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These Banana Bran Muffins with blueberries are so moist they melt in your mouth and are packed with healthy ingredients like wheat bran, oat bran and flax seed meal!
Do you have a favorite healthy recipe masquerading as something indulgent? I have plenty of indulgent treats masquerading as healthy but very few that taste decadent but won’t wreck your diet. These Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins are just that: crazy delicious but packed with fruit and fiber. I am really into faux-indulgent these days.
Good bran muffin recipes come and go but these Banana Blueberry Bran Muffins have stood the test of time. I have been making and improving upon them for the past four years. Very seldom does one try a bran muffin and say, “Holy cow that is ridiculously delicious!”
These muffins are packed with healthy wheat bran, oat bran, whole wheat flour, flax seed meal, bananas, and blueberries! They are so moist they melt in your mouth. Every time I make them my fiancé asks, with a mouthful of crumbs, “Are these bad for us?” Because they are that good!
I put them in the freezer to thaw as needed so that they last longer, but it’s hardly necessary because they stay moist for days in a plastic, zip top bag and they honestly don’t last that long.
You know those muffins and breads that only get better the blacker and riper your bananas? This isn’t one of those recipes. I think it is best when the bananas have just started to spot brown and the skin is thin and they are fragrant but not pungent. You know what I mean!
So grab that left over buttermilk and whip up a double batch of these Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins right now. After one bite you are going to wonder where these have been all your life, and why every other bran muffin now tastes dry and unsatisfying.
The Best Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins EVER
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- â…” cup packed brown sugar
- â…“ cup canola oil
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 ripe large bananas mashed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ cups wheat bran
- ½ cup oat bran
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° and either grease 12 muffin cups or line with liners. They are even more moist when you use muffin liners.
- Mix buttermilk and wheat bran and set aside to soak. In another medium bowl mix together all the remaining dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl add egg, sugar, oil, banana and vanilla and mix until well combined. Gently stir the dry mixture and buttermilk mixture into the egg mixture and mix until just combine and a few lumps remain. Fold in the blueberries being careful not to over mix.
- Pour into prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool 5 minutes in tins and then turn out onto rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Hi! These sound wonderful– exactly what I’m looking for. However, I live at 9000ft (3000m). Has anyone written you with high altitude modifications to this recipe? I’m almost gun-shy to try new recipes now because most, even most of my favs, are fraught with failure at this altitude!
Hi Rich! I haven’t personally tested this recipe with high altitude modifications. These muffins do seem pretty low risk, but, based on what I’ve read, you might want to just bake them a bit longer. I wouldn’t necessarily increase the oven temperature or they might dry out even more than usual. My best advice is to test a half batch and then adjust! Please do report back when you do so we can keep the conversation going with fellow high-altitude bakers! 🙂
no salt?
I did not include any, Katerina, but you could include 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon kosher salt with the dry ingredients.
Hi there!! Excited to make these. Wondering if adding some molasses would be a good idea? I typically love the flavor it imparts on bran muffins. Thanks!
Absolutely! I think molasses is always a good idea. You might want to reduce a bit of the light brown sugar because the muffins are already on the sweeter side. Happy baking!