Cranberry Orange Muffins are the perfect recipe for a holiday brunch. Made with fresh cranberries and almond flour, they are gluten-free and bursting with flavor.

cranberry muffin split in half near cranberries.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh cranberries are usually available between October and December. If you can’t find fresh ones, frozen cranberries should work, as well. (No need to thaw them, but the muffins may require a few more minutes in the oven.)

Paired with fresh orange juice and orange zest, pure maple syrup, and protein-packed eggs, these muffins have a fluffy texture and plenty of flavor in each bite. 

I use avocado oil for these, but olive oil or any other neutral-flavored oil will work. Melted coconut oil or butter will give these muffins a drier texture if served chilled, so keep that in mind when substituting. 

almond flour, eggs, maple syrup, cranberries, fresh orange, oil, and vanilla extract labeled on a white surface. almond flour, eggs, maple syrup, cranberries, fresh orange, oil, and vanilla extract labeled on a white surface.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 12-cup muffin pan with 12 parchment paper liners. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

  • 2 cups of almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt

Whisk well to combine the dry ingredients. 

almond flour whisked with wet ingredients added to bowl. almond flour whisked with wet ingredients added to bowl.

Next, add the wet ingredients:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup of maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup of avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Zest and juice one medium orange (about 2 tablespoons juice)

Stir well. If the batter looks thick, add one tablespoon of water and stir again. The batter should drip off the spatula, but it won’t be as runny as traditional muffin batter.

almond flour muffin batter stirred in a bowl and cranberries chopped on a cutting board.almond flour muffin batter stirred in a bowl and cranberries chopped on a cutting board.
  • Fold in 1 1/2 cups of chopped cranberries.

Then, use a 1/4 cup to scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin. You should get 11 to 12 muffins from the batch depending on how heaping your scoops are. 

Bake the cranberry muffins at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes. They will not develop a big dome on top, but they should feel firm to the touch in the center.

cranberries stirred into muffin batter and added to muffin pan. cranberries stirred into muffin batter and added to muffin pan.

For bigger muffins, fill the muffin cups more. In that case, you might only get 6 to 8 muffins from this batch. Test the center with a toothpick if you want to make sure the middles are done. The edges of the muffins should look lightly golden.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve them at room temperature for the best flavor. 

almond flour cranberry muffins cooled in a muffin tin.almond flour cranberry muffins cooled in a muffin tin.

storage tip

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Or freeze them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Looking for more muffin recipes? Try Healthy Apple Muffins, Vegan Pumpkin Muffins, or Chocolate Zucchini Muffins for more delicious ideas.



  • 2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup avocado oil (or other mild-flavored oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 medium orange (juice and zest)
  • 1 ½ cups chopped cranberries

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a muffin tin with 12 parchment paper liners. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to remove any clumps.

  • Next, add in the eggs, maple syrup, avocado oil, vanilla extract, the zest of the fresh orange, and the juice from the orange. (I usually get 2 tablespoons of juice from one medium orange.) Stir well, then fold in the chopped cranberries.

  • Use a ¼ cup measure to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes. When done, the muffins should feel firm to the touch in the center. Let them cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

  • Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 muffins. This information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, so it’s just an estimate and not a guarantee.
Flour Substitute: This recipe was tested with almond flour, so I can only guess how another variety of flour might work. My best guess is that 1 1/4 cups of oat flour could be used as a swap for 2 cups of almond flour. If you want to use coconut flour, try this recipe.

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 97IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 1mg

If you try these healthy cranberry orange muffins, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.

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