Buttery, moist, soft Vegan Cherry Muffins. Full of almond flavour & bursting with juicy cherries in every bite!
Almonds and cherries are the perfect marriage and you're going to love them in these soft and fluffy vegan cherry muffins.
And the good news is you can also use dried or frozen cherries if you don't have fresh. That means you can make them even when cherries aren't in season.
What ingredients & equipment do I need?
This is what you will be needing to make my vegan cherry muffins and why:
- All-purpose flour or oat flour - You can use regular all-purpose flour or you can use oat flour. Both give great results. (The muffins in my photographs are made with oat flour). The quantity of flour varies slightly for each so make sure you take note of that when making them.
- Almond flour - Gives the muffins a lovely buttery flavour. It also acts as the "fat" in this recipe. There is no other fat source so it is really important it isn't subbed for anything else.
- Sugar - It must be a light coloured sugar for this recipe or it will take away from the lovely cherry and almond flavours. Sugar is important for structure as well as sweetness in cakes/muffins so don't omit it.
- Baking soda and baking soda - In egg-free recipes it's important to use both to make up for the leavening eggs would otherwise provide.
- Apple cider vinegar - Reacts with the baking soda to create lift.
- Salt & almond extract - Flavour!
- Applesauce and non-dairy milk - For moisture and binding.
- Slivered almonds - For decoration and texture.
As for equipment, nothing more than a 12 well muffin pan is required. I love my USA Pan Muffin Pan. No liners are required because it releases so well. A cherry pitter would be nice too if you're using fresh cherries to avoid stained fingers.
How to make Vegan Cherry Muffins
For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card.
Wondering how to make eggless cherry muffins? Here's how:
Step 1 - Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix them together.
Step 2 - Mix the wet ingredients together in another bowl then pour into the dry ingredients.
Step 4 - Mix then add the cherries and stir them through.
Step 5 - Spoon into a prepared muffin pan, top with almonds and bake.
Success tips
- Follow the recipe closely and as always with recipes involving flour, I highly recommend that you use a kitchen scale. Cup measurements are not accurate enough to get the best and consistent results. Digital kitchen scales are available at most big superstores now and you can pick one up for around $10. They are a great investment and are so worth having! If you do need to use cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level off the top with a knife without compacting it or shaking it down. By doing it like this you will get roughly the correct amount and make your chances of success better. Do not scoop the flour up into the cup as you will end up with much more than intended and it will affect the outcome of the recipe.
- Check your baking powder and make sure it does not contain aluminum. That's because the aluminum can react with fruits like cherries and raspberries and turn everything a lovely shade of blue. it can also affect the flavour a little.
- Do not over mix the batter. As with all cakes/muffins, the more you mix, the more you activate the gluten in the flour which really affects the texture and rise.
- Be sure to follow my tip about starting the oven really high and turning it down after 5 minutes. It helps make muffins extra light and fluffy!
- How can you tell when they are cooked properly? You can use the toothpick test. Stick one in the centre of a muffin and if it comes out clean (except for maybe a little cherry juice), then it's done.
Ways you can adapt this recipe
Some ideas for making this vegan cherry muffin recipe your own:
- omit the almond extract and add some chocolate chips
- use blueberries or raspberries instead of cherries
- use spelt flour instead of all-purpose flour
- make gluten-free cherry muffins by using oat flour (instructions are in the recipe notes)
- make orange cherry muffins by adding orange zest and orange extract instead of almond extract
- fancy them up with piped vegan cream cheese frosting
- drizzle on a simple powdered sugar glaze. Mix half a cup of powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water or non-dairy milk. Just enough milk to make a thick drizzle-able glaze. Stir until smooth then drizzle over the cooled muffins.
Storage, freezing and reheating tips
To store vegan cherry muffins- The most important part is to let them cool completely on a wire rack before storing them. If there is any warmth in them at all, as soon as they go into a sealed container condensation will happen, and that means damp muffins.
Once they are completely cool, you will need an airtight container and some paper towels. As muffins age, the moisture inside them rises to the surface and can make them wet. By packing them up with some paper towels laid out underneath and on top, you can avoid this. Just keep an eye on them and if the paper towels get a little moist, replace them with fresh.
To refresh vegan cherry muffins - If the muffins do get a little damp or stale, you can refresh them in the oven at 350°F (175 °C) for about 6 to 8 minutes. They will come out good as new!
To freeze vegan cherry muffins - These muffins are really moist and keep well for 3 or 4 days. If however, you need to store them longer than that, the freezer is your best option. Cherry muffins freeze extremely well for up to 3 months. Pop them into a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container and place them carefully in the freezer. When you want them, remove from the freezer and let them defrost for a couple of hours at room temperature. You can make them tasted newly baked by warming them gently in the oven at 350°F (175 °C) for about 6 minutes.
Hungry for more?
For more vegan cherry recipes check out my Cherry Almond Granola Bars and my Black Forest Overnight Oats and if it's fruity muffins you're after then see my Vegan Blueberry Muffins, Vegan Blueberry Bran Muffins and my Lemon and Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins.
Subscribe to my email list for a fabulous FREE eCookbook featuring my top 10 recipes. Being on the list means you will be first to see my new recipes and you’ll be kept in the loop on all things new and exciting too. Also be sure to check out my cookbook Vegan Comfort Cooking for even more recipes!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Cherry Muffins
Ingredients
- 250g / 2 cups all purpose flour , see recipe notes for gluten-free option
- 60g / ½ cup almond flour
- 200g / 1 cup light sugar , white or cane
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons baking powder , it must be aluminum free for this recipe or your muffins will turn blue.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon natural almond extract
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 254g / 1 cup apple sauce , unsweetened
- 120mls / ½ cup plant-based milk
- 1½ cups / 336 grams fresh pitted, frozen or dried cherries
- 40g / ½ cup flaked or slivered almonds
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425°F and prepare a muffin tin. Either grease it or line with liners.
- Add the flour, almond flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a bowl. Mix together well.
- Add the almond extract, vinegar, apple sauce and milk (use milk ONLY if using all purpose flour and not oat flour), to another small bowl or jug and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until it is just combined. Do not overmix.
- Add the cherries and stir them gently through, then spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins so they are about ¾ full. Sprinkle the tops with the flaked/slivered almonds and get into the oven as quickly as you can.
- After 5 minutes in the oven turn the temperature down to 375°F (don't open the door) and cook for another 12 - 15 minutes. A tooth pick inserted into one of them should come out clean after that time. If it doesn't give them a minute or two more.
- Once cooked leave for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove and transfer to a cooling rack.
NOTES
- Follow the recipe closely and as always with recipes involving flour, I highly recommend that you use a kitchen scale. Cup measurements are not accurate enough to get the best and consistent results. Digital kitchen scales are available at most big superstores now and you can pick one up for around $10. They are a great investment and are so worth having! If you do need to use cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level off the top with a knife without compacting it or shaking it down. By doing it like this you will get roughly the correct amount and make your chances of success better. Do not scoop the flour up into the cup as you will end up with much more than intended and it will affect the outcome of the recipe.
- Do not over mix the batter. As with all cakes/muffins, the more you mix, the more you activate the gluten in the flour which really affects the texture and rise.
- Be sure to follow my tip about starting the oven really high and turning it down after 5 minutes. It helps make muffins extra light and fluffy!
- How can you tell when they are cooked properly? You can use the toothpick test. Stick one in the centre of a muffin and if it comes out clean (except for maybe a little cherry juice), then it's done.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was originally published on September 22nd 2016. I've updated it with some new content and a video and am now republishing it for you. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Maureen Cram says
Made these yesterday as a friend bought me cherries at a really good price for here in South Africa so I had plenty to use! We had them for dessert last night and called them cupcakes and will be eating them for breakfast this morning as muffins :). Not too sweet but really tasty. Another great recipe - thanks so much :).
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed them Maureen!
Maureen says
Just a note for anyone using frozen cherries as I did for the second time of making... I let them thaw out and..... put the package in the fridge and took out another package of still frozen cherries and used them! Didn't realise how much liquid frozen cherries can have as they thaw out!! We used the thawed out ones for a smoothie so didn't go to waste!
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes always use frozen fruit in the state it's called for in the recipe. If a recipe needs it to be defrosted it will say. For baking it will almost always go in frozen because otherwise, you'll end up with batter that's more liquidy than intended which will affect how the recipe turns out, and it will be stained whatever colour the fruit is.
Marcia says
I love this recipe!! I made the gluten free option. I used only a 100 grams of sugar, for those who prefer a little less sweet, also added blueberries.
It was amazing, I’ll be making them again. Thank you for such a great recipe!!!
Nicole De Wilde says
Just a fantastic recipe. Made mine with oat flour and monk fruit/erythritol sweetener and fresh blueberries from our garden. Fabulous. Thank you!
Mary says
?
Baking soda and baking soda?? ???
A Virtual Vegan says
Do you mean baking powder and baking soda? If so yes. That's quite normal in many vegan recipes and is necessary in this one.
RB says
Very good recipe, easy to follow, oven timing was right on! ******Thank you!******
marquis | realrawkitchen says
I am SO excited to make these :) I love baking fruit into breads and this is such a great vegan recipe I imagine would work well with lots of different fruits. I don't have any applesauce but I do have apples... I should be able to blend the apples and use that, yeah? Or do blended apples have a different consistency than regular applesauce?
A Virtual Vegan says
Blended uncooked apples won't work in this recipe because they wouldn't be as liquidy or soft and would cause the flour to liquid ratio to be off. To make your own applesauce, just peel some of your apples, core them, chop them up and put them in a pan with a couple tablespoons of water. Cook with a lid on 'til they are soft then blend or mash them up to a puree. You can make extra and keep it in pots in the freezer. Hope that helps!
Kerstin says
Just made the muffins and they so good, however when I make them again, I will reduce the sugar by at least half. They are too sweet for me. But as long as cherries are available, I will make them again. So good, thank you
Simran says
Hi what's the substitute for apple sauce?
A Virtual Vegan says
The recipe hasn't been tested with anything other than applesauce. It's the best option if you want great results :O)
beth says
I was thrilled to see the gluten-free option in the subject line of the e-mail but so sadface when I clicked over here and see that almond flour is required. I am allergic to treenuts, among other food allergies too. I've been gluten-free for nearly a year now and dearly miss baking from scratch and I rarely ever buy gluten-free sweet treats at the store because they are so expensive.
I don't mean to be so whiny, it's definitely nothing personal to you, I know it's time consuming (and possibly pricey since you are buying your own ingredients) to create your fabulous *free* recipes that you share. I just wish I could make more of your recipes.
Harjinder says
Can I use tinned cherries if I have difficulty getting fresh ones.
A Virtual Vegan says
I wouldn't use tinned cherries because they are way too wet and would end up making the muffins damp. Frozen or dried cherries are fine though.
Harjinder says
If I freeze tinned cherries and then use them , do you think that might work?
A Virtual Vegan says
Tinned cherries aren't the best for baking with because they are too wet. Even if you freeze them the liquid will still be present and come out as they defrost. You will likely end up with soggy patches of sponge around each cherry. Fresh or dried cherries are best to use. Or glace cherries.
Harjinder says
Thank you Mel for your advise.. I will try with an alternative fruit.
Sandy says
I just made these using the regular flour because I didn't have enough oat flour and was too lazy to grind it. They are sweet and crunchy and delicious, I am freezing xsome cherries for the next time when I want to try the oat flour method. I may risk decreasing the sugar but don't want to sacrifice the testure.
Thank you for a new favorite recipe.
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed them Sandy. I like both versions but I think I prefer the oat flour ones. They are a little lighter and more delicate which I like. I haven't tried them with less sugar. You should be able to lose a few tablespoons without too much damage though. I hope you enjoy your next oaty batch just as much!
Jim Manning says
Mel: These are fantastic! The taste and texture is amazing , all the more so given that there is no added fat or shortening in the recipe. My wife made a batch of these this afternoon using homemade almond flour, oat flour and applesauce. We live on a small island so sourcing "specialty" ingredients can be challenging. I was skeptical about not needed any additional moisture (plant-milk) with the oat flour, but the batter and the finished muffins were perfectly moist. We will be making another batch very soon - not just because my wife and I love be them, but because while my wife was bringing me the first muffin from the batch back in my home office, our petite little 100 pound Rhodesian Ridgeback was in the kitchen helping herself to the remainder of the muffins off the cooling rack! I rate them Five-Stars, Matilda rates them Five-paws!
A Virtual Vegan says
Oh no! Naughty Matilda! She obviously has good taste though ???? I'm so glad you at least got to eat one. Hopefully Matilda won't take a fancy to the 2nd batch. Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know that you (and Matilda) enjoyed them. I really appreciate it!
jacquie says
those look great - i bet they would work with blueberries or other fruits as well. Do you think i could reduce the sugar by half? that seems like a lot given the sweetness of the cherries and the applesauce (i know it is unsweetened but apples are still sweet) thanks.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! Blueberries would be great in them. As for the sugar, these muffins aren't overly sweet as they are, and if you reduce it, it will be a case of trial and error to see how much you can get away with, if any. Sugar doesn't just act as a sweetener in cakes and muffins, it also provides structure. If you reduce it you could affect the rise and texture. As long as you are willing to take the risk then give it a shot. I'm sure they would still be edible even if they do end up a little flatter.Good luck!
Alice says
Just made these and they were SOoooo goooddd! I had all ingredients but the applesauce on hand too, which is great!! The texture came out perfectly and they weren't too wet/moist which is a recurring problem I have with muffins. Thank you! I posted a pic on my instagram too, @pupsandpancakes , if you wanna see how it came out! :)
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks so much for sharing a picture on Instagram! They look great! I'm glad you were pleased with the texture. A pet hate of mine is claggy damp sponge so I make sure that doesn't happen in my muffins & cakes etc. Enjoy eating them all up and thank you for leaving feedback. I really appreciate it!
Alice says
Just made another batch and had to comment because I added chocolate chips and OMG it took them to a whole 'nother level....highly recommend .... !! (Also omitting the almond extract+almonds on top)
A Virtual Vegan says
Oh no! Now I have to make them again with chocolate chips! ???? So glad you are enjoying them and that is a great idea! Almost like Black Forest flavour. Yum!
Paula says
This is really good. I made a batch and a half and got 12 muffins out of it. I used the oat flour rather than regular flour. I baked them 15 minutes but they could have used one more minute. My muffins turned out blue but I should have folded the cherries in at the last rather than with the wet ingredients. This is a keeper. Thanks. I freeze lots of cherries when they come in season so I will have them for recipes just like this one.
A Virtual Vegan says
Check your baking powder. If you have one that contains aluminum it will make cakes etc turn blue with fruit like raspberries and cherries. The substance that makes the fruit red, reacts with the aluminum and causes the colour change. The same can happen with blueberries only they can turn green. Next time you need baking powder look for the aluminum free varieties. Bob's Red Mill makes one but most stores sell at least one these days. I will make a note of it in the recipe now to warn others! I'm so glad you like them though and thank you for stopping by to leave feedback!