These vegan cranberry orange muffins with a hint of spice are perfect for a special occasion or just a lazy Sunday morning.  Dried cranberries, orange flavor, and nutmeg make a flavor combo that you’ll love. And they are free of eggs, dairy, gluten, nuts, and soy, so everyone can enjoy them!

Vegan cranberry orange muffins with lemon glaze on a cooling rack.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Orange, cranberry, and nutmeg are the perfect flavor combo and perfect for fall!
  • They’re easily made with no egg, dairy, gluten, nuts, or soy, so everyone can enjoy them.
  • You can make them ahead and they still taste great the next day.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Flour – I usually use all-purpose white flour for these muffins, but you can also use whole wheat flour or a grain-based gluten-free flour mix.
  • Sugar – any vegan sugar that you want will work. I usually use organic cane sugar. Darker sugar like coconut sugar will make the muffins darker. If you want to use liquid sweeteners like agave nectar or maple syrup, reduce the plant milk by 2 tablespoons.
  • Baking Powder – to make the muffins rise.
  • Baking Soda – to make the muffins rise.
  • Plant-Based Milk – you can use almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or whatever milk you want.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – to curdle the milk and activate the baking soda. You can use white vinegar or lemon juice instead.
  • Apple Sauce – this repaces the egg in traditional muffins. If you don’t have apple sauce you can use 2 mashed bananas.
  • Cooking Oil – any neutral-flavored cooking oil will work. I usually use canola oil, but you can also use light olive oil, coconut oil, or even melted vegan butter.
  • Orange Extract – for flavor.
  • Dried Cranberries – You can also use fresh ones, but these will be very tart.

Instructions

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 400° F (204° C) and prepare muffin tins with either spray oil or cupcake liners.

Step 2 – Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl.

Step 3 – In a separate container (I like to use a large measuring container) add the wet ingredients.

Two pictures showing the wet and dry ingredients to make vegan orange cranberry muffins.

Step 4 – Give the wet ingredients a stir then pour them into the dry mixture.

Step 5 – Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until all of the flour is incorporated, then stir in the dried cranberries.

A series of two pictures showing the wet ingredients being poured into the dry ingredients and then stirred up to make vegan orange cranberry muffins.

Step 6 – Scoop out the batter and add it to the prepared muffin tins filling them about 3/4 of the way full.

Step 7 – Place the muffin tin in the oven and turn down the oven temperature to 375° F (190° C).

Step 8 – Bake for 15- 18 minutes and then allow them to cool before adding the orange glaze or vegan icing if desired.

Pro Tips

  • Be sure to spoon-measure your flour, so you have an accurate measurement.
  • You can add a little orange zest to the muffin batter and/or the glaze for a stronger orange flavor.
  • Make sure to preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and that it has reached that temperature before putting your muffins in the oven or they will not rise as much.
  • Make sure your baking powder has not expired, or it will not rise well and you will have flat muffins.
A close up of vegan cranberry orange muffins on a cooling rack.

How to make an orange glaze

It is super easy to make a glaze to drizzle over your muffins!  Simply mix 1/3 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tsp of orange juice and a 1/2 tsp orange extract in a small bowl… and you’re done!  (You don’t need the orange extract in the glaze, but it does give it a stronger orange flavor). 

You can also use my vegan crumble topping baked on top of the muffins instead of the orange glaze.

Frequently asked questions

Can these be made gluten-free?

I love these muffins made with 1 cup of white flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour.  This gave them a great flavor and texture.  However, to achieve the same thing, use 1 cup of a gluten-free flour mix and 1 cup of oat flour.

What is oat flour?

Oat flour may sound fancy, but it is simply oats ground down into a powder.  To do this, just put whole oats (GF oats if needed) into a dry blender and pulse for about 30 seconds until they become the desired consistency.

Can I make them oil-free?

Yes, it is easy to make these cranberry orange muffins fat-free by simply adding 1/3 cup additional applesauce instead of using oil.

A top view of vegan cranberry orange muffins on a cooling rack.

More healthy muffin recipes

Vegan cranberry muffin recipe

A top view of vegan cranberry orange muffins with lemon glaze.
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5 from 4 rating

Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep: 7 minutes
Cook: 18 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A vegan cranberry muffin with a hint of orange and spice!
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Ingredients

Dry ingredients

  • 2 cups flour, (I like 1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
  • 2/3 cup vegan sugar, or sweetener of choice
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice)
  • 1 cup dried cranberries

Wet ingredients

  • 3/4 cup soy milk , or any plant-based milk of choice
  • 1/2 cup apple sauce
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice, (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/3 cup oil, (any neutral flavored oil will work) or sub with 1/3 cup more applesauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons orange extract

For the orange glaze (optional)

  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and prepare muffin tins with either spray oil or cupcake liners.
  •  Measure out all the dry ingredients ( 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1 cup dried cranberries) and add them to a mixing bowl.
  • In a separate container (I like to use a large measuring cup) add all the wet ingredients. (3/4 cup milk of choice, 1/2 cup apple sauce, 1/3 cup oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp orange extract)
  • Give the wet ingredients a good stir and then pour them into the dry mixture and dried cranberries.
  • Stir with a spatula until it forms a smooth batter and then immediately fill the cupcake tins.
  •  Place in oven and turn down the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
  • Bake for 18 minutes and then allow to cool before adding orange glaze if desired.

For the orange glaze

  • Mix the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange extract in a small bowl until smooth, then drizzle over top of the cool muffins.

Notes

  • Be sure to spoon-measure your flour, so you have an accurate measurement. 
  • You can add a little orange zest to the muffin batter and/or the glaze for a stronger orange flavor.
  • Make sure to pre-heat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and that it has reached that temperature before putting your muffins in the oven or they will not rise as much.
  • Make sure your baking powder has not expired, or it will not rise well and you will have flat muffins.
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 219kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Sodium: 160mg, Potassium: 182mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 65IU, Vitamin C: 1.3mg, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 1mg
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*This recipe was originally posted on 9/13/2018.  It was updated on 10/17/24 to include new images and more detailed instructions.