Soft vegan almond muffins inspired by almond croissants, with a gooey frangipane filling and crunchy almond topping. They taste like almond croissants but in an easy muffin form!
Ingredients you'll need
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Notes about the ingredients
Almond flour (or blanched almond meal in some countries) adds moisture, texture and a mild flavor to the vegan muffins. It's also the main ingredient in the frangipane filling.
All-purpose flour for structure, especially as we're not using eggs. We cannot make this recipe with only almond flour otherwise they'll be very crumbly and oily. I've tested this with gluten-free all-purpose flour, and it also works.
Applesauce for added structure and to lift the muffins. Without applesauce, the muffins either spread out or were too dry. Alternatively, you can use dairy-free yogurt (although applesauce adds some sweetness to the muffins). Or check out my vegan almond cake which doesn't use applesauce or yogurt. Spread isn't an issue for cakes as the batter is contained in a cake tin.
Oil for the muffins and a little melted butter for the frangipane filling.
Almond extract enhances the almond flavor and gives the muffins a light marzipan taste. Personally, I don't enjoy marzipan, but I love these muffins with almond extract. Alternatively, you can use more vanilla extract or even a little lemon zest or orange zest.
How to make the frangipane filling
The filling is easy to make as you add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined. The filling should be like a thick and tacky paste that's firmer than regular frangipane. The frangipane is mildly sweet so if you prefer a sweeter filling, you're welcome to add more sugar to taste.
Then chill the frangipane in the fridge while you make the muffin batter. This helps thicken the mixture so we can roll it into balls.
Making the vegan almond muffins
To make the muffin batter, add all wet ingredients (sugar, milk, oil, applesauce and extracts) to a bowl and whisk until combined. Then add all the dry ingredients (flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt) and mix until there are no big lumps. The final batter should be thick and look 'creamy'.
Assembling and baking the muffins
First, roll your frangipane mixture into 12 equal sized balls/pieces. They don't have to be perfect! If your mixture is still sticky, mix in a little more almond flour. Or dampen your hands with water and roll away.
Fill the muffin cavities with about ½ of the batter. It won't look like much at this stage. Then place a ball of frangipane in each muffin, gently pressing it down (Image 7).
Finally, divide the remaining batter between the cavities. Since the batter is quite thick, it won't necessarily 'fall' into place and cover the frangipane (Image 8). If so, use a butter knife or spoon to spread the batter so it covers the frangipane. The top of each muffin won't necessarily be flat, but a 'heaped mound' on top the frangipane ball.
Generously sprinkle some flaked almonds on top (the more the better). Then bake the muffins in your preheated oven until a toothpick comes out clean!
As you can see, I spaced my muffins apart in the muffin tin. This encourages more hot air to circulate each muffin so they grow a little taller. If you don't have a large oven (like myself), you'll need to bake 6 muffins at a time, in 2 lots.
Customizing this recipe
A few readers said my vegan almond cake tastes like an almond croissant without any modifications! However, you can still add the frangipane filling to the middle of the cake. You'll probably need to bake the cake for an extra 5 minutes.
Similarly, my vegan almond cookies are a fun snack that also taste like an almond croissant. I haven't tested it, but I imagine the frangipane filling would hinder the spread of the cookies so I suggest flattening them before baking.
Alternatively, my almond croissant cookie bars have a frangipane filling!
Yes, I've tested this recipe with gluten-free all-purpose flour and Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour and they both work well. The batter was a little runnier than using regular all-purpose flour but the muffins still baked well.
I personally love these almond flour muffins are is, because the almond flour and flavor really shine. However, the almond muffin component (without the filling) can probably be used as a foundation for muffins with blueberries, and chocolate chips. Alternatively, check out my other muffin recipes.
More almond flour recipes
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Vegan Almond Croissant Muffins
Ingredients
Frangipane Filling (note 1)
- ¾ cup (75g) almond flour / blanched almond meal, spooned and leveled (note 2)
- ¼ cup (25g) granulated sugar, or to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons (25g) dairy-free milk
- 1 tablespoon (15g) melted vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, or vanilla extract, to taste
Wet ingredients for the muffins
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (130g) unsweetened applesauce, or dairy-free yogurt (note 3)
- ⅓ cup (85g) dairy-free milk
- ½ cup (125g) neutral flavored oil
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (do not omit)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract, or extra vanilla extract, to taste
Dry ingredients for the muffins
- 1 ½ cup (190g) all-purpose plain flour, spooned and leveled, or gluten-free all-purpose flour (note 4)
- 1 ¼ cups (125g) almond flour / blanched almond meal, spooned and leveled
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
To decorate
- 1 ½ cups (120g) sliced almonds, or as needed
Instructions
Make the frangipane filling:
- Add all ingredients to a small-sized bowl and mix until it forms a thick and tacky paste. Initially, the mixture will look too thick, but it will come together. If you prefer a sweeter frangipane, feel free to mix in more sugar and milk to taste. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge until needed.
Make the vegan almond croissant muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Add all the wet ingredients (sugar, applesauce, milk, oil, vinegar and extracts) to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Add all the dry ingredients (flours, baking powder and salt) and mix until just combined. The batter should be thick. Set aside.
- Roll the frangipane mixture into 12 equal-sized balls. If your mixture is sticking to your hands, dampen your hands with water and roll the mixture.
- Scoop around half of the batter into the muffin cups. Place a frangipane ball into each cup and press it down a little into the batter. Top each frangipane ball with the remaining muffin batter. As the batter is quite thick, it won't flatten out in each cup. If so, use a butter knife or small spoon to 'circle' the batter around each frangipane ball. The batter might look like a little heaped mound in each cup. (note 5)
- Very generously top each muffin with sliced almonds.
Baking and serving the muffins:
- Bake the muffins for about 25-28 minutes. They are ready when you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine). If you gently press on the center of a muffin, it should feel firm and springy. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
- If desired, dust the muffins with powdered sugar before serving and enjoy! The crunchy almond topping will soften over time. Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
- These muffins are still delicious without any frangipane filling. They bake a little faster and need around 23-26 minutes in the oven.
- If you're using measuring cups, I strongly recommend spooning and leveling the flour otherwise your frangipane and muffins will be dense and dry. Fluff up the flour in the bag, use a spoon to add flour to your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. If you scoop the flour with your cups, it can add up to 50% more flour which will throw off this recipe. For the best results, use the grams measurements and a kitchen scale.
- If you use dairy-free yogurt, your muffins will be less sweet and will brown less. If you'd like a recipe without applesauce or yogurt, see my vegan almond cake.
- I tested this recipe using all-purpose gluten-free flour and Bob's Red Mills 1:1 flour and they both work well. I suggest using the grams measurements because not all brands have the same volume (or cup) measurements as all-purpose flour. Your batter may be runnier than pictured but the muffins will still bake well.
- For higher muffin tops, bake the muffins in every other cavity in your muffin tray. If you're using a 12-cavity muffin tray, this means you'll need to bake 6 muffins at a time, in 2 lots.
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Tuna says
I added raspberries to mine as well and they turned out delicious Thank you for sharing❤️
Vandana says
Hi. Your recipes look amazing! Just a quick question. I’m mainly looking for egg free recipes. Don’t need to avoid dairy. Can I use regular butter and milk and make most of your recipes? Thank you.
Anthea says
Hey, I haven't personally tested my recipes using regular butter/milk, but some of my readers use their own ingredients for my recipes and I've never heard of any issues. Hope that helps!
Val says
These are very good! Unfortunately the bottom burned a little at 25 minutes which surprises me because my oven usually takes longer. SO I should start checking at 20 minutes or so.
Anthea says
Glad that you enjoyed these muffins! By any chance, do you use an oven with a fan? All of my recipes are for ovens without a fan so if yours had one, it's best to turn down the temperature by 70°F. Otherwise, I find it useful to keep an oven thermometer in the oven, as most ovens don't run true to their set temperature (many ovens also are different by the day). I hope that helps!
Val says
I will make these for a meeting next week. How big do they get? Can I use a tulip paper cup?
Anthea says
These muffins don't rise as much as other muffins. You can see how much they rise in Images 9 and 10 above. I'd say they'd be a little small for tulip cups. Hope that helps!
Val says
Thank you!
BarbaraM says
Yum! Mine weren’t vegan, I only had non vegan butter and milk and I used greek yoghurt. I ran out of AP flour so used 1/2 whole wheat flour, my batter was really thick and I worried but needn’t have as they turned out perfect. The frangipane center is so good! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Anthea says
Hi Barbara, glad that you enjoyed these muffins! Thanks so much for letting me know how the recipe went for you - I know other readers will find it helpful too 🙂
jj says
am I able to use regular milk and 1 egg instead of applesauce as I am not vegan so don't necessarily have the other ingredients readily available?
Anthea says
I've only tested my recipes the way they're written. Some readers use dairy to make my recipes (though, I can't guarantee how this will turn out as I don't test it this way). And adding eggs often changes the structure of a recipe - you'll need to do your own experimentation.
Jj says
Ok thanks
Fabienne says
These muffins are incredibly moist and flavorful.
Anthea says
So glad that you enjoyed them!
Ratha says
So easy to bake and taste so good. I usually bake for my hiking group and they absolutely loved it. Thanks heaps Anthea! Looking forward for more recipes👌
Anthea says
Aw, how thoughtful of you to bake for your hiking group!! I'm so glad that you enjoyed these muffins, and thank you so much for your kind review, Ratha 🙂
Khaleesa says
Hello thank you for this recipe! May I know how long we can store this? Thank you 🙂
Anthea says
Hi! They keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If you kept them in the fridge or freezer, best to warm them up before enjoying. Hope that helps 🙂
Sara says
These were so delicious! I love almond croissants (particularly the frangipane filling) but I'm nervous about attempting vegan croissants. These hit the spot perfectly. I followed the recipe exactly, and they came out nice and high, with toasty almond flakes on top. I'll be making these again.
Anthea says
Hi Sara, I'm so happy that you enjoyed these muffins! I absolutely hear you about making vegan croissants though. Reading your comment makes me want to make these muffins again - thanks so much for your lovely feedback!
Meggie says
Absolutely delicious! They actually taste like almond croissants. Using almond extract made all the difference!
Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Meg
Anthea says
Hi Meg, aw I'm so glad that you enjoyed these muffins and that they gave you croissant vibes!! Thanks so much for your kind review 🙂
Renaux says
Just delicious
Anthea says
Great to hear, thanks Renaux!
S says
Hi Anthea 🙂
I was wondering, what would happen if I used panela as the main sugar in both the frangipane and the cake batter? I only really use that sugar as I prefer to use unrefined ones, but can definitely get a less refined granulated cane sugar if it will mess with it too much?
Also, what if I was to use wholewheat spelt in place of the all purpose?
Thanking you for all the deliciousness you provide us 🙂
S x
Anthea says
Hi S! Panela sugar will work similarly, but it might overpower the almond flavour and of course, your muffins will be a slightly different colour. Also, wholewheat spelt will work but I'd add an extra dash of milk (and your muffins will be denser/smaller). Hope that helps 🙂
S says
Thank you! It does help indeed, I’ll give it a go and see what happens 🙂
Dil says
Is the frangipane too tacky to spread as a middle layer in the almond cake recipe if I wanted to add this to the almond cake? What do you suggest?
Anthea says
Hi! I find the frangipane filling easier to spread if it's runnier so, I'd add a dash of milk to the frangipane if it looks too thick. Hope that helps!
Nadege Stoddart says
Just made the muffins without the frangipane and put a chocolate button inside instead as well as using gluten free flour blend (mix myself 1/3 potato flour, 1/3 rice flour, 1/3 sorghum flour) plus 3/4 spoon xanthan gum! Perfect! Your recipes are so amazing!
Anthea says
Hi Nadege! Sorry for the late reply but I'm so glad that you enjoyed these! Thanks for letting me know what gluten-free flours worked for you (I know other readers will appreciate this a lot). And I love the addition of chocolate buttons. Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂
Vai says
Absolutely mouth watering delicious 💯
Don't skip the almond flakes for the real deal!
Used half the recipe and made some swaps:
1. Used erythritol instead of sugar (1:1 ratio)
2. Used olive oil instead of vegan butter - I know it would definitely taste better with butter, but I didn't have any.
3. Used vegan yogurt.
All worked really well!
Will be baking these again. And most certainly will try the almond cake with the frangipane!
Anthea says
Hi Vai! I'm so glad that these worked with erythritol for you, and that olive oil worked in a pinch! I'm getting hungry just thinking about them haha. Thank you, as always!
Miki says
Hi, would you recommend freezing these muffins?
Anthea says
Hi Miki, they're definitely freezable but the almond topping just softens after the first day. Hope that helps!
Jagjina Nijjer says
Hey! Can I make this recipe gluten free? Any recommendations on what to use as substitute?
Anthea says
Hi! I tested these with gluten-free all-purpose flour (instead of regular all-purpose flour) and they work well. There are some extra notes in the recipe card. Hope that helps!