Vegan Cranberry Muffins w/ Lemon [Oil Free]

Vegan cranberry muffins are lightly sweetened, and use fresh cranberries and lemon to deliver bursts of tart flavour in every bite. Made using wholesome ingredients, one bowl, and ready in under 30 minutes!

This recipe was originally published in December 2018. It has been updated for content and photos.

These are perfect for your holiday baking, or any time you crave a sweet and tart treat that won’t eat up your daily calorie intake.

Are these muffins healthy?

Yes, these vegan cranberry muffins are ACTUALLY wholesome and a FAR healthier choice than most muffins out there.

Not only are they free from dairy and eggs, but they’re also accidentally gluten free too! This makes them allergen friendly AND low in calories, low in fat, and low in sugar!

Instead of using traditional ingredients like white flour and oil, I’m swapping for healthier choices like oat flour (or whole wheat) and unsweetened applesauce.

So go ahead and include these scrumptious muffins as part of a healthy breakfast. At only 87 calories each, you can even have two. 😉

Why you’ll love these!

1. They’re healthy! For the reasons mentioned above! 😉
2. Incredibly tasty! Considering there’s no oil, no dairy and very little sugar, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how delicious these vegan cranberry muffins are!
3. Sweet and tart, all in one. I love the well rounded flavour in these.
4. Simple to make! Just one bowl and less than 30 minutes needed.
5. Perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert, and a great addition to your Christmas baking.

How to make them

(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. (photos 1-2)

Then add the wet ingredients, except the cranberries and mix until combined, without overmixing. (photo 3)

Now gently fold in the cranberries. (photo 4)

Divide your mixture among 12 muffin cups. Use a non stick muffin pan, or muffin liners. Your muffin tins will be almost full, but these won’t rise too much, so that’s just how you want them. (photos 5-6)

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, approx. 18-20 minutes. (photo 7)

Let your muffins rest for at least 10 minutes before handling, and then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling, or enjoy warm.

How long do they keep?

These vegan cranberry muffins taste best within 1-2 days of baking. (Like most muffins.)

However, they’ll keep at room temperature, in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic wrap for 3-4 days. Make sure to keep them covered so they don’t get dry.

Alternatively, you may refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 1 week.

Can I freeze them?

Yes! If you’re planning ahead, or want to freeze some for another day, just make sure to fully cool the muffins to room temperature first.

Then place them in an air tight, freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

What if I don’t have oat flour?

If you don’t have any oat flour on hand, you may sub for whole wheat flour. Or, you may grind rolled oats in a blender until a flour consistency is reached.

This is not only less expensive than purchasing oat flour, but also extremely quick and simple.

Can I make any other substitutions or variations?

For nut free, you may sub the cashew milk for soy or coconut milk instead.

Turn these into cranberry orange muffins by subbing the lemon juice for freshly squeezed orange juice, and the zest for orange zest. (Or make my cranberry orange bread.)

You may sub the cranberries for another fresh fruit, like blueberries, if preferred.

Expert Tips for Success

1. Do not over mix your batter. With most muffin recipes, it’s best not to over mix for optimal texture and fluffiness. When combining wet and dry ingredients, just mix until there are no more floury bits, but don’t worry about working out every lump.
2. Use a non stick muffin pan (or grease your tins if needed). If you decide to use muffin liners instead, make sure the muffins are COMPLETELY cooled before removing the liners. If you try to remove the liners too soon, the muffin won’t peel clean from the liner.
3. Let your muffins cool. With or without liners, your vegan cranberry muffins need at least 10 minutes to rest once removed from the oven. After the rest period, you may carefully remove them from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack.

More favourite muffin recipes

• Vegan Raspberry Muffins
• Mini Quinoa Sweet Potato Muffins
• Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Healthy Banana Carrot Muffins
• Banana Pumpkin Muffins

If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.

Buon appetito

Rosa