drizzle-able consistency is reached.
• Drizzle the icing over the cooled muffins and let stand until the icing sets.
• Store the muffins at room temperature for up to two days, refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month.