Vegan corn muffins, sweetened with just a few dates and orange, make for the perfect mid-morning snack. Muffins aren’t meant to be overly sweet – they’re not cake – and I found these sweet enough without being too much for a snack. These are made with whole-grain spelt flour.
The texture is really nice with the cornmeal and I recommend baking them with the little slice of orange on top to max out that citrus flavour. I also have a very nice recipe for not-vegan zucchini cornbread if you’re looking for something to have with dinner instead.
For some more great citrus recipes, try these easy orange pancakes, gluten-free chocolate orange tart, or this fantastic two ingredient chocolate orange mousse.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Spelt flour: substitute light spelt for a fluffier muffin, or use plain white flour. I haven’t tried making these gluten-free.
- Cornmeal: the muffins pictured were made with a coarser cornmeal, meant for polenta, so the end result has quite a lot of texture. You can use any kind of cornmeal.
- Coconut oil: use refined coconut oil to avoid any slight coconut flavour. I imagine butter (vegan or not) could be subbed for the oil but haven’t tried this – it should be solid at room temperature, though.
Recipe Notes
Please note that the muffins will not rise quite as much if topped with a slice of orange. To largely mitigate this, use a very thin slice of orange, not a big chunk. The less weight the better.
These are on the small side and don’t rise to overfill the muffin cup during baking. The dates do make them a little denser but they make a great snack.
How to Store
Storage: store the cooled muffins in a sealed container for up to three days. If topped with orange, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator to avoid early spoilage.
Freezing: to freeze the muffins, bake them without the orange slices on top. Once cool, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
Expert Tips
- Don’t over mix: as with any quick bread, but particularly with lower-gluten spelt, it’s important to mix until just combined. If the batter is over mixed, the muffins will be tough.
- Choose organic: this is particularly important for the oranges as you’re using the zest, or skin. Buy organic, unwaxed oranges and wash well before use.
- Use an immersion blender: if you don’t have a standing blender, a higher-powered immersion blender will work just as well for mixing the liquid ingredients and dates (and takes up less kitchen space).
More Whole Grain Muffins
Vegan Apple Muffins
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Vegan Banana Blueberry Muffins
Vegan Banana Oatmeal Muffins
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Orange Cornmeal Muffins
Ingredients
- 200 grams whole spelt flour
- 160 grams cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 80 grams soft dates packed if using cups
- 70 grams coconut oil
- 375 ml non-dairy milk
- Juice of 2 oranges ~1/4 cup
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sliced orange for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease or line a standard muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and salt.200 grams whole spelt flour, 160 grams cornmeal, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Add the dates, coconut oil, milk, orange juice, and orange zest to a blender. Blend until smooth, then add to the flour mixture and stir just to combine.80 grams soft dates, 70 grams coconut oil, 375 ml non-dairy milk, Juice of 2 oranges, Zest of 2 oranges, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Place equal amounts of the batter to the prepared muffin tin and top each with a slice of orange. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly golden.Sliced orange
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes before removing and cooling fully on a rack. Store in a sealed container for up to three days.
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Naama says
These were such a success! I substituted water and a teaspoon of oil for the milk since I didn’t have any. the orange slices look and taste beautiful, but the moisture made the muffins with orange slices bake up less nicely than those without, so I will skip that step next time I will make these.
DAVID MCCLURE says
It looks like a very tasty muffin .it will be just be like your recipe ,Sarah .
Sally Wright says
These are great, Thankyou…. popping some in the freezer for kids’ school lunches, always great to find a quick, healthy snack the kids are happy with!
All That I'm Eating says
Blood oranges are just beautiful aren't they! These muffins sound delicious.