The Muffin Queen is BACK with a brand new recipe that’s like a ray of sunshine to brighten up the rest of winter. If you know me you know I’m obsessed with all things orange. And really just adding citrus to baked goods because it’s too dang good.
These bakery-style orange muffins are moist (sorry not sorry), perfectly sweet, easy to make, and have those beautiful tall tops that make them look store bought. I love to top them with coarse sugar and sliced almonds for extra crunch, but you do you!
I included plenty of tips (yes, they can be made gluten free) and even some more flavor combinations you can add to really make them your own. They’re the perfect way to use up winter citrus and make such a great snack or brunch treat. Enjoy!
Everything you’ll need to make the best orange muffins
There are a few specific ingredients that give these easy orange muffins the best flavor and texture. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Flour: we’re using a mix of all purpose flour and almond flour to give the muffins the perfect fluffy texture.
- Baking staples: you’ll need both baking powder and baking soda plus some salt.
- Sugar: we’re sweetening these muffins with organic cane sugar to give them a true bakery-style flavor. You can also use regular granulated sugar, or for an unrefined sweetener version, you can use coconut sugar. I like to sprinkle sugar on top of the muffins, too, for a pretty look.
- Eggs: you’ll need 2 eggs to help the muffins bake up properly.
- Orange: fresh orange juice and lots of orange zest give these muffins a beautiful, bright flavor.
- Yogurt: feel free to use vanilla or plain Greek yogurt for moisture.
- Extracts: both vanilla extract and almond extract bring out the delicious sweetness of the muffins. Learn how to make your own vanilla here!
- Butter: a little butter adds the perfect touch of extra moisture to make these muffins irresistible.
Can I make these orange muffins gluten free or dairy free?
Yes! This orange muffin recipe can easily be adapted to be gluten free or dairy free.
- To make gluten free: simply use a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour in place of the regular flour.
- To make dairy free: feel free to use your favorite dairy free yogurt, and swap the butter for olive oil or avocado oil.
Add a little crunch
I love sprinkling sliced almonds on these muffins before baking for added crunch! They’re not a necessity but if you have them they are fantastic!
Try these amazing flavor combos
- Orange chocolate chip muffins: stir 1/2 cup of mini or regular chocolate chips into the batter and add a few on top of each muffin before baking to make them extra pretty.
- Cranberry orange muffins: fold 1 heaping cup of fresh cranberries into the batter.
Tips for making the best orange muffins muffins
- Bake them at a higher temp. Yes, this recipe calls for the muffins to be baked at 400 degrees F instead of the usual 350! The higher temperature is what gives the muffins that tall, bakery-style look.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients until just combined. If you overmix the batter your orange muffins may turn out dense and almost rubbery, which we don’t want.
- Use muffin liners & spray. I recommend spraying your muffin liners with a bit of cooking spray to prevent any sticking.
Our fav tools for baking muffins
Don’t forget to check out all of our favorite kitchen essentials.
How to store and freeze orange muffins
- Store: store these orange muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then I recommend storing them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- To freeze: store muffins in reusable silicone bags and freeze. When ready to serve, reheat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave or thaw at room temperature.
More muffin recipes
- The Best Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins You’ll Ever Eat
- Brown Butter Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Pecan Streusel
- Healthy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Brown Butter Orange Pumpkin Muffins with Orange Glaze
- Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Blueberry Glaze
Get all of my muffin recipes here!
I hope you love these bakery-style orange muffins! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Outrageously Good Orange Muffins
Ingredients
- Dry ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cup (210g) all purpose flour (or gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour)
- ½ cup (56g) blanched fine almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Wet ingredients:
- Zest from 2 large oranges
- 1 cup (200g) organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar is fine!)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 2 large oranges)
- ⅓ cup (75g) vanilla or plain whole-milk or 2% Greek yogurt*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) salted butter, melted (or sub olive oil or avocado oil)
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar or organic sugar, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners and spray the inside of the liners with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix together dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl add the orange zest and sugar and use your fingers to rub the orange zest into the sugar for at least 30 seconds to infuse the sugar with orange flavor.
- Mix together wet ingredients: In the same large bowl with the orange zest and sugar, add in eggs, orange juice, yogurt, vanilla extract and almond extract. (Do not mix in the butter yet!) Whisk together until well-combined and smooth.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Finally, stir in the melted butter (or oil) until well combined. Do not overmix the batter, you just want to stir it until the batter is smooth.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with organic sugar or coarse sugar, if desired (but absolutely recommended). Bake for 15-19 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
- Store: Store orange muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then I recommend storing them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To freeze: store muffins in reusable silicone bags and freeze. When ready to serve, reheat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave or thaw at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
44 comments
I am so excited for this! I am not usually a fan of baked goods, but I do love orange cake, so this is perfect! I really did enjoy muffin week too, I remember a bran muffin that was awesome. Go orange! I’ll rate after I make them. FUN!
Amazing! These seriously taste like a slice of orange cake. I hope you love them!
Mmmm, these look perfect for winter mornings with tea! Have you ever tried orange and dates together? It’s the best combo!! You gotta try it!! Thanks for another keeper recipe! Love your blog!!
That sounds like a lovely combo! Hope you give these a try!
I tried these with date sugar and they were very good!
I try to avoid granulated sugar. Is it possible to sub maple syrup or honey instead?
I’d love to know as well!
Hi! I wouldn’t recommend swapping the granulated sugar for honey or maple syrup – the honey may burn the muffins, and I’m not 100% sure how much maple syrup you’ll need (or if it will make the muffins too moist). Feel free to use coconut sugar instead for an unrefined sugar!
I’m delighted that you are giving gram measurements in your recipes now!
Yes, I’m trying! 🙂
Loved these! I added chocolate chips and they were so delicious.
Perfect! Happy you loved them!
Monique, you did it again! These muffins are insanely moist and just yummy. I watch sugar in my house due to hubby’s diabetes so I used allulose. I also made with King Arthur measure for measure GF flour, added the sliced almonds on top and WOW! Texture is perfect. Next time I am going to heed your advice and sprinkle the course sugar on top as I feel it will be the “icing on the cake”, lol.
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Perfect snack 🙂
These are outrageously good!! So moist inside with a bit of a dense top. Will make again and again!
The best!! Glad you loved them!
Absolutely delicious! I did follow recipe exactly. Can’t wait for my toddler to try it tomorrow morning.
Amazing! Hope they’re a hit with your little one 🙂
Wow. Go make these muffins right now! They are beyond fabulous. Rubbing the zest with the sugar makes it SO fragrant. The muffin itself is moist on the inside but crunchy on top (even though I didn’t have coarse sugar). These will definitely remain in rotation at our house and are my new favorite muffin!!
The sugar tip is key! So glad you loved them!
I thought these were good overall, however, additions would make them better. I made them plain the first time. I think dried apricots, crystallized ginger, pecans, etc would add to the flavor profile. Mine also were completely finished at 15 mins so I’d check at 13.
Those all sound great! I do have a little section about some fun mix-ins, too 🙂
These are amazing! I used a honey vanilla yogurt from target and wow! Huge bakery style muffins with excellent crumb! Definitely will be in my roatation!
Love that!!
These muffins are so deliicious! It’s a burst of fresh orange in every bite! I added cranberries to one batch and added chocolate chips to the next batch–both are so very good!
Love that! Such a great snack or treat 🙂
Do you think subbing grapefruit for oranges would work?
Great question! I’m not 100% sure how the flavor will turn out but I suspect the oatmeal won’t be as sweet due to the tartness of the grapefruit.
This are SO good. I used bobs 1:1 flour, Siggis dairy free yoghurt (vanilla cinnamon), and avocado oil. I also added a few scoops of collagen powder. They are so soft and fluffy and delicious. Even my picky toddler was asking for more
Perfect! Glad those swaps worked out well!
I made these today. They are unbelievably good. I stirred mini chocolate chips in half of the batter. I didn’t have almond extract, nor sliced almonds…didn’t seem to matter! Wil definitely make these again. I took them to a Bible study and everyone had 2! Thanks so much-this is a winner!!
Amazing! So glad they were a hit!
Obsessed. My son, who doesn’t like muffins, ate two.
So glad they were a hit!
These orange muffins are absolutely delicious!!!
So glad you love them!
These were amazing! I made them with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF flour and they turned out fluffy and light and delicious!
Perfect! I’m glad that swap worked out well!
These are the muffins to make if you want to share with friends and family! Light, fluffy, delightful! The only change I made: I finely chopped fresh mint leaves and let them sit in the warm melted butter on the stove for a while. I planned to strain the mint out, but changed my mind at the last minute, and left them in the butter – and consequently in the batter. It was wonderful. An excellent recipe! Some of the best muffins I’ve ever had, with a most perfect texture. Highly recommend!!!
So fun with the mint! Glad you loved them!
So delicious! Made these with WW flour, flax egg and almond butter instead of almond flour and they sitll turned out with a nice consistency. I also used maple syrup instead of sugar and actually did half the amount. They were still nicely sweetened! I love that your recipes are easily adapted if needed.
Perfect! Glad those swaps worked out well!
how much sugar do you need?
1 cup 🙂