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    Hummusapien » Recipes » Breakfast » Fluffy Orange Muffins

    ★★★★★ from 15 reviews

    Fluffy Orange Muffins

    Published May 4, 2020 · Modified Feb 14, 2022 · by Alexis Joseph · 40 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Fluffy Orange Muffins bursting with citrus flavor from fresh orange juice and zest. Made with whole grain flour and yogurt for a healthier spin.

    orange muffin on small white plate

    Allow me to elaborate on exactly how this orange muffin recipe was conceived.

    I just can't get enough of my Lemon Blueberry Muffins lately. But when I got a boatload of oranges in my CSA box a couple weeks ago, I knew there was a new challenge I couldn't turn down. The fluffiest orange muffins in all the land scented with vanilla and packed with all the fresh citrus goodness were born!

    These are the kind of muffins you want to nosh on while you sip your morning coffee, perhaps while taking a leisurely stroll outside in the early sunshine with someone you love. Ahhh...does that not sound like THE most stupendous situation right now?

    Let's make it happen!

    How to make orange muffins

    I love how easy these muffins come together in one bowl with a few pantry staples. And would ya look at that gorgeous height! I learned from Sally the baking pro that giving these muffins an initial blast of high heat and then reducing the temperature helps create those beautifully domed muffins.

    1. Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, salt in a large mixing bowl.
    2. Mix wet ingredients (yogurt, orange juice, zest, oil, eggs, and vanilla) in a medium bowl.
    3. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until no flour clumps remain.
    4. Spoon batter into muffin tin and bake!

    muffin with a bite taken out stacked

    Key ingredients and substitutions

    • Whole wheat pastry flour: Because it’s so fluffy! You could also use white whole wheat flour, purpose flour, half and half, or a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour.
    • Organic cane sugar: I used ⅔ for classic muffin goodness, and I think they have the perfect sweetness level.
    • Baking powder: A full tablespoon for plenty of rise.
    • Fine sea salt: To round out and balance the flavor. I like sea salt better than iodized table salt for improved flavor, but regular salt will work, too.
    • Yogurt: Instead of sour cream for moisture and tang to complement the orange. I used Silk soy non-dairy yogurt, but any plain or vanilla yogurt will work great. I recommend 2% fat or whole milk yogurt for a richer muff.
    • Orange juice and zest: Orange flavor coming in strong! I used the zest of two whole oranges to really amp up the flavor. An orange glaze made with orange juice and powdered sugar would also be lovely on top!
    • Milk: I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but any milk (cow’s, oat, soy, etc) will do to help loosen up the batter a bit.
    • Oil: I used avocado oil for neutral flavor, but melted coconut will work as well. Olive oil could even be nice here to complement the citrus flavor!
    • Eggs: Important for rise and additional richness.
    • Vanilla extract: Because what's a muffin without vanilla?!

    muffin cut in half on a small white plate with cream cheese frosting

    Can I substitute another flour?

    The question of the century! Whole wheat pastry flour is my go-to for light and fluffy baked goods that still pack that fiber and antioxidant punch from whole grains. You could certainly use all purpose flour here and they would be just as good.

    I haven’t tried this muffin recipe with gluten-free flour, but I’d suggest an all purpose gluten free baking flour that has built in leavening agents and xanthan gum to combat the denseness. Do not sub coconut, oat or almond flour here!

    Do I have to use fresh orange juice?

    I do recommend fresh orange juice and orange zest for the most genuine orange flavor. In a pinch, you can substitute half a cup of store-bought orange juice.

    Add in ideas

    There are plenty of scrumptious odds and ends you could add to these to make them even more fun.

    • Fresh cranberries: I'd suggest blitzing them in the food processor for a few seconds first so they're chopped. Note muffins will be much more tart. Dried cranberries or cherries would also be delish.
    • Poppy seeds: Such a classic combo!
    • Chopped pecans: Hello, texture. Heart eyes,
    • Semi sweet chocolate chips: Because who doesn't love orange and chocolate?
    • Shredded coconut: Morning glory muffins, anyone?

    Helpful muffin making tools

    The best news is...no mixer required!

    • This sturdy USA made muffin tin is my favorite. There won’t be a crumb left behind! This one is fab if you want a lid for transporting.
    • These silicone baking cups are a LIFE SAVOR. They make clean up a breeze. No more scrubbing the muffin tin!
    • A microplane zester to get all that fabulous orange zest.
    • These cooling racks are a must!
    • Muffin scoop for perfect portioning, every time.
    • Genius two-sided measuring spoons that stay together in the drawer and take up less space.

    orange muffin on small white plate

    Storage tips

    Store muffins in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for up to five days.

    Can you freeze muffins?

    Yes! I recommend freezing them on a lined baking sheet or plate and then once frozen, pop them into a freezer baggie. To reheat, microwave straight from the freezer until warm and enjoy! Muffins will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

    More tasty muffin recipes

    • Healthy Chocolate Muffins
    • Blueberry Banana Muffins
    • Healthy Zucchini Muffins
    • Chocolate Banana Muffins
    • Fluffy Pumpkin Muffins
    Print
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    orange muffin on small white plate

    Orange Muffins Recipe

    ★★★★★ 5 from 15 reviews
    • Author: Alexis Joseph | Hummusapien
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 18 minutes
    • Total Time: 28 minutes
    • Yield: 10 muffins 1x
    • Category: Snack
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Tall and fluffy Orange Muffins bursting with citrus flavor from fresh orange juice and zest. Made with whole grain flour and yogurt for super delicious and healthier spin on morning muffins! Recipe yields 10 muffins. Delicious topped with my Cream Cheese Frosting!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour (can sub all-purpose)
    • ⅔ cup organic cane sugar
    • 1 tbsp baking powder
    • ½ tsp fine sea salt
    • zest of 2 medium oranges (1 tbsp or more)
    • heaping ½ cup plain yogurt*
    • ½ cup orange juice
    • ⅓ cup avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or olive oil
    • 2 large eggs, ideally at room temperature
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a muffin tin with cooking spray.
    2.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
    3. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together yogurt, oil, orange juice, vanilla, and eggs. Stir in orange zest.
    4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon just until combined. Lumps are ok!
    5. Spoon batter evenly into 10 muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with ¼ tsp of sugar for a crunchy exterior, if desired. Bake for 8 minutes at 425°F and then reduce the heat to 350°F (keeping muffins in oven) and bake for another 10 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean. Cool muffins in tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. You may need to run a knife along the edge of the muffin tin to help loosen them out.

    Notes

    STORAGE: Store muffins in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze muffins for up to 3 months.

    *YOGURT: I recommend 2% or whole yogurt for a richer, more moist muffin. Regular, Greek, and non-dairy all work.

    VEGAN OPTION: You can replace the eggs with flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp warm water mixed together in a small bowl) but I would recommend increasing the oil to ½ cup to make up for the fat lost.

    GLUTEN FREE OPTION: You can sub an all purpose gluten free flour.

    Keywords: orange muffins, healthy orange muffins

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @hummusapien on Instagram. I love sharing what you make!

    About Alexis Joseph

    Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!

    5 Secrets to Delish, Healthy Lunches

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Jazmine Palminteri says

      January 24, 2023 at 1:30 pm

      Amazing ! Thank you, I live in Sicily and have so many oranges I didn't know what to do with them all! So found this recipe.. its lovely.. thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. chelsea says

      June 02, 2022 at 3:26 pm

      Would I be able to use applesauce in place of the greek yogurt?

      Reply
    3. Sarah says

      April 28, 2022 at 2:47 pm

      Yum yum yum! Love the orange flavor and also the simplicity of the ingredient list. Used coconut sugar and all purpose flour. I zested 2 oranges but next time I would probably add a bit more zest and juice to increase the orange flavor! Thank you for a great recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        April 29, 2022 at 7:03 pm

        Amazing! I'm so glad you loved it. Just a word of caution--extra liquid may impact the recipe but def go for the extra zest!

        Reply
    4. Vicki says

      April 09, 2022 at 4:56 pm

      Oh my gosh - these are SOOOO good! I used the flax eggs and the muffins turned out so yummy! The orange flavor is incredible - thanks so much for such an awesome recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        April 14, 2022 at 9:06 pm

        Hooray for flax eggs! Thanks so much, Vicki.

        Reply
    5. Saratu says

      December 30, 2021 at 6:21 pm

      Superb! Used less sugar..half n half milk n yoghurt. Still came out yum!

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        January 03, 2022 at 10:11 pm

        Perfection, thanks for the kind review Saratu!

        Reply
    6. Bella says

      August 24, 2021 at 5:24 am

      Hi, Alexis!
      Thank you for such an excellent recipe that is delicious as it is simple! I substituted pastry flour for cake flour and added a bit more orange juice than the recipe called for. Split the batter into twelve decent-sized muffins, and each one came out incredibly moist and not too sweet. MANY THANKS FROM SUNNY SINGAPORE!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        August 24, 2021 at 7:19 pm

        Oh wow that sounds FAB! I've never used cake flour! I'm so glad, thanks Bella!

        Reply
    7. Ruchi says

      May 17, 2021 at 8:37 pm

      This is a 10/10 recipe! I used the ingredients exactly as prescribed, except substituting 1/3 cup of sugar for 1/3 cup of monkfruit and erythriol sweetener. Also, I turned it into a loaf, by baking in a 9X5 pan at 375 degrees for 20 minutes and then at 350 degrees for between 30 - 35 minutes.

      It came out domed and gorgeous looking. If only I could share the pics here 😉

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        May 18, 2021 at 3:40 pm

        That sounds amazing, Ruchi! It's also really good with fresh cranberries. If you'd be up for leaving a star rating on the recipe, I'd be so grateful! Thanks again for your kind review.

        Reply
    8. Liz says

      April 08, 2021 at 11:25 am

      BEST orange muffins ever! I tried this recipe yesterday. Thank you so much!! It is so flavorful and moist.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        April 09, 2021 at 12:42 pm

        Thank you tons, Liz!

        Reply
    9. Stephanie says

      February 26, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      Thank you for this good recipe, Alexis 😊❤️ The muffins turned out super orangey and yummy 😋 I have cut one orange into small pieces and coated them with some flour before adding into the batter. Also, I have blended half an orange with some water for the juice and added a little cinnamon streusel for the topping. And because I used sour cream, I thought I better mix the baking powder with a pinch of baking soda 😊 Happy baking❤️ Stephanie

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        February 26, 2021 at 5:42 pm

        Yummm!! I love the streusel idea...SO delish. Thank you, Stephanie!

        Reply
    10. Lenora says

      December 11, 2020 at 2:51 am

      Really good. I added dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. Would be good with almond slivers too. Oh and I used white whole wheat flour because I didn't have whole wheat pastry flour. Still turned out great! I might try replacing the vanilla extract with almond extract next time??

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        December 11, 2020 at 2:57 pm

        Oh yes, I'm always a fan of almond extract! Thanks for the review, Lenora!

        Reply
    11. Mena says

      November 22, 2020 at 2:35 pm

      Hi Alexis , Thank you sharing your delicious recipes. My family loves your fluffy orange muffins . I added 1/4 cup of finely chopped cranberries. Yum ! and anything with oranges is a real hit.
      Love your fluffy orange pancakes too!
      So moist and delicious and by the way I used ww pastry flour . It really made a difference !

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        November 22, 2020 at 3:59 pm

        Yay! I love the cranberry addition. Thanks, Mena! If you'd be up for leaving a star rating with your review next time, that would be fantastic! Thanks again.

        Reply
    12. Michaela says

      August 20, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      I couldn’t get this recipe out of my head when I saw it over the weekend and the first chance I got I headed to the store to pick up some oranges!! 😂😂
      This recipe was everything I expected and more! So simple, not overly sweet and perfect have to have coffee in the morning. Delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 20, 2020 at 3:36 pm

        Ahhh you made my day, Michaela! Thank you tons 🙂 So glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    13. Ali says

      August 16, 2020 at 9:34 pm

      Hi! What can I use instead of cane sugar?!

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 17, 2020 at 1:37 pm

        Hi! I've only tested this recipe with dry granulated sweetener, sorry! Coconut sugar may work if that's what you mean?

        Reply
      • Ruchi says

        May 17, 2021 at 8:32 pm

        Hi Ali,

        I substituted 50% of the cane sugar with Lakanto monkfruit & erythriol Baking sweetener. We are trying to cut down refined sugars due to medical reasons and I was getting this weird aftertaste with both sucralose and stevia leaf based sweeteners.

        I must say this one was virtually undetectable. I might even try replacing 75% of the sugar the next time I cook these, because there is going to be a next time, for sure ☺️

        FYI, it has zero calories and zero net carbs, if that is of interest to you.

        Reply
    14. Martha says

      May 20, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      These muffins are so delicious, moist and a good snack for work. Love the orange zest. Will be making another batch soon. Thanks for this awesome recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 21, 2020 at 3:32 pm

        Wonderful! I'm thrilled you loved them, Martha!

        Reply
    15. Kori says

      May 12, 2020 at 1:18 am

      These are absolutely amazing! I baked them after work today, & they smelled divine. I topped mine this evening with your healthy cream cheese frosting, & it tasted like a wedding cake to me. Delicate, bright, & flavorful. I made them with Bob’s Red Mill 1-for-1 GF flour, & they turned out perfectly.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 12, 2020 at 3:49 pm

        I'm so glad that the Bobs 1-1 worked! And I agree, they totally taste like cake 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know, Kori!

        Reply
    16. Maclean Nash says

      May 06, 2020 at 7:57 pm

      I just so happened to have all the ingredients in the house and they turned out wonderfully!
      They are INCREDIBLY fluffy and I like that they are not too sweet, adding the sugar on top before baking was a lovely touch.
      An added bonus was they made the house smell AMAZING.
      I was able to fill 12 muffin cups - the more the merrier!
      Thank you so much for another awesome recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 06, 2020 at 10:11 pm

        Heck yes!! I can smell like just from reading your review 🙂 I'm so glad you loved them and thank you tons for the wonderful words!

        Reply
    17. Kori says

      May 06, 2020 at 1:27 pm

      I cannot wait to make these!

      Reply
    18. Erin says

      May 05, 2020 at 7:17 pm

      Yummy!!!! I made a vegan version using JustEgg instead of the egg (but tofu or flax egg would easily work, too!) and happen to have vegan sour cream in place of the yogurt but any vegan yogurt would likely do as well. while I had the orange juice I did not have any oranges so I substituted six drops of doTERRA wild orange essential oil for the zest. I made it into a loaf baking it at 400°F for 50minutes. It smells and tastes divine (and my non-vegan hubby agrees!)

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 05, 2020 at 7:22 pm

        Your additions sound so fab!! And how awesome that it worked as a loaf. Trying that next for sure! Thanks for the thoughtful review, Erin.

        Reply
    19. Madi says

      May 05, 2020 at 2:26 pm

      These are delicious! New fav muffin recipe. I love citrusy baked goods.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 05, 2020 at 7:20 pm

        Me too! So glad you loved these 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply
    20. Amber says

      May 04, 2020 at 6:41 pm

      Wow!!! These may actually be the best muffins I’ve ever had. They are guilt free and so easy to make. They are the perfect midday snack!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 05, 2020 at 7:21 pm

        Awww thank you!!

        Reply
    21. Dylan says

      May 04, 2020 at 1:08 pm

      So good! I used plain Siggi's yogurt and they turned out fab 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 04, 2020 at 1:42 pm

        Love it!!!

        Reply

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