AIP Cranberry Muffins (Paleo, Gluten-free)

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AIP Cranberry Muffins are wonderful year round, using fresh or frozen cranberries. Enjoy for a special breakfast treat, with afternoon tea or alongside any meal, including soup. Sweet, tart and special + nutrient-dense, AIP Cranberry Muffins have a tender crumb and the perfect texture — hard to believe they’re egg-free. This recipe is AIP, Paleo, Gluten-free, as well as nut-free and dairy-free.

How to make AIP Cranberry Muffins

AIP Cranberry Muffins are a basic recipe to make: Simply mix the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients and stir together. Then bake.

Once baked, cool the muffins or eat warm.

Variations

If you wish, accent the batter with orange rind or orange oil.

Optionally, for a special coffeecake feel, top the batter with crumb topping.

Storage

You can keep muffins on the counter, sealed, for one day. If eating within a few days, just wrap and refrigerate.

For long term storage, freeze muffins in a sealed container for up to 3 months. To defrost, simply leave out at room temp for several hours or overnight.

Ingredients

The dry ingredients in AIP Cranberry Muffins are cassava flour, coconut flour, collagen, gelatin, coconut sugar, baking soda and sea salt.

Wet ingredients are coconut oil, coconut milk, water, apple cider vinegar and the cranberries.

My use of collagen in muffins

I often get questions about my use of collagen in recipes, and some wonder if the recipe will turn out without it. I’m not sure about AIP Cranberry Muffins without the collagen, but recipes do sometimes turn out fine when it’s omitted — although it’s better not to change AIP baking recipes. These muffins have 11 grams of protein each! I add the collagen because I really like getting extra amino acids in my diet (for rebuilding tissue and other protein needs the body has) and also because collagen does contribute a nice touch to the texture of muffins.

Are AIP Cranberry Muffins healthy

AIP Cranberry Muffins are healthy in one respect: They’re nutrient-dense. They contain lots of great complex carbs, fiber, good fats, as well as protein.

But muffins are still a dessert-like treat because they contain concentrated sweetener. I think it’s fine to enjoy a muffin a day, as long as your savory main dish is the focus — lots of well-sourced protein, fats and fiber.

Muffins go great alongside breakfast meats, soups at lunch or dinner, and are also good for snacking, especially if you’ve got some beef jerky or something similar to go alongside.

Print Recipe

4.84 from 6 votes

AIP Cranberry Muffins (Paleo, GF)

AIP Cranberry Muffins are wonderful year round, using fresh or frozen cranberries. Accent with orange rind or oil if you like. Top with optional crumb topping. Enjoy for a special breakfast treat, with afternoon tea or alongside any meal, including soup. Sweet, tart and special + nutrient-dense. This recipe is AIP, Paleo, Gluten-free, which includes egg-free, nut-free and dairy-free.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Afternoon tea, Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: aip, cranberry, egg-free, gluten-free, muffins, nut free, paleo

Servings: 6 muffins (or 4 large muffins)

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Megan

Cost: $4

Equipment

• mixing bowl
• oven
• muffin pan

Ingredients

• ¾ cup cassava flour Otto's or Bob's brands (other brands will not work because they are too starchy)
• ⅓ cup coconut oil or lard, melted and cooled slightly
• ⅓ cup coconut milk or non-dairy milk of choice
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
• ¼ cup collagen see link and DISCOUNT code below in Recipe Notes
• 3 Tablespoons coconut flour
• 3 Tablespoons water
• 1 Tablespoon gelatin see link and DISCOUNT code below in Recipe Notes
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda sifted
• ½ teaspoon orange oil optional; or 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup cranberries frozen or fresh, chopped roughly

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin pan with liners or paper muffin cups (a lot of muffin cups stick, so spray with coconut oil spray, as needed). Set aside.
• In large bowl, combine dry ingredients: cassava flour, coconut sugar, collagen, coconut flour, gelatin, baking soda and sea salt.
• In medium bowl, combine wet ingredients: fat of choice, coconut milk, water and apple cider vinegar. (If you wish to add an orange flavor to your muffins, include the orange oil with this step.)
• Add wet ingredients, including cranberries, to dry ingredients and stir to combine.
• Fill prepared muffin pan with batter. (See Crumb Topping option below, if desired, in recipe Notes.) If not using Crumb Topping: Wet your fingers with water to pat batter together and smooth the tops of the muffins. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 minutes for 4 large muffins or 20 minutes for 6 smaller muffins.

Notes

You can find collagen peptides HERE. (Enter code BEAUTIFUL10 at checkout for 10% off your order.)

You can find grass-fed and pesticide-free gelatin HERE. (Enter code BEAUTIFUL10 at checkout for 10% off your order.)

Coconut sugar HERE.

Optional Crumb Topping

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cassava flour
• ½ cup lard or palm shortening (room temperature)
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup ice water
• ½ teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In bowl of food processor (or use a pastry cutter and large bowl), combine cassava flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and sea salt.
2. Add fat of choice, and pulse to combine, until small clumps form. 
3. Sprinkle ice water over all, and pulse again to form crumb topping. (Do not over-mix or topping will clump together and form a dough.)
4. Top muffins with crumble, pressing it into the batter slightly. (Reserve any extra in a jar in the freezer or fridge for your next batch.) Bake as instructed above.

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Interested in other AIP muffins? Enjoy these too:

• AIP Blueberry Muffins
• AIP Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins