Orange Muffins Recipe
If you’re in need of a guilt-free sweet treat, these chocolate-glazed Orange Muffins are the answer you’ve been looking for! Made without eggs and with whole wheat flour for an added boost of nutrition, these tender-crumbed snacks are perfect for serving with your afternoon cup of tea. As an added bonus, they’re super easy to make and vegan to boot!
About These Orange Muffins
The orange muffins recipe is adapted from the Orange Cake Recipe that I had shared earlier. But I also decided to add a thin, orange-flavored chocolate glaze this time around. As a result, these tasty little treats are reminiscent of the chocolate oranges available around the winter holidays. They are utterly delightful!
Eggless cakes, muffins, and cookies are often made at our home, as we have a serious sweet tooth. In fact, I have already posted few muffin recipes like my Banana Muffins and Chocolate Chip Muffins because we are so fond of them.
These simple sweets are made with nutritious whole wheat flour, freshly squeezed orange juice, and a mere ½ cup of sugar, meaning they are perfectly acceptable to eat for breakfast or to pack into your or your kid’s tiffin as a treat.
Boasting a soft, light texture and a tender crumb, you’d never guess these simple orange muffins were vegan. They also take just 15 minutes (!!!) of preparation and will be ready for sharing in under an hour.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Despite being absolutely packed with flavor, this simple recipe for vegan orange muffins doesn’t require much to make. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:
- Whole Wheat Flour – I prefer to use whole wheat flour (atta) in my bakes to add an extra boost of nutrition. If you don’t have any on hand, you can easily swap in all-purpose flour (maida) or bread flour instead.
- Sugar – Feel free to use unrefined cane sugar, powdered jaggery, or regular sugar.
- Oranges – Fresh citrus not only tastes better, but it also has the added benefit of a secret ingredient: zest! Be sure to only remove the orange colored zest as the white pith is quite bitter. Also, word to the wise — zest before you cut and juice the oranges. For purchasing knowledge, I got 1 cup of orange juice from 3 medium oranges.
- Salt – Even sweet things need a bit of salt to balance them out!
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – Yes, you need both. No, they cannot be used interchangeably. Also, please note that baking powder begins to react as soon as it is added to liquid, so you’ll want to make sure you preheat the oven before you make the batter lest you miss out on some of the rising power.
- Corn Starch – If corn isn’t part of your diet, you can use 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (maida), rice flour, or tapioca flour instead. You can also swap in an equal amount of either chickpea flour or gram flour, arrowroot flour or potato starch.
- Neutral Oil – Any neutral oil will work well here. Try canola, corn, vegetable, avocado, or grapeseed oil.
- Cocoa Powder – I prefer to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder because it is less bitter, but whatever you have on hand will work just fine. Cacao powder is also perfectly acceptable.
How To Make Orange Muffins
Sift Dry Ingredients
1. First, sieve 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon corn starch, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl or pan.
2. Keep the sifted dry mixture aside.
3. Using either a zester or grater, grate the zest from one medium orange and keep aside.
4. Line a muffin tray or pan with muffin liners. Also preheat the oven at 180 degrees celsius/356 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 to 12 minutes. Use the same temperature for preheating in the convection mode of a microwave oven.
Make Orange Juice Mixture
5. In another bowl, take ½ cup raw sugar and ¼ cup oil. You can use regular sugar or your preferred sweetener instead.
6. Mix and keep aside.
7. Prepare the orange juice using a manual juicer, an electric juicer, or a blender.
Note: If using a blender, remove the seeds from the orange segments before blending, then strain the orange juice through a fine sieve.
8. Add 1 cup orange juice to the sugar + oil mixture.
9. Stir briskly and very well till the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks even.
Make Muffin Batter
10. Add this orange juice mixture to the sifted flour mixture.
11. Add the orange zest.
12. With a wired whisk, stir the mixture to a smooth batter. Don’t over mix.
13. Here’s the orange muffins batter ready to be poured in the muffin liners.
14. Spoon the batter in the muffin liners till it reaches ¾ of the way up the sides of the liners. Gently shake or tap the pan to release excess air bubbles.
Bake Orange Muffins
15. Place the muffin tray in the preheated oven. Bake the orange muffins at 180 degrees celsius/356 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
The recipe yields 8 regular-sized orange muffins. Temperatures in ovens differ, so do keep a check while baking.
Note: Your oven might bake the muffin in 15 minutes or even 30 minutes. The final check is that a toothpick should come out dry or with fine crumb particles. There should be no stickiness. Use the same temperature for baking in the convection mode of a microwave oven.
16. Place the muffin pan on a wired rack to let the muffins cool for about 10 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the pan.
You can serve orange muffins plain, dust them with icing sugar or cocoa powder, or prepare any chocolate icing.
How To Make Chocolate Glaze
1. To prepare the chocolate glaze, take 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons orange juice, 2 to 2.5 tablespoons raw sugar (or regular sugar), ½ tablespoon neutral flavored oil, and 2 to 2.5 tablespoons water in a small pan or sauce pan. Add more water if required.
2. Mix everything and keep the pan on a low heat on the stove top.
3. Stir till the mixture thickens a bit and the sugar completely dissolves.
4. When the glaze is still warm, spread it on the orange muffins, with a small spatula. To keep the mess to a minimum, place the muffins on a wired rack and keep a plate or tray underneath while spreading the icing.
You can also slice the muffins from the center and then spread the glaze on the base slice. Cover with the top slice and then spread the glaze on the top.
5. Allow the glaze to cool before serving orange muffins. Serve these orange muffins with a glass of milk or ginger tea or filter coffee or as an after meal dessert.
FAQs
Can I make these vegan orange muffins without wheat flour?
Unfortunately, I haven’t tried this recipe using a gluten-free flour mix, so you’ll have to experiment. I’d imagine a cup-for-cup gluten-free all-purpose flour mixture *should* work. If you try it, please let me know how it goes in the comments below!
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour?
Yes!
What is the best oil for baking?
I recommend using a neutral-flavored oil like sunflower oil or vegetable oil. If you don’t mind a bit of savory flavor coming through, you can also use olive oil if you wish.
Can I add chocolate chips to my orange muffins?
Sure! I recommend using mini chocolate chips if possible to ensure they stay suspended during baking.
My muffin liner got stuck to the tin — what did I do wrong?
Allow your muffins to cool in the tin for just about 10 minutes or so before turning them out to finish cooling on a wire rack. If you leave them in the tin, they will have a tendency to attract condensation, which can cause them to stick.
Can I use store-bought orange juice instead of squeezing it myself?
Absolutely, though you’ll miss out on some of the orange flavor if you don’t use fresh zest.
How long will the muffins last?
If you keep the leftovers in the refrigerator, these vegan orange muffins should keep for 6 to 7 days, maybe more.
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it in the recipe card or leave a comment below — I’d love to hear your feedback. You can also sign up for my email updates or follow me on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, or X for more vegetarian inspiration.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
For orange muffins
- 1 cup whole wheat flour – 120 grams
- ½ cup raw sugar – 100 grams, you can add regular sugar, coconut sugar, palm sugar or powdered jaggery
- 1 cup Orange Juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ cup oil – any neutral flavored oil
For the chocolate glaze
- 2 teaspoons Orange Juice
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 to 2.5 tablespoons sugar or add as required
- ½ tablespoon oil – any neutral flavored oil
- 2 to 2.5 tablespoons water or add as required
Instructions
Making orange muffins batter
- First seive whole wheat flour, corn starch, baking soda, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl or pan.
- Keep the sieved dry mixture aside.
- For the orange zest, with a zester or grater, grate the zest from one medium orange and set aside.
- Line a muffin tray or pan with muffin liners. Also preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius/356 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 to 12 minutes.
- In another bowl, take sugar and oil. Simply mix and set aside.
- Prepare the orange juice in an electric juicer or a blender. If using a blender, then remove the seeds from the orange segments and then blend. Then strain the orange juice through a fine seive. From 3 oranges, I got 1 cup orange juice.
- Add 1 cup orange juice to the sugar + oil mixture.
- Stir briskly and very well till the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks even.
- Add this orange juice mixture to the sieved dry flour mixture. Also add the orange zest.
- With a wired whisk, stir the mixture to a smooth batter with light pressure from hands. Don't over mix.
Baking orange muffins
- Spoon the batter in the muffin liners till it reaches ¾ part of the liners. Gently shake the pan to release any extra air bubbles.
- Place the muffin tray in the preheated oven. Bake orange muffins at 180 degrees Celsius/356 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes or till a bamboo skewer inserted in the muffins comes out clean.
- Baking time varies with the type and size of oven, so keep this in mind.
- Place the muffin tray on a wired rack for about 10 minutes. Later remove the muffins from the pan.
- You can serve orange muffins plain or dusted with icing sugar, cocoa powder or prepare any chocolate glaze or icing. The recipe yields 8 regular sized muffins.
Making chocolate glaze
- Take cocoa powder in a small pan or sauce pan.
- Add orange juice, sugar, oil and water.
- Mix everything and keep the pan on a low heat on the stovetop.
- Stir till the mixture thickens a bit. The sugar should also dissolve completely.
- When the glaze is still warm, spread it on the muffins. You can also slice the orange muffins and then spread the glaze on the base slice. Cover with the top slice and then spread the glaze on the top. Allow the glaze to cool before serving.
- Serve eggless orange muffins as a sweet snack or as a dessert.
Notes
Nutrition
This Orange Muffins recipe post from the archives first published in Feb 2015 has been republished and updated on 30 April 2022.
Hi.. I m planning to make these eggless orange muffins… I dnt have orange juice.. Can I use orange flavor instead?? Will that make a lot of difference to the taste??? N how much quantity can I use???
i have never used orange flavor, so i do not know how the taste & flavor will be. i am not even sure how much quantity needs to be added. though the recipe will change in parts if orange flavor is used. so i would suggest making these orange muffins with orange juice.
Dear Dasanna,
I have been following your blog since 2012, when we shifted to Germany and since then your blog is the first place when I have to look for a new recipe. I have also recommended it to many of my friends. I don’t get to leave comments as you have closed comments for many of the recipes.
I have tried your banana cake, orange cake and muffins, carrot cake, dal makhni, dhaba style paneer mutter, rava dosa, rava idli, lemon rice, capsicum rice, coconut milk pulao, beetroot paratha, spinach paratha, methi paratha and many many more. All of them were awesome and now regular in our menu.
Thank you so much and please keep up the good work.
Regards
Dhanya
Hi Dhanya, thanks for the lovely feedback. Nice to read it. I am also glad that you have liked the recipes as well. We have opened the comments on almost all the recipes. May be on a few recipes the comments must be closed. Thanks again.
I was sceptical but these orange muffins turned out to be really good.
Thanks for sharing it & in a good format ! ( I like a lot of your recipes; credit where due right !)
I also added cocoa powder in the left over batter in a diff cup & that tasted better ????
thanks kushal for this positive review on orange muffins. glad also that you like the format. chocolate and orange is a really good combination. so some cocoa powder can be added in the batter. thanks for the rating too.
When you write ‘whole wheat flour’, do you mean the chakki atta (used for chapatis) or regular whole wheat flour?
chakki atta used for chapatis.
Hi Dassana i can only make 6 muffins at a time. Is it ok to leave batter on the counter till first batch is baked?
you can make 6 muffins at a time. keep the remaining batter in the fridge then.
Hi,can I bake it as a cake? what about doubling the recipe for a cake?
Kez Liju, for cake you can refer this eggless orange cake recipe – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/eggless-orange-cake/
About doubling the recipe, i am not sure.
Hi dassana,
I have tried this recipe. The taste was very good. But I baked it in silicone mould the cakes top layer was very brown and crisp and the bottom of the cake was soft. What mistake did I do? Please advice.
thanks divyashree. metal pan is a better conductor of heat then silicon. also if you have used the top heating element in the oven, then the top will get browned. the base was soft as there was no heat coming from the bottom. this means that either you have used a convection microwave oven or the bottom heating element was not used in the OTG. generally when baking muffins or cookies, its better if both the heating elements or on or only the bottom heating element.
Hi dassana
I am having orange marmalade, which my daughter refuses to eat. I want to bake muffins or cake out of it. Is it possible??
If yes, kindly suggest how??
Thanks
Kanika
kanika, usually i use jams as an icing on the cake. so i spread it between a layer and on top of vanilla cake or sponge cake. you can even make jam or marmalade rolls up with whole wheat bread. for the icing, just mix some jam with a bit of water and then lightly heat it up till you get a spreadable pouring consistency. for a thicker consistency, you can add some corn starch. for rolls, you can flatten the bread with a rolling pin. spread some jam. roll the bread. seal the edges with a bit of water moistened on the bread edges. now on tawa spread some butter and place the rolls. lightly toast on both side. you can add some desiccated coconut on top of the jam. gives a good taste. i have tried this way with cakes too.
Can i use all purpose flour instead of wheat flour?
Fatima, yes you can use.
which oil we should use in baking
use a neutral flavored oil like sunflower oil. you can also use olive oil.
Tried baking these muffins for the 1st time. They came out great. My daughter loved them. Thank you for the recipe
Welcome Kavya. Glad to know this.
No words! It was so soo yummy. It was so fluffy that I couldn’t believe I had used wheat flour to make it! Thanks?
Welcome Sneha. Glad to know that you liked orange muffins.
maa’m I made these orange muffins yesterday and it turned out to be super soft, moist and yummy.. thanks again for being a great guide..you have made me a better cook..thanks again
Welcome Trisha. Glad to know this. Thanks for your kind words.
hello..I am going to try this recipe today.. thank you for such wonderful recipes
welcome trisha
Thank u dassana..I made muffins yesterday and they taste so yummy…everybody liked it..THANK YOU??
welcome inderpreet. thanks for sharing the feedback on the orange muffins too. glad to know.
Hi !
Your cupcake n recipe look awesome. I have read all the comments and I am so eager to give if a try.Please advise if I can add chocolate chips to it instead of the chocolate glazed. If yes, how much should I add and by how much should I reduce the quantity of the sugar.
Thank you and looking forward for your usual fast response.
thanks rajni. yes you can add chocolate chips. once the batter is done, lightly fold in the chocolate chips in it. you can add 1 tablespoon chocolate chips and add 1/3 cup sugar.
Thank you Dassana for your reply. I made the muffins today and they taste so yummy. However, the muffins were sticky on the muffin paper liners. Could you please advise where I went wrong.
Thank you ,
Rajni
welcome rajni. they will be slightly sticky but not much sticky. stickiness happens due to condensation. usually i keep the muffins on a rack so that they cool well. and then store in an air tight box.