These Cranberry, Orange & Pecan Muffins are the perfect combination of tart and sweet. By using fresh cranberries rather then dried cranberries (which are packed with sugar) these are naturally sweetened with just honey and orange juice. They are Paleo, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Gluten Free & Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.
Cranberries are a great fruit to stock up on during the few short weeks between late October and mid December when they are available fresh in stores. I buy bags of cranberries and store them in the freezer to use throughout the year in a variety of dishes. I have always found cranberries to be under appreciated, eaten primarily as a condiment alongside turkey or dried as craisins. I used to love snacking on craisins or adding them to salads but after discovering the amount of sugar they contained (1/4 cup has 4 teaspoons of sugar!), I quickly nipped that habit in the bud.
I have previously steered clear of cranberry muffins and loaves as I found the batters were always too sweet, over compensating for the sour berries. I can truthfully say that these are the first cranberry muffins I have ever tasted that I absolutely love. I used fresh cranberries rather than dried, to ensure each bite has a hint of tart flavour which is perfectly contrasted with the sweet orange zest. I love how juicy the cranberries become once baked, together with the crunchy pecans this results in a delicious muffin with lots of great texture. I have managed to quickly eat my way through a batch, enjoying them slightly warm for breakfast or as healthy protein packed afternoon snack. These Cranberry Orange muffins also freeze well so you can double the recipe and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Love tasty muffin recipes? Here are a few others you might enjoy:
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Chunky Monkey Muffins
- Zucchini, Lemon & Poppy Seed Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins Topped with Pecans
- Butternut Squash, Spinach & Feta Muffins
- Zucchini, Cheddar & Pancetta Muffins
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Cranberry, Orange & Pecan Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups Almond Flour
- 1/3 cup Coconut Flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and line a muffin tray with liners
- In a mixing bowl add the eggs, vanilla, melted coconut oil, honey, orange juice and zest. Add the baking soda on top of the orange juice so that it begins to foam and then add in the flours and stir on low speed until just combined, don’t over mix
- Using a spoon, gently stir in the fresh cranberries and chopped pecans
- Fill each muffin cup to the top with batter and gently press down on the batter to make sure they are firmly filled. I usually top each muffin with a few extra cranberries to make them look pretty.
- Bake in the over for approximately 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool completely for at least 20 minutes before removing from the tins.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
175 degrees left my muffins still completely raw.
ThIs is my worry! Must be a typo?!?
I’m sorry to hear that! As many ovens seem to run at different temperatures I recommend baking for another 5 minutes and then testing with a toothpick. Cooking times may also vary depending on the size of the muffins so regularly checking with a toothpick is the best way to ensure they cook properly
I cooked them for an extra 5 minutes and they came out perfect! These are so good!
You realize this is 175 celsius, right? That would be 350 Fahrenheit.
it is 175 celcius , 350 degrees farenheit
175 C. Equates to 350 fareinhiet. Which were you using? Celsius or fahrenheit? That would make a world of difference. 🧁
These are great – so moist and flavorful without much added sugar! I even cut down the honey to about 1/3 cup, and I didn’t miss the extra sweetness. I made these yesterday morning and it was a perfect weekday breakfast treat warm out of the oven. With a bit of prep the night before they came together quickly and baked while I was in the shower.
Were these mini muffins? Because when I typed in the recipe into The Recipe Nutrition Finder, it was more like 52gm of carbs for regular sized muffins!
Hhmm really? These muffins are on the smaller side but I dont think making them much bigger should result in that many carbs. The almond flour in this recipe contains 54grams of carbs but that is for the entire recipe.
I love these muffins. I also made them with fresh blueberries and used lemon zest and juice in place of the orange and added cinnamon. These were great as well.
I love the creativity Vicki! Those sound like great substitutes! This is a great recipe to use all year round adding in whatever is in season, raspberries, blackberries, different nuts….the options are endless!
Can you use regular flour? I’ve made muffins with almond flour and my family just does not like them.
Vicki, how much cinnamon did you add?
Do you have a carb count on these? They are delicious and they came out beautifully for me the first time.
Karen i’m so glad you liked them! I did I quick calculation and I believe there are 5g of carbs per muffin.
I did the math on all the ingredients and came up with 12.2 g net carbs per muffin. I love the recipe. Trying low carbs, but got tired of eggs for breakfast.
Yes closer to 13 carbs.
What about swapping in frozen blueberries? Should you thaw them similarly?
Hi Abby, Blueberries would make a great alternative to cranberries. You can use either fresh or frozen but like the cranberries I would recommend allowing them to thaw first so the moisture doesn’t change the consistency of the muffins. Enjoy!
thanks!
Can you use frozen cranberries?
Hi Sandra, yes you can, just allow them to thaw first to reduce the amount of moisture they will add to the muffin batter.
I made these muffins today and they are so good! I absolutely love the cranberry and orange flavour combo and the muffins are so moist! Thanks for the great recipe, I will definitely be making these again.
I’ve neve made muffins before, and these turned out dry and crumbly. Didn’t keep their shape at all. I added more egg. I wonder what I did wrong.
Im so sorry to hear that. Have they completely cooled? I find that they change texture once reaching room temperature and hold together much better. My only other recommendation would be I also find that when filling the muffin cups, it helps to lightly press down on the batter to ensure they are firmly filled.
Hi, try not adding as much coconut flour I add extra almond flour to make up the amount stated. I also use olive oil instead of coconut oil used it because I ran out of the latter. They turned out to be delicious and very moist.
These are absolutely delicious and a great compliment to my morning coffee.
Happy to hear you like them Peter!
are you sure its only 175 for the oven ? just seems kind of low temp
Amanda thats 175 degrees Celsius which is 350 degrees Fahrenheit 🙂
Oh gee sorry blonde moment lol have had enough caffeine
These are perfect in every way!! Absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe except found that I had no pecans on hand mid mixing so subbed unsweetened coconut flakes and came out beautifully. Will definitely make again and again!
Made these muffins.Moist, full of flavor and goodness.
Enjoyed every bite.
Thank you