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!

Close up of vegan almond muffin with a croissant-like flaked almond topping.

Ingredients you’ll need

Flat-lay of ingredients in small dishes for the muffin recipe.

The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the 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.

Cross section of one muffin, showing frangipane filling.

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.

Two image collage showing how to make the frangipane filling for the muffins.

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’.

Four image collage showing how to make the batter for the muffins.

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 1/2 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.

Two image collage showing close up of half-filled muffin tin, with ball of frangipane pressed into one muffin cup, and topped with more batter.

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.

Two image collage of muffin tin with almond muffins, before and after baking.

Customizing this recipe

How can I make an almond croissant cake or cookies?

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!

Can I make these muffins gluten-free?

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.

Can I add other ingredients to these muffins?

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.

Close up of almond muffin on wire cooling rack.

More almond flour recipes

Simple one-layer cake with lots of toasted sliced almonds on top.

Vegan Almond Cake

Vegan Almond Cookies

Flourless Vegan Chocolate Cake (oil free)
Almond flour shortbread stacked on a plate. The cookies are half dipped in chocolate with a sprinkle of pistachios and dried rose petals.

Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies (3 ingredients)

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Close up of vegan almond muffin with a croissant-like flaked almond topping.
4.86 from 28 reviews

Vegan Almond Croissant Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 27 minutes
Total Time: 52 minutes
Author: Anthea
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!
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Frangipane Filling (note 1)

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

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

  1. These muffins are still delicious without any frangipane filling. They bake a little faster and need around 23-26 minutes in the oven.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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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