Name: Gluten free Orange Chocolate Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup plant based butter, softened; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup fresh orange juice; 1/2 cup plant based, plain yogurt; 1/4 cup non-dairy milk; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cups all purpose, gluten free flour blend (290g); 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup chocolate chips; zest of 1 large orange; 2 tbsp sanding sugar

Gluten free Orange Chocolate Muffins

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Fluffy, kid approved orange chocolate muffins that have a light orange taste and chocolate chips throughout. These muffins freeze beautifully and are great for an on-the-go snack.

A note on some of the ingredients:

Plant based butter: I prefer to use Becel plant based butter sticks for baking. I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the baking. As a bonus it is also gluten free! Leave the butter on the counter for at least 30 minutes to soften it before baking the orange chocolate muffins.

Plant based yogurt: I use Silk plant based protein yogurt in this recipe. I prefer the plain yogurt as the vanilla flavour has additional sugar. Any type of plant based yogurt would work well in these muffins.

Non dairy milk: The non-dairy milk that I use in all of my baking is soy milk because my kids can’t take anything with nuts to school. Use whatever your preferred non-dairy milk is.

Gluten free flour blend: I have used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour and Life Smart Gluten free flour blend in this recipe. It is best to weigh the flour using a kitchen scale to ensure that the recipe turns out the same every time. If you don’t have a kitchen scale I recommend using the “fluff and scoop” method for measuring the flour. Using a fork fluff the flour in it’s bag/container and then scoop it into a measuring cup and leveling it off.

Orange juice and zest: I use one large navel orange in this recipe. I use the zest first and then squeeze the juice. When zesting the orange, stop once you hit the white pith. The pith can be bitter so try to avoid it. Set some of the zest aside to add to the sanding sugar if using. You can use whatever orange you have on hand, as long as the juice is equal to a 1/2 cup. Clementines or tangerines would work really well in this recipe as well.

Sanding sugar: Sanding sugar adds a decorative, crunchy finish to these muffins. While the recipe doesn’t require it, I highly recommend using it. When combined with the orange zest and sprinkled on top of the muffins before they bake it adds extra orange flavour to the muffins as well as some crunch. If you don’t have any on hand you can leave it out and add all of the zest into the muffins.

How the gluten free orange chocolate muffins are made:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners.

Weigh out the flour in a large bowl and add in the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in the zest of one large orange, saving 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of zest in a small bowl for the sanding sugar if using.

Family-friendly vegan gluten-free Orange Chocolate Muffins by Tofu and Beans

Stir all of the dry ingredients and the zest together.

In the bowl of a stand mixer add in the softened plant based butter and the sugar. Mix together with a paddle attachment until it is light and fluffy, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the plant based yogurt, fresh orange juice, non-dairy milk and vanilla and mix for a minute. The mixture will be very wet, that is ok.

With the stand mixer running on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix only until there are a few dry patches left and then remove the bowl from the stand mixer.

Add in the chocolate chips and finish mixing the batter by hand until there are no dry patches left. Portion the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

If using the sanding sugar, add it to the small bowl with the orange zest and rub the zest and sugar together with your fingers or a spoon.

Top each of the unbaked orange chocolate chip muffins with the orange sanding sugar.

Bake the muffins for 18 to 22 minutes or until the tops are golden. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then gently move them to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before eating.

The orange chocolate muffins can be stored in an air tight container on the counter for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Enjoy!

Looking for more muffin recipes? Try my gluten free lemon poppyseed muffins, my one bowl banana chocolate chip muffins or my strawberry vanilla muffins!