These gluten free cranberry orange muffins are hearty, moist, and lightly sweet, with tart bursts of fresh cranberry and bright orange in every bite. Gluten free oats and a little applesauce make them a filling breakfast muffin, not a cupcake in disguise. They're perfect for Christmas morning, holiday brunch, or busy weekday breakfasts all season long.
I love having a batch of these on the counter during the holidays to enjoy with my morning coffee. They have that perfect balance of tart and sweet, and they're hearty enough to keep me going on a busy day.
I also tuck them into lunches as a healthier treat. I like to double this recipe and make a batch freeze for mornings when things get busy on the farm.
If you are looking for more muffin recipes try my Gluten Free Blueberry Oat Muffins, my Gluten Free Banana Oat Muffins, my Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins or my Gluten Free Apple Carrot Muffins.
You can find all of my breakfast recipes here: Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes
You can find all of my cranberry recipes here: Gluten Free Cranberry Recipes
Not sure which gluten free flour to reach for? Check out my guide: Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 vs King Arthur Measure for Measure: Which Gluten Free Flour to Use and When
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Ingredient Notes for Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Tips for the Best Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Can I Use Frozen or Dried Cranberries?
- How to Store and Freeze Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Easy Variations and What to Serve With Them
- Supplies for Making Muffins
- More Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Did You Make These Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins?
- Top Tip
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why You'll Love These Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Hearty and filling. Gluten free oats and almond flour make these muffins satisfying enough for breakfast on a busy morning.
- Lightly sweet. The whole batch uses only ½ cup of sugar, with applesauce for moisture, so the tart cranberries really shine.
- Fresh cranberry flavor. Chopped fresh cranberries and orange peel give every bite bright holiday flavor.
- Easy to make ahead. They keep for days and freeze well, so you can bake once and have breakfast ready all week.
Ingredient Notes for Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Gluten free flour: I use King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour also works in this recipe.
- Gluten free rolled oats: Use oats labeled certified gluten free. Regular oats are often processed with wheat.
- Almond flour: Adds moisture and a tender crumb. Because of the almond flour, these muffins are not nut free.
- Fresh cranberries: Chop them coarsely so you get tart bursts in every bite without large pockets of juice.
- Applesauce: Use unsweetened applesauce. It keeps the muffins moist with less oil and sugar.
- Orange peel and extract: Fresh grated orange peel plus orange extract gives a strong orange flavor in a lighter muffin.
Tips for the Best Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Measure the flour the same way every time. I scoop it into the cup and shake it lightly to level it.
- Grate the orange peel before you do anything else. It's much easier on a whole orange, and you only want the orange part, not the bitter white pith.
- Mix the cranberries in last and only until they're spread through the batter.
- Check for doneness at 35 minutes. The tops should be golden and spring back when you press them lightly.
- Let them cool completely before storing, so steam doesn't make them soggy.
Can I Use Frozen or Dried Cranberries?
Frozen cranberries work well. Chop them while they're still frozen and stir them in without thawing, so they don't turn the batter pink. They may need a few extra minutes in the oven.
I don't recommend dried cranberries in this recipe. They change the flavor and texture of the muffins, and you lose the tart pop that makes these so good.
How to Store and Freeze Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
Let the muffins cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
To freeze, place the cooled muffins in freezer safe bags or containers for up to 1 month. I don't freeze them longer than that because they can get freezer burn. Thaw at room temperature, or warm a frozen muffin in the microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds.
Easy Variations and What to Serve With Them
- Orange glaze: Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice and drizzle over the cooled muffins. Add the glaze right before serving.
- Sparkling tops: Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of coarse sugar over the batter before baking for a crunchy bakery style top.
- Cranberry pecan: Stir in ½ cup chopped pecans with the cranberries.
- White chocolate cranberry: Fold in ½ cup white chocolate chips for a sweeter holiday treat.
What to serve with them: For Christmas morning, serve these with my Gluten Free Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole or Gluten Free Biscuits and Gravy Casserole. They're also lovely with a spoonful of my Gluten Free Cranberry Jam, or on a brunch table next to my Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Biscotti.
Supplies for Making Muffins
These are the tools I use for these muffins, including my favorite muffin tin.
More Recipes You Might Enjoy
I get a lot of my ingredients from Thrive Market. Thrive Market has been a game changer for me eating gluten free. They have so many options I can't get at my rural grocery stores! Use this link to get 40% off your first order!
Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These gluten free cranberry orange muffins are hearty, moist, and lightly sweet, with tart bursts of fresh cranberry and bright orange flavor. They're easy to mix up, keep well all week, and freeze beautifully. Bake a batch for Christmas morning or for easy breakfasts during the busy holiday season.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp. Orange Extract
- 2 large Eggs
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 3 Tbsp. Coconut Oil, melted
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1 Tbsp. Fresh Orange Peel, finely grated
- ¾ cup Milk
- 1 ¼ cup Almond Flour
- 1 ¼ cup Gluten Free Flour
- 1 ¼ cup Gluten Free Rolled Oats
- 1 cup Fresh Cranberries, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 muffin tin with liners or grease the pan with butter or coconut oil.
In the bowl of your stand mixer beat the applesauce, vanilla, orange extract, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and melted coconut oil until blended together.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange peel, milk, almond flour, gluten free flour and gluten free rolled oats to the wet mixture and blend until combined. Add the chopped fresh cranberries and blend until they are just mixed into the batter.
Spoon the batter into each muffin cup evenly. This recipe makes 12 muffins.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until muffins are golden and spring back to your touch.
Let the muffins cool completely and then store them in an airtight container for up to a week.
If you made this recipe please leave a star rating and comment below. It helps other readers find this recipe and means so much to me.
Notes
Substitutions: I would not substitute dried cranberries for fresh cranberries. It will change the flavor and texture of the muffins.
Frozen cranberries: Chop them while frozen and stir them in without thawing. They may need a few extra minutes in the oven.
Oats: Use oats labeled certified gluten free.
Muffin tin: Line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners, or grease it with butter or coconut oil.
Cooling: Let the muffins cool completely before storing so they don't get soggy.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Did You Make These Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins?
If you make these gluten free cranberry orange muffins, please leave a star rating and a comment at the bottom of this post. I love hearing how they turned out, and your rating helps other gluten free families find a recipe they can trust.
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Top Tip
Chop the fresh cranberries coarsely and stir them in last, just until they're spread through the batter. Mixing too much after the cranberries go in breaks them up and can turn the batter pink and the muffins dense.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't like to leave muffins in the freezer for longer than one month. Make sure you are using freezer safe bags or containers to store them in. I've found leaving them in the freezer longer than one month can lead to freezer burn and alters the taste.
Yes! These muffins are made with gluten free oats and applesauce and only ½ cup of sugar for the whole batch, so they're heartier and less sweet than a bakery muffin. They're so good with a cup of coffee.
No. This recipe uses almond flour, which adds moisture and a tender crumb. If you need nut free muffins, try my Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins instead.
Oats don't contain gluten, but they're often grown and processed alongside wheat. Always buy oats labeled certified gluten free.
The most common causes are too much flour or overmixing. Scoop the flour into your measuring cup and shake it lightly to level it, and stir only until the batter comes together.
Yes. Fill a greased mini muffin tin and start checking at about 15 to 18 minutes. They're done when the tops spring back when you press them lightly.
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