Vegan Cranberry Orange Spiced Bourbon Muffins
These fluffy vegan cranberry orange muffins are filled with warm spices, a little hint of rich bourbon, bright citrus, and burst of tartness from the cranberries. These are a great holiday muffin that is a great breakfast, brunch, or snack!
Tis the holiday season to enjoy all things cranberry! These vegan cranberry orange muffins are great for the time of year when it’s cranberry season (~September-November) and you will find lots of fresh cranberries at your local grocery store.
If you love these muffins, check out my fluffy Vegan Coffee Cake Muffins (also great for a brunch).
Ingredients
Ingredient notes:
- Fresh cranberries: I highly recommend fresh if possible for this recipe. You could also use frozen, but make sure to defrost before use. You can find fresh cranberries at your local grocery store, especially during the fall months.
- Oranges: You will need two large oranges for this recipe. Use the zest of one full orange and the juice from both the oranges.
- Plant-based milk: I like to use soy milk or almond milk for this recipe.
- Vegan butter or oil: You can either use melted vegan butter or a neutral oil for this recipe (such as canola).
- All purpose flour: This is the best type of flour for this recipe. For a gluten-free option, you can try a gluten-free flour like King Arthur 1:1 Gluten-free Flour.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it lightly.
If you’re using fresh cranberries, chop them roughly. You can also use a food processor. If you’re using frozen cranberries, make sure to thaw them and chop if necessary.
Zest one large orange.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, combine the orange juice, bourbon, non-dairy milk, plant-based yogurt, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
Step 5: Gently fold in the chopped cranberries and orange zest.
Step 6: Spoon the muffin batter into the cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Optional: Add a few chopped cranberries on the top of each muffin to make your muffin look more festive!
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The top should be a light golden brown.
Step 7: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.Enjoy warm with a little butter or peanut butter!
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes you can. Use 1.5 cups dried to substitute for the fresh.
To avoid dense or dry muffins, be careful not to overmix the batter. Mix until just combined. Additionally, make sure not to overbake the muffins; they are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Yes! Feel free to add chopped pecans or walnuts to this recipe.
No- this is totally optional. Just use water in place of bourbon.
Store vegan cranberry orange muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or extend their freshness by refrigerating in a sealed container for a longer duration. For longer-term storage, freeze completely cooled muffins in airtight containers, ensuring they remain delicious for up to three months.
Pro Tips
- For best results and flavor, enjoy these muffins warm with a little butter- yum!
- If you want a healthier muffin, substitute with applesauce for melted vegan butter.
- The addition of a small amount of bourbon really takes these muffins to the next level. Ensure the bourbon is vegan-friendly (some brands may use animal products in the filtration process).
- These muffins are freezer friendly. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months and let thaw before enjoying (or warming in the microwave)
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Vegan Cranberry Orange Spiced Bourbon Muffins
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Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 orange zest from one large orange
- 3/4 cup orange juice ~2 large oranges
- 1/4 cup melted vegan butter*
- 1/4 cup bourbon or water
- 1 tbsp non-dairy milk such as soy or almond (can be sweetened)
- 1/4 cup plain plant-based yogurt* such as soy or almond
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups fresh cranberries chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it lightly.
- If you're using fresh cranberries, chop them roughly. You can also use a food processor. If you're using frozen cranberries, make sure to thaw them and chop if necessary. Zest one orange.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
- In a separate bowl, combine the orange juice, melted vegan butter, bourbon, non-dairy milk, plant-based yogurt, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
- Gently fold in the chopped cranberries and orange zest.
- Spoon the muffin batter into the cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Optional: top with a few chopped cranberries to make your muffin look more festive! Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The top should be a light golden brown.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.Enjoy warm with a little butter or peanut butter!
Notes
- Store vegan cranberry orange muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or extend their freshness by refrigerating in a sealed container for a longer duration. For longer-term storage, freeze completely cooled muffins in airtight containers for up to three months.
I made these over the weekend.
My sons fiancé is vegan and being a meat eating household I have been learning new ways to cook and new recipes so she can enjoy meals with us. My favourite kind are ones where we can all eat the same thing so she doesn’t feel singled out.
These muffins definitely fell into that category!!! EVERYONE loved them! I made them for a family morning tea after church and there wasn’t a single muffin left!!
Thank you for the tip about checking the bourbon, I would have never thought that bourbon might not be vegan! My current bottle didn’t say whether it had used animal products for filtration so I bought a new bottle to be sure (I am certain it will get drunk over the holidays so not a big issue!)
Thank you for a great recipe that worked exactly as you said it would, I’ll definitely be making these again.