Loaded with cranberries, these sugar-free Gluten-Free Cranberry Lemon Muffins are keto and paleo-friendly, too. Made with almond flour and sweetened with Monkfruit sweetener, these tender muffins are perfect for morning coffee time!
Here's a batch of bright and sunshiny gluten-free Cranberry Lemon Muffins to bring some cheer to the gloomiest day!
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❤️ Why you'll love these muffins
Tender bites, bursting with tart cranberries and flecks of lemon, these muffins are perfect for winter breakfasts. You can easily adapt this muffin recipe for gluten-free, keto, or paleo diets.
Just because you're following a low-carb or grain-free diet is no reason to miss out on your morning muffin! Let these slightly sweet and tart sugar-free grain-free Cranberry Lemon Muffins fill that gap.
I've done a lot of experimenting with baking with zero-calorie natural sweeteners. If you're curious about Monkfruit Sweetener with erythritol, you can read more in this Note About Monkfruit Sweetener.
Since I was really happy with the way both these Ultra-Moist Keto Blackberry Muffins and this Keto Blackberry Bread turned out, I decided to adapt this recipe to make one of my favourite flavour combinations: cranberry-lemon.
They're so quick and easy to put together, and they can be ready in 30 minutes.
🛒 Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make these oh-so-good Keto cranberry muffins.
- almond flour: finely ground, sifted, then measured
- zero-calorie sweetener: like Lacanto Monkfruit with erythritol, or Swerve
- baking powder: gluten-frree
- Himalayan pink salt
- butter
- almond milk: or other plant-based milk
- eggs
- pure vanilla extract
- lemon zest
- lemon juice: freshly squeezed is always best!
- cranberries: fresh or frozen and thawed
🥄 Instructions and helpful tips to make keto muffins
- It's important to sift the blanched, superfine almond flour. If you just scoop it from the bag, the almond flour will be packed and the muffins will be dry and heavy. Sift, then use a spoon to overfill a measuring cup, then level the top with a knife.
- Combine the dry ingredients and lemon zest in a large bowl. Have you ever baked muffins or a loaf and found the berries had sunk to the bottom after baking? Prevent this by adding the cranberries to the flour mixture instead of the liquid mix.
- Next, whisk together the almond milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
- Then, combine the wet and dry ingredients together, making sure all the flour mix is completely combined.
- Next, scoop into muffin cups and mound them up in the center. (Grain-free muffins don't rise like muffins made with wheat do. Forming them into a traditional muffin shape before baking makes them more appealing.)
- And finally, bake, cool, remove paper liners, and top with optional cream cheese glaze if you'd like.
🔁 Adapt this recipe for Keto or Paleo diets
For Keto diet: use a zero-calorie sweetener like Monkfruit Sweetener, Swerve or Erythritol. Choose either coconut oil or butter.
For Paleo diet: use coconut sugar and coconut oil instead of butter, and skip the glaze. Make sure your eggs and non-dairy milk are at room temperature or the melted coconut oil will harden, making it more difficult to combine.
Like your muffins sweeter? Add ½ cup of sweetener instead of ⅓ cup.
⏰ How to store almond flour muffins
Muffins made from scratch may not last as long as store-bought muffins, as they have no preservatives. They will last at room temperature for a day or two, but after that, they are best stored in the fridge.
I line an airtight container with a piece of paper towel, place the muffins on top of it, seal and store them in the fridge.
🥶 Freezing instructions
These Paleo and Keto muffins freeze very well. Store them in an airtight container with a paper towel as described above and freeze for 3 - 4 months or more. Let them thaw at room temperature, or gently reheat them in the oven or microwave.
🗒 More recipes you might like
This post was originally published in 2018. It has been updated to make it more helpful.
When you make these Keto Cranberry Lemon Muffins, please leave a comment and a rating below. I love hearing when you've made one of my recipes. Thanks in advance!
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📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Cranberry Lemon Muffins - Keto
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups finely ground blanched almond flour, sifted, then measured
- ⅓ to ½ cup granulated sweetener (or coconut sugar if not keto), like Monkfruit with Erythritol for keto diet
- 1.5 teaspoon baking powder, gluten-free
- ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- ⅓ cup almond milk, or other milk
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¾ cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
Cream Cheese Glaze
- ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon vanilla,
- 2 tablespoons powdered sweetener (or more, as desired), like Monkfruit confectioner's or Swerve (or icing sugar if no special diet)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with 9 or 10 parchment paper liners.
- You MUST sift the blanched, superfine almond flour. If you just scoop it from the bag, the almond flour will be packed and the muffins will be dry and heavy. Sift, then use a spoon to overfill a measuring cup, then level the top with a knife.
- In a large bowl, combine the sifted superfine almond flour, erythritol, baking powder and salt. Add the lemon zest and cranberries and gently stir to coat. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins when baking.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the melted coconut oil or butter, almond milk, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Spoon the batter into muffin cups. Bake for 24 - 26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, remove and carefully peel off paper liners, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- When cool, top with Cream Cheese glaze, if desired.
- To make optional Cream Cheese glaze or drizzle, combine equal parts of cream cheese and ricotta cheese with vanilla extract and sweetener. Pipe or spread a thin layer on top of muffins when cool.
Jackie
Simply delicious. Very moist and just the perfect amount of lemony taste for me. Used up some leftover cranberries and used granular Stevia. Didn't have cream cheese on hand so ate them with a bit of butter and Havarti cheese. Thanks for another great recipe, Elaine! 😍
Elaine
Thanks for sharing your adaptations. Happy to hear you liked these, too!
Jennie
Have you ever tried using orange juice and grated orange peel? If not do you think it would work?
Elaine
Hi Jennie, substituting orange juice and orange zest will be delicious!
Lynn
Can Stevia be used instead of monk fruit? These looks delicious but I am very sensitive to monk fruit.
Elaine
Hi Lynn, thanks for your question. I have not tried this myself, so I can’t guarantee the results. However, I am going to refer you to this post that will help you decide how to substitute Stevia for Monk fruit. https://www.wholesomeyum.com/natural-low-carb-sweeteners-guide-conversion-chart/
April T.
These are really good. I've made your blackberry muffins, too. Just wanted to let you know that it's a recipe I will make again and again!
Elaine
Thanks so much for letting me know, April! Happy to hear this recipe works for your diet!
Bethany
Great recipe--great muffin! I used my leftover cranberries from Christmas. So good.
Elaine
Great idea, Bethany! Thanks for commenting!
Karen
OMG, these are amazing. I did substitutions. For the butter I used olive oil and I made a glaze instead of the cream cheese topping. I also did add more fresh lemon zest and juice because I love it tart.
This will be a keeper. I hope they freeze well.
Flavour & Savour
That's great to hear! Thanks so much for sharing your substitutions!
Ria San
The recipe was easy to make and had a nice texture. But I found the lemon flavour to be weak, so I added more lemon juice and lemon zest and will use the 1.2 cup measure of sweetener next time.
Erika
So good! I will double the cranberries next time! 😋 Thank you for the really good recipe!
Flavour & Savour
That 's great to hear, Sharon! We love these ones, too!
Sharon
These muffins are absolutely fabulous!!! I didn't even miss the flour and sugar. I used Monck fruit sweetener, butter and cashew milk.
So nice to indulge in a healthier alternative and not feel guilty.
Thank you so much for sharing. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Kelley
Holy moly these look delicious! I love the cranberry lemon combo - can't wait to try these!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Kelley!
Jo
Cranberries and lemons - such a lovely combination. I love baking with ground almonds and will definitely be giving these a go!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Jo! I'm sure you'll love them.
Tonje Svepstad
These are absolutely delicious! I've never tried a zero calorie sweetener before, but it worked so well I can't wait to try more recipes with it!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks! So glad you liked them as much as we do. I find the monkfruit sweetener is a great sugar substitute!
Maike
We have fallen head-over-heels in loves with these gluten-free cranberry muffins. Someone in my family is doing a temporary, naturopath-guided intermittent fast. Not keto, but cutting out gluten is part of it. He loves these muffins. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Flavour & Savour
That's great to hear! Thanks for letting me know.
Jayne
Love this recipe. Add to my Champagne Brunch last weekend and they were the hit of the day.
Flavour & Savour
That's so good to hear, Jayne! I'm glad your friends loved them.
Megan
I made 14 and used orange essential oil yum. Do you know the net carbs?
Flavour & Savour
Hi Megan, Orange essential oil sounds fabulous! The nutritional information was based on 10 muffins, not including the optional topping. Each muffin has 5 grams of net carbs. Hope this helps you!
Arlone
Elaine ,,,,sooooo loving your gluten free/keto baked recipes !!!! Just satisfies that sweet craving & guilt free dessert indulgence !!! Thanks
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much, Arlone! That’s great to hear. This muffin recipe is on my baking to-do list today—-with blueberries this time. Happy New Year!