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overhead shot of vegan muffins with cranberry on a gray table
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5 from 24 votes

Vegan Cranberry Muffins (Gluten-Free)

These vegan cranberry muffins are so fluffy and moist, they'll melt in your mouth! A vegan cranberry muffin recipe that's also gluten-free for your friends and family to enjoy anytime of year.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 84kcal
Author: Deborah

Ingredients

  • 2 flax eggs add 4 tablespoon water to 2 tablespoon ground flax seed, stir well and freeze for 10 minutes
  • cup oat milk or any plant-based milk you choose
  • 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
  • 1-¾ cup gluten-free flour
  • cup + 2 tablespoons for topping vegan fine granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1-½ cup fresh or dried cranberries see recipe tips in post under instructions or below to find information on how to prepare your berries.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (191 Celsius), with rack adjusted to lower position. Line a muffin pan with liners (if you don't have any, grease each tin lightly with vegan cooking spray or small amount of vegetable oil on a clean paper towel).
  • Make flax eggs by mixing, in a small bowl, 2 tablespoons ground flax seed with 4 tablespoons water. Stir and place in freezer for 10 to 12 minutes to allow it to thicken.
  • In another small bowl, mix almond milk with champagne vinegar and allow it to sit for 10 minutes until it starts to look curdled, at which time it turns into vegan buttermilk.
  • Into a large bowl, sift flour, vegan sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk gently until it appears combined.
  • As when you make homemade bread with yeast, take your fingers and make a small well in the center of dry ingredients. To your well, add vegetable oil, vanilla, flax eggs, and oat milk and vinegar mixture. Fold with spatula just until ingredients are well-combined.
  • Drain fresh or soaked cranberries, strain and and add about ¾ cups to mixture. Save rest for topping muffins with. Fold gently. Don't be alarmed if your batter is thick and lumpy from the cranberries.
  • Using a greased tablespoon, add 2 heaping spoonfuls of batter to prepared muffin tins. Push 2 or 3 cranberries gently into tops of muffin. Sprinkle with vegan sugar (both steps optional)
  • Bake for 25 minutes. Before removing, insert a toothpick to check if done. If it comes out clean, your muffins are good to go.
  • Remove muffins and place on cooling in the pan for 5-7 minutes. Gently remove each muffin from tins and transfer to cooling rack to allow to cool for another 10 minutes. Enjoy with a cup of my vegan eggnog.

Notes

  • To get the look I achieved with muffins, use fresh cranberries. When using fresh cranberries, add 1 ½ cup to small saucepan of water. Simmer just until they swell. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Do NOT allow them to pop.
  • If using dried cranberries, soak them in water overnight, or add to pot of boiling water, remove from heat, cover and allow to cool at which time they should be nice and swollen from the water intake.
  • If you don't have red foil muffin tin liners or muffin toppers, you can make them decorative using basic ingredients. For example, sprinkle with vegan powdered sugar and top with fresh cranberries, then surround with a few sprigs of Christmas tree or fresh heather.
  • Adjust your baking time according to how hot your oven runs.
  • Allow muffins to cool completely before removing from muffin liner.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 0.4mg