Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins (Dairy-Free)
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sunflower oil
3 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2/3 cup dairy-free plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1 large orange)
1/2 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
3 cups gluten-free 1:1 flour
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Directions:
Preheat & Line: Preheat oven to 375°F (190). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease each cavity.
Mix Sugar, Oil & Eggs: In a large mixing bowl, whisk sugar and vegetable oil. Add eggs and mix until smooth.
Add Juice & Yogurt: Stir with orange juice and add plain dairy-free yogurt. Mix well until the ingredients are combined.
Add Vanilla & Zest: Add vanilla extract and orange zest.
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Add half the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix well before adding in the remaining dry ingredients. Mix again until just combined (do NOT overmix.)
Add Cranberries: Fold in the cranberries until they are evenly distributed.
Divide Batter in Cups: Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups (they’ll be quite full).
Bake Until Golden: Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the muffins are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let Cool Before Serving: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Sprinkle & Serve: Sprinkle the cooled muffins with powdered sugar and serve!
Notes:
Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but feel free to use cane sugar, light brown sugar, or dark brown sugar if you prefer (just bear in mind that the darker the sugar, the darker the batter will be).
Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always keep a bottle of it on hand. However, feel free to use another type of vegetable oil if you prefer.
Eggs: The eggs are essential in binding the ingredients together, so make sure to include them.
Juice & Zest: For the best orange flavor, I recommend using freshly squeezed orange juice and freshly grated orange zest.
Yogurt: I used plain dairy-free yogurt to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular Greek yogurt instead.
Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor. However, if you are not a fan of vanilla, feel free to leave it out.
Gluten-Free Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour blend (a gluten-free 1:1 substitute for regular wheat flour) that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch) to ensure a lighter and fluffier final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is a replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include xanthan gum, make sure to add it in.
Baking Powder: Baking powder is the only leavening agent used in this recipe to help the batter rise, so make sure to add it in. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.
Spices: To add fall flavors, I’ve used a combination of warm spices, including ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and cardamom.
Cranberries: I used fresh cranberries, but frozen cranberries will work too. Alternatively, if you don’t have fresh cranberries, you can also use unsweetened dried cranberries (make sure to soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes before using).
Dish by Dish Tips:
No Fresh Cranberries? If you don’t have fresh cranberries, you can also use unsweetened dried cranberries (make sure to soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes before using).
Swap Orange for Lemon: While orange and cranberries make the perfect pair, creating a sweet-tart flavor, you may also use lemon juice and zest if you prefer.
Line Muffin Pan: I highly recommend lining the muffin pan with paper cupcake liners so the batter doesn’t stick to the pan, and it’s easier to remove the muffins once baked.
Recipe courtesy of Dish by Dish.net
