Zesty Delights: Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins

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Gluten free cranberry orange muffins

These zesty and delightful gluten free Cranberry Orange Muffins have a secret ingredient — cottage cheese! It not only adds a lot of protein, but it makes these gluten free muffins so moist and tender. Whether you’re looking for a scrumptious holiday breakfast option, a delicious snack these muffins fit the bill perfectly.

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Post and recipe card updated 8/17/23

Before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease it was hard enough to feed my family of five. Despite the fact that I followed the rules and didn’t give in to my picky toddler’s demands for chicken nuggets and mac & cheese every night, somehow that toddler become a picky 14 year old, who will only eat a small variety of foods. My middle son, who has a much more adventurous palate, still mostly prefers waffles or any breakfast food for that matter. And my daughter became a vegetarian in May. While dinners are often an exercise in frustration, breakfasts are the most satisfying meals for me to prepare for my motley crew.  I try to make them varied (and healthy-ish) and there is no better time to crank up the oven than when the weather turns and there is a chill in the air.

Gluten Free Cranberry Recipes

Each fall, my mother-in-law sends us a box full of cranberries, picked from a bog near their home in Cape Cod. They are better than any regular cranberries I’ve tasted, mostly because they are sent with love, I suspect. I use them to make relishes, and quick breads, chutneys and the like. And I used them in this gluten free cranberry orange muffins recipe. They are flecked through with tart cranberries and orange zest and given a lean protein punch by the addition of cottage cheese.

Gluten free cranberry orange muffins

So, whether you’re embarking on a gluten-free journey or simply seeking a tantalizing treat that marries the tang of cranberries with the zest of oranges, these gluten free cranberry orange muffins are your ticket to a heartwarming and delicious holiday season!

Looking for more? Here are some other gluten free muffins recipes for you to try.

Did you make these Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and star rating below (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) and post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes! Thank you!

Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins with Cottage Cheese

Alison Needham
These zesty and delightful gluten free Cranberry Orange Muffins have a secret ingredient — cottage cheese! It not only adds a lot of protein, but it makes these gluten free muffins so moist and tender. Whether you're looking for a scrumptious holiday breakfast option, a delicious snack, or a special treat for gatherings, these muffins fit the bill perfectly.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins
Calories 257 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter with brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
  • In another small bowl, whisk flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture along with the whole milk and mix until just combined. Carefully fold in cottage cheese, cranberries, orange zest and nuts until evenly incorporated.
  • Spoon into muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked throughout.

Notes

If my kids knew there was cottage cheese in their muffins they would probably never try them. But it adds protein and moisture, and went thoroughly undetected by my pickiest eaters. If you’re not GF, use regular AP flour in place of the GF flour blend, and omit the xanthan gum.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 245mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 3gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 323IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cottage cheese muffins, gluten free cranberry muffins, gluten free cranberry orange muffins, gluten free muffin recipe, Gluten-Free Muffins
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6 Comments

  1. Thank you for subscribing me.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

  2. How much zest from orange?

    1. I run a microplane grater over the entire orange and use it all in the muffin. One orange will yield about 2 tablespoons of zest.

  3. I just made these, without the cranberry or orange zest, as I was just looking for a plain high-protein muffin. They fell terribly, and have holes nearly all the way through the middle.

  4. My kids liked these- thank you for sharing!

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