Cranberry Orange Muffins

These vegan orange cranberry muffins are the perfect healthy sweet treat for any occasion! Soft, fluffy, and super easy to make in just about 30 minutes, they are packed full of flavour and great for a dessert, snack or even breakfast. Gluten-free and oil-free. 

On Saturday, I’ll officially be done with my first term of uni. It’s amazing just how fast the term has flown by, and at the same time I can’t quite believe that I’ve only been here for eight weeks because it feels like a lot longer! Overall, my student experience has been incredible, but I’m also very excited to see my family and welcome the festive season.

Over the years, I’ve gotten more and more into Christmas, and try my best to make an effort in the run up to get in the mood by doing Christmassy things. This year is no exception.

My vacation plans, of course, involve a lot of cooking and baking. Baking in particular is something that I haven’t had much time to do while at uni, so I’m looking forward to making new treats such as these orange cranberry muffins and sharing with all of you.

Christmas is tricky for many vegans, especially if no one else in the family shares their beliefs/dietary preferences, but the good thing is that food brings people together! I absolutely love bringing along something for everyone to enjoy, which is often of the sweet treat variety.

Also, if you have any recipe requests, feel free to leave those down in the comments below!

Vegan cranberry orange muffins

I think these muffins are a perfect holiday treat with plenty of seasonal flavour. They have a lovely hint of orange and tanginess from the fresh cranberries.

Together, the two flavours work like magic! You can either bring these along to the Christmas table, or at any point in the buildup to the 25th. And to be honest, they’re too delicious not to eat throughout the entire year!

The main ingredient in this is buckwheat flour, which is one of my favourite gluten-free flours to bake with as it’s quite easy to implement into a whole range of treats.

The end result is fluffy, soft muffins that will make the kitchen smell amazing while in the oven. I would recommend eating them straight away while they’re still warm, but they also last for a good 2-3 days (being as delicious as they are, they’re usually gone within a few hours though!).

A perfect vegan Christmas dessert

You will love these cranberry orange muffins because they are…

• Simply beyond delicious
• Festive and Christmassy
• Perfect for sharing with friends and family
• Made with healthy ingredients
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free
• Super fluffy
• Beginner-friendly and easy to make

These are perfect either as dessert, a snack with a cup of tea or even as breakfast! I can guarantee that I will be making these many times throughout this holiday season, sharing them with friends and family. Baking is definitely one of my favourite activities this time of year, and I love how these add a healthy twist to a wonderful combination of flavours!

How to make healthy cranberry orange muffins

This vegan muffin recipe seriously couldn’t be easier! Even if you’re a complete beginner when it comes to baking (I’m totally far from an expert, which is why my savoury recipes take a lot less testing lol), anyone can make these a success.

Start off by simply stirring together the dry ingredients, which are buckwheat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and ground flaxseed.

In a separate bowl, stir together the wet ingredients, which are oat milk, orange juice, apple cider vinegar and peanut butter. Then, add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix them together well, before adding fresh cranberries and the zest of an orange.

Distribute the batter evenly between muffin cases and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C/356 F for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Allow them to cool for around 5 minutes, and that’s pretty much it!

Other recipes you might like…

• How about a slice of vegan polenta cake for breakfast?
• If you’re looking for savoury Christmas dishes, give an easy lentil loaf a go!
• My chickpea cinnamon apple cake is another delicious healthy treat.

Let me know in the comments: what’s your favourite thing to cook or bake this time of year? If you give these cranberry orange muffins a go, tag me on Instagram (@earthofmariaa) so I can see your creations!