Whole Grain Vegan Cranberry-Nut Muffins

Recipe by PJ Hamel

Muffins without eggs, milk, or butter — what's the secret? Tomato juice, which adds the necessary acidity for leavening; nice, moist texture, and gorgeous burnt-orange color to these cranberry-nut muffins. And don't worry; they don't taste like tomatoes!

Prep
8 mins
Bake
18 to 20 mins
Total
26 mins
Yield
12 muffins
Whole Grain Vegan Cranberry-Nut Muffins - select to zoom
Whole Grain Vegan Cranberry-Nut Muffins - select to zoom
Whole Grain Vegan Cranberry-Nut Muffins - select to zoom

Instructions

Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease and flour the wells of a muffin pan, or line the pan with paper liners, and grease the liners.

  2. Whisk together all the dry ingredients, including the cranberries and nuts.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, vegetable oil, and tomato juice.

  4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients; don't over-mix, stir just until everything is moistened.

  5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each nearly full. A level (to slightly heaped) muffin scoop of batter for each muffin works well here.

  6. Sprinkle the tops with coarse white sparkling sugar, if desired.

  7. Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, until they've domed nicely and they're lightly browned around the edges.

  8. Remove the muffins from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.

Tips from our Bakers

  • These muffins keep extremely well. Wrap individually; or set on a plate, and wrap loosely with plastic. They'll stay fresh and moist for up to a week.