Orange Almond Muffins

Soft and fluffy Orange Almond Muffins flavored with fresh orange zest and both orange and almond extracts! All topped off with an easy and delicious orange almond glaze.

Orange Almond Muffins

I know I say this a lot about the bakes I share, but these muffins are seriously so delicious – you’ll want to eat half the batch at once! These Orange Almond Muffins are fluffy, moist, and perfectly flavored with bright, fresh orange and warm, nutty almond extract. Add the orange almond glaze on top and these muffins are out-of-this-world good.

This recipe is a standard two-bowl set up. You’ll mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and then the dry ingredients in another, and then you’ll gently mix the two together. You can play with the amounts of orange zest/extract and almond extract, but after four test batches, the recipe below reflects the amounts I feel are perfect for these muffins. Not a fan of almond extract? You can easily turn these into orange muffins by omitting the almond 😉

What You’ll Need + Possible Substitutes

• Coconut sugar is my favorite better-for-you sweetener – it’s low GI and doesn’t have any coconut flavor. Feel free to use your favorite granulated sugar instead. White sugar, raw sugar, and unrefined cane sugar will all work 1:1 (note that the gram measurements will vary).
• Olive oil adds moisture to these muffins. You can use avocado oil or melted coconut oil in its place (if using coconut oil, make sure the other ingredients are room temperature).
• Almond milk also adds moisture, and I find it fitting with the “almond” theme. Of course any plant-based milk, or regular milk, will work in this recipe!
• Eggs act as a binder to hold the ingredients together. For vegan muffins, use two flax “eggs” – mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp water; let rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
• Unsweetened applesauce is a great substitute for oil and adds natural sweetness and moisture. I haven’t tested any substitutes for the applesauce in this recipe.
• Almond extract adds a mellow, nutty flavor to these muffins. Its distinct taste brings a warmth that pairs perfectly with the orange. If you’re not a fan of almond extract, you can leave it out and consider these orange muffins.
• Orange extract and orange zest both add brightness and flavor, of course! I like to use both for extra oomph. The zest adds color to the muffins and glaze, while the extract brings flavor without the work of zesting multiple oranges.
• All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of the batter. I like to use an unbleached variety but bleached will work as well. I also love whole wheat pastry flour for this recipe (that’s what my original recipe called for but was omitted for ease).
• Baking soda and baking powder are both used to leaven these muffins.
• Salt enhances flavor and cuts sweetness.
• Powdered sugar makes up the glaze. There are no substitutes for the powdered sugar.

Q&A

Can I make these vegan? Absolutely. Flax eggs work wonderfully in this recipe. For two flax eggs, mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp water; let rest for 5 minutes to thicken.

Can I replace the flour with something healthier? Up to half of the all-purpose flour can be replaced with a whole wheat variety. I haven’t tested this with any gluten-free flours. Whole wheat pastry flour can be used 1:1 in this recipe (and makes the muffins wonderfully fluffy!).

Do I have to use almond extract? You don’t have to. I know the flavor can be polarizing, so if you’re not a fan, you can omit it. Feel free to use vanilla extract instead.

I don’t have orange extract – can I leave it out? You can use more orange zest in place of the extract. The general rule is that 1 tsp of orange zest = 1/2 tsp of orange extract.

Yield: 9 Standard Muffins

Glazed Orange Almond Muffins

Print

Soft and fluffy Orange Almond Muffins flavored with fresh orange zest and both orange and almond extracts! All topped off with an easy glaze!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Muffins

• 1/2 cup (80g) coconut sugar (see Note 1)
• 1/4 cup (38g) olive oil
• 1/4 cup (48g) almond milk (or other milk of choice)
• 2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs - see Note 2)
• 1 cup (250g) unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp orange extract
• Zest from 1 large navel orange
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp (212g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• Zest from 1 large navel orange
• 2-3 Tbsp almond milk (or other milk of choice)

Instructions

Bake the Muffins

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare your muffin pan (nine wells) with liners or non-stick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, oil, almond milk, eggs, applesauce, extracts, and zest from one orange; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift in the flour. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt and whisk until combined. Add the liquid ingredients and gently fold until no flour pockets remain - it's important not to over-mix the batter (this creates tough muffins).
4. Fill nine muffin wells with batter, about 1/4" from the top. Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, and then lower the heat of your oven to 350°F (I like to open the oven door for 30 seconds at this point). Continue baking at 350°F for 17-22 minutes (mine took 19) or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with a couple of crumbs.
5. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before gently removing to a cooling rack. Allow the muffins to cool completely before making your glaze.

Glaze the Muffins

1. Once the muffins have cooled completely, you can make the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the powdered sugar, almond extract, and orange zest.
2. Add the milk 1 tsp at a time until the glaze reaches a consistency that is thin enough for spreading but pours off of a spoon (it will thin out once it's warmed up).
3. Heat the glaze on low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until just warm to the touch.
4. Remove from the heat and immediately (and carefully!) dip each muffin top into the warm glaze. Shake off the excess glaze, turn the muffin over, and set it back on the cooling rack. It's important to work quickly as the warm glaze in your pan will crust within a few minutes - you can give it a quick stir if this begins to happen.
5. Enjoy the glazed muffins immediately or once the glaze has set - it will harden just a bit as it cools.
6. Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator - this ensures the glaze won't melt into the muffins.

Notes

1. Sugar: cane sugar will work just fine in this recipe - I recommend a white granulated sugar (105g or 1/2 cup) or unrefined cane sugar (105g or 1/2 cup).
2. Vegan: use 2 flax eggs in place of the regular eggs. Mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp water; let rest for 5 minutes to thicken.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Almond Extract
• 
  12-Cup Muffin/Cupcake Pan
• 
  Organic Coconut Sugar

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

calculated nutrition information is an estimate - you will not use all of the glaze, so the numbers are a bit skewed

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to see!

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