Breakfast,  Muffins

Giant Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins

For those of you just joining, we started creating GIANT muffin recipes about 5 months ago after reminiscing over the giant Costco muffins we used to eat (read: devour) as kids prior to getting diagnosed with Celiac. This giant muffin saga has now consumed our every free moment (not really but it’s exciting) and we continue to create new flavors with gusto. Back to the rest of the giant muffins! So far we’ve made these giant poppyseed muffinsgiant blueberry muffinsgiant chocolate chip muffinsgiant double chocolate muffinsgiant banana nut muffinsgiant strawberry rhubarb muffinsgiant apple streusel muffins, these giant lemon raspberry muffinsgiant cherry chocolate chip muffins, these giant coffee walnut muffins, these giant pistachio apricot muffins, these giant orange marmalade muffins, these giant zucchini muffins, these giant mango muffins, these giant peach muffins, these giant chocolate zucchini muffins, these giant lavender earl grey muffins, these giant lemon saffron muffins, these giant ube white chocolate muffins, these giant chocolate orange muffinsthese giant cinnamon chip muffins, these giant pumpkin chocolate chip muffinsthese giant toasted almond muffins, these giant black sesame and white chocolate muffins, these giant carrot cake muffins, and these giant chocolate ginger muffins!

Tips for the Delicious Giant Gluten Free Chocolate Ginger Muffins:

A few tips for getting these to turn out perfectly:

  • Use the right-size of pan! Apparently, Costco keeps their giant muffin pans as a trade secret because we can’t find them ANYWHERE on the internet and you can find EVERYTHING on the internet. Bravo, Costco, for a secret well-kept. However, we’ve found a way to crack the code and gone ahead and just used these brilliant 4-inch cake pans because, after careful inspection, we’ve discovered that Costco muffins are exactly 4-inches in diameter! HA! Take that, Costco-bakery-lords. I never thought I’d be regularly using 4-inch cake pans but here we are. I’ll just need to make a bunch of tiny cake recipes next!
  • Don’t over-mix your batter! Muffins need a lot of lift, especially these giant ones, and if you over-mix your batter, you’ll end up with sunken muffins which is no fun.
  • Use a good 1-1 gluten free flour mix! We use the Bob’s Red Mill one (the baking mix), though we’ve heard good things about Cup-4-Cup. Here in the UK, I’ve been using the Freee From Dove’s gluten free plain flour mix. We’ve only tested this recipe with this one so if you want them to turn out exactly like ours, we recommend snagging a bag of that specific 1-1 gluten free flour.
  • Do NOT open the oven door during baking time. Tape it shut if you have to! You can certainly turn on the oven light and peek and the gloriousness that is a set of rising muffins nearly-ready to be devoured, but do not open that door! Opening the door will immediately lower the oven temp and prohibit your muffins from rising correctly. If you’re in the last few minutes of baking and need to test to see if they’re done, open the oven just a tiny bit and reach in and just tap the top of one – if it springs back it’s done, if it presses in like a foam mattress topper, it’s not and needs a couple more minutes.
  • These will keep in an airtight container (or in ziplock baggies) for a week or so – and they freeze REALLY well! So if you want to make a batch and save a bunch, put them in a sturdy plastic container or a freezer plastic bag and pop them in there. Then microwave for about 30-45 seconds (from frozen) before eating! I even like popping mine in the microwave for 10-15 seconds from room temp to get them all warm and floofy again before eating.
gluten free cranberry orange muffins by sisters sans gluten

Giant Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins

Giant, fluffy orange-flavored muffins studded with tart cranberries for the perfect fall treat
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Resting time30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: costco muffins, cranberries, cranberry, easy, gluten free, muffin, muffins, orange, simple
Servings: 6 giant muffins
Calories: 500kcal
Author: Amelia Farber

Equipment

  • Six 4-inch round cake pans (link below to the ones we use)
  • Cookie sheet

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ¼ cup white sugar 235g
  • ¼ Cup sour cream 70g
  • 1 Cup melted salted butter 227g
  • ½ Cup orange juice 150ml
  • 2 ½ tsp orange zest
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ Cups gluten free 1-1 flour mix 420g with xanthan gum in it – if not, add 1 tsp xanthan gum now
  • ½ Cup arrowroot or tapioca starch 70g
  • ½ Cup packed blanched almond flour 78g
  • 2 ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp each: ground cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon
  • 2 ½ Cups whole fresh cranberries 268g
  • 1 Cup chopped pecans 110g

Instructions

  • Make the muffin batter! It will need to rest at room temp for 30 minutes before baking. First, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, white sugar, melted butter, sour cream, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until thicker and smooth. Add in the gluten free 1-1 flour, arrowroot (or tapioca) starch, packed blanched almond flour, ground ginger/nutmeg/cardamon/cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and stir until just combined (do not overmix). Finally, fold in the chopped pecans and the fresh cranberries. Then place your six 4-inch cake pans on a cookie sheet and grease each pan with cooking spray or room temp butter, then spoon batter into each one evenly (they should be about 3/4-5/6 full). Add a few extra fresh cranberries on top of each muffin (optional). Then let the batter sit either on the counter for at least 30 minutes before baking (you can let it rest in the fridge for longer if you want).
  • Once the batter has rested preheat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Bake for 5 minutes and then turn down the temperature to 350° (without opening the oven door!! Keep it closed) and continue 20-25 minutes until the tops spring back with touched (do NOT open the oven while baking or the muffins will not rise fully, only open the oven a tiny bit to check if done). Let cool nearly-completely before turning out.
  • Then serve! These will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 5 days. Best-served slightly warm, so pop them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds from room temp!

Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your muffins!

gluten free cranberry orange muffins by sisters sans gluten

Food photography and styling by Amelia Farber

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