What You'll Need

Ingredients for orange cranberry muffins on a wood cutting board.

Here are a few notes about the key ingredients and substitutions. You'll find the full recipe at the bottom of the post:

oat flour - I use oat flour pretty often, so I usually buy it to save time. But you can also make your own by blending rolled oats in a high-powered blender until finely ground. For more ways to use it, try my 5-ingredient oat flour banana muffins and vegan carrot cake next!

rolled oats - for additional texture

baking soda and powder - these cause the muffins to rise and help them bake evenly

sugar and maple syrup - initially I tested the recipe with light brown sugar, which you can use, but regular cane sugar allows the orange flavor to really shine. A little bit of maple syrup also boosts the sweetness and adds moisture. Sub with agave nectar, if needed.

non-dairy yogurt - I used plain almond milk yogurt, but other varieties are also fine, like coconut, cashew, or soy yogurt. As written, the muffins aren't super sweet. If you'd like to make them more dessert-worthy, feel free to use a sweetened vanilla yogurt.

fresh cranberries - I took inspiration for this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction's cranberry orange muffins. Sally says frozen cranberries can be used instead of fresh, and not to thaw them first. I haven't tested the recipe yet with frozen cranberries. If you do, let us know in the comments.

oranges - since all of the orange flavor in the muffins comes from fresh orange zest, you definitely do NOT want to skimp! Two medium/large oranges will give you enough. You'll also use the juice from one orange.

Tip :

Citrus dries out once it's been zested. Since you only need the juice from one of the oranges, enjoy the other as your "chef's snack," or save it for later by wrapping with saran wrap or placing inside an airtight reusable storage bag or container.

How to Make the Muffins

Mixing dry and wet ingredients for muffin batter in separate bowls.

Preheat the oven to 365°F. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl stir the orange zest into the yogurt, then add the remaining wet ingredients. Whisk well to dissolve the sugar.

Folding cranberries and walnuts into the batter.

Pour wet ingredients into dry, and whisk just until you have a fluffy batter with no dry flour remaining. Fold in the whole cranberries and chopped walnuts or pecans.

Batter divided among a standard muffin pan.

Divide the batter evenly across the 12 muffin cups (they will be quite full). Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with more nuts, if desired.

One dozen muffins cooling on a wire rack.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the muffins are firm on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer the muffins to a cooling rack.

Serving

Orange cranberry muffins are great warm for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea, or paired with a bowl of yogurt and fruit for a more filling start. They also make a lovely holiday brunch addition alongside a vegan frittata or crustless tofu quiche.

For an afternoon snack, enjoy a muffin with a smear of jam or nut butter.

Helpful Tips

Properly measure the flour: I always recommend using a kitchen scale for the best, most consistent results. If you don't have one, whisk the oat flour first, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top.
Avoid bitter white pith: When zesting the oranges, make just one pass over each spot on the peel. The bright outer layer is where all the flavor is. Go any deeper and you'll hit the white pith, which tastes bitter and may overwhelm the muffins' sweet citrus notes.
Cool completely: Let the muffins cool fully before digging in. The crumb sets as they rest, making the texture softer and more cohesive. The flavor gets better, too!

Recipe