Orange cranberry muffins are packed with tart cranberries and fresh orange flavor for a soft, buttery treat that can be enjoyed any time of the day. Baked in less than 30 minutes, these muffins are great as a grab-and-go breakfast or snack. (They’re also gluten-free, low-carb, and paleo.)

If you love oranges and cranberries together, then you have to try our naturally sweetened Orange Cranberry Sauce next! It can also double as a spread for your muffins!

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Take a bite of bliss when you try these orange cranberry muffins! Cranberries and oranges are in season during the fall and winter. So serve them at your brunches, parties, and dinners, this holiday season!

No storebought muffins can compare to these! Served warm and fresh from the oven, these gluten-free orange cranberry muffins are moist, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

You’ll love these Orange Cranberry Muffins because they’re:

Healthy – Cranberries are a superfood. They’re packed with antioxidants and promote gut health. Of course, oranges are high in Vitamin C, but the skin holds most of the fruit’s nutrition. Orange zest includes fiber and polyphenols, which can help prevent chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes.
Convenient – Make these easy cranberry orange muffins ahead of time so you can grab them on the go as a quick breakfast or mid-day snack.
Better Than Store-bought – Compared to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts muffins, these homemade cranberry muffins are bursting with bright flavors from fresh orange juice, orange zest, and tangy cranberries. There are no preservatives and you get cranberries in every mouthful!
Diet-Friendly: These muffins are a low-carb treat that is completely gluten-free, paleo, and refined-sugar free.

a single orange cranberry muffin with the liner removed

Ingredients You’ll Need

Blanched Almond flour: For this recipe, protein-rich almond flour is essential. Be sure to use blanched (skins removed) almond flour and not almond meal, which is simply ground almonds and has a grainy texture. Blue Diamond Almond Flour works best. Finely sifted almond flour absorbs all the ingredients to make the best cranberry orange muffins. The rich, buttery flavor can’t be replicated with a substitute.
Spices: Salt, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and cardamom.
Orange zest: Wash and zest the orange before juicing it.
Baking powder: This ingredient makes light, fluffy muffins.
Coconut sugar: This natural sweetener is an alternative to processed sugar and gives the muffins the perfect amount of sweetness. Of course, you can always use brown sugar if you prefer.
Butter: Use melted butter for easy mixing.
Orange juice: This adds a pop of vibrant orange flavor.
Vanilla extract: Use real extract instead of artificial vanilla.
Eggs: Use large, room-temperature eggs so they can mix better with the other ingredients.
Cranberries: Whether you use frozen or fresh cranberries, the recipe stays the same!

How to Make Orange Cranberry Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, salt, spices, baking powder, orange zest, and coconut sugar.
Mix in the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange juice. Then, fold in the cranberries.
Using a spoon or spatula, fill the muffin cups with the mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let the muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack. Enjoy!

Tips And Recipe Variations

If you use frozen cranberries, don’t thaw them or they’ll bleed into the batter. Just add them directly to the batter.
For added texture, add walnuts or pecans to make cranberry nut orange muffins.
Don’t use an electric mixer or you could risk overmixing the batter.
For a nice presentation, add a few cranberries on top before placing the muffin pan in the oven.
These cranberry muffins taste delicious as is but if you want to add something extra consider a simple vanilla glaze or icing or, even a streusel topping.
Allow the muffins to rest for about five minutes after baking or they may fall apart. But don’t let them sit in the muffin tin too long because then they may become soggy. Five minutes is the perfect amount of time.

close up view of a basket of this morning treat

Storage, Freezing, Rewarming

TO STORE: These Orange cranberry muffins should be completely cool before they are stored. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
TO FREEZE: Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
TO WARM: When you are ready to enjoy them, you can let them come to room temperature and reheat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. If frozen, thaw the muffins overnight in the fridge before rewarming them.

overhead view of muffins on a cooling rack

Common Questions

Do you have to cook cranberries before baking?

You don’t have to cook cranberries before baking them in muffins. Simply rinse and dry them before adding them to the batter.

Can I use dried cranberries for this recipe?

Yes, you can use dried cranberries to make cranberry muffins. However, you’ll need to soak them in hot water for 10 minutes before adding them to the batter. Cook them as instructed but note they may be chewier and sweeter than fresh or frozen cranberries.

What makes an orange cranberry muffin moist?

For moist muffins, use the right techniques while cooking. Avoid overworking the batter by mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately. Don’t overcook the muffins.

a basket of orange cranberry muffins with a bowl of cranberries in the background

I hope you enjoy this Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe!

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