Banana Bran Muffins

These moist Banana Bran Muffins are filled with healthy wheat bran, oat bran, whole wheat flour, flax seed meal, bananas, and blueberries. They have all the nutrients that will leave you satisfied!

Good bran muffin recipes come and go, but these Banana Bran Muffins have stood the test of time. I have been making and improving upon these muffins for the past 10 years. These muffins are packed with healthy fats and are nutrient-dense! They are so moist and are perfect for making large batches for meal prep.

Looking for more inspiration on healthy muffin flavors? Check out these healthy pumpkin muffins. If you are ready to indulge, your next stop is these jumbo blueberry muffins or blueberry scones. And if you are prepared for a truly perfect breakfast pastry, you have to try these cinnamon scones! 

Professional Tips for Making Banana Bran Muffins

• Allow the buttermilk to hydrate the bran. Scale the bran and buttermilk together first. It is best to let it sit for at least an hour to ensure proper hydration and a moist muffin. 
• Bake in muffin liners. For the best and most moist muffins, use muffin liners. The muffins never stick to the liners and will help keep them moist when storing. If you skip the liners, spray the muffin tin well with cooking spray. Just wrap the muffins well in plastic wrap so they don’t dry out.
• Use warm coconut oil. The coconut oil needs to be warm; otherwise, it will solidify when you add it to your batter. Then, you will have solidified chunks that are difficult to incorporate, which can cause overmixing and a tough muffin.

Ingredients

• Large Eggs: Whole eggs help emulsify the batter and add fat and moisture to keep the muffins soft and tender. 
• Maple Syrup: I use pure Vermont maple syrup. I use “Grade A: dark amber color and robust flavor.” It has the best flavor and is thicker than the lower grades. You can also use “Grade A: Very Dark and Strong Flavor, but it is generally very expensive and difficult to find. You can reduce the maple syrup to 1/3 cup for slightly less sweet muffin. 
• Coconut Oil: I use organic extra virgin coconut oil in these muffins to act as a binder and to add a little bit of fat to keep you full and all the other health benefits are a bonus! 
• Buttermilk: Use a low-fat buttermilk rather than full fat. It provides just enough fat to keep the muffins moist and enough moisture to hydrate the bran. The acidity also activates the baking soda for a nice, tall muffin. 
• Bananas: Baking with bananas uses their natural moisture and sweetness without adding additional oils or sweeteners.  
• Vanilla Extract
• Whole Wheat Flour: I prefer King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour. Both these companies control the temperature of the flour during grinding, which preserves the natural flavors, antioxidants, and vitamins that are destroyed at warmer temperatures. And with the leftover flour you should make these whole wheat pancakes next!
• Wheat Bran: The bran is the outer layer of the wheat kernel surrounding the endosperm of the grain. It is mostly fiber but also contains vitamins and antioxidants. I use it to increase the fiber and bind the wet ingredients together without adding additional calories. 
• Oat Bran: The oat bran is the outer layer of the oat kernel. It is mostly fiber but also contains vitamins and minerals. If you can’t find oat bran, replace it with wheat bran or rolled oats.
• Ground Flaxseed Meal: Flaxseed meal is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber and an excellent binder for healthy treats. The meal absorbs moisture while adding nutrients and a laundry list of health benefits! 
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Using baking powder and baking soda allows the muffins to rise stronger and more evenly. 
• Cinnamon
• Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries in these muffins!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Change the spice. Use my apple pie spice or this pumpkin spice recipe to add more spice. You can even take inspiration from my apple crisp energy bites and add dried apples for an apple crisp bran muffin! Or add some cardamom, nutmeg and dried pears, yum! 
• Add some veggies. You can grate and squeeze some zucchini or carrots and add them in place of the blueberries. Maybe add some toasted nuts like walnuts or pecans as well for some crunch.
• Use your favorite fruit or chocolate. Try these muffins with dried cranberries, raisins, and cherries, or add dark chocolate or chocolate chips to the mix. You could make them with chopped fresh or frozen strawberries like these healthy strawberry muffins.

Substitutions

• Buttermilk substitutions. You can use unsweetened almond milk or another milk substitute instead of the buttermilk. But they won’t rise as high, and they will be drier just because of the loss of the fat from the buttermilk. I still mix them the same way but the wheat bran absorbs the buttermilk differently. Substitute 1 for 1. 
• Other sweeteners. The maple syrup can be substituted for honey or agave syrup. You can get allergy-fighting benefits from local honey.
• Applesauce. If you don’t have bananas, you can use unsweetened apple sauce.

How to Make Banana Bran Muffins

Use these instructions to make these moist banana bran muffins! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F and either grease 12 muffin cups or line with liners. 

Muffin liners help retain moisture even better than greasing the tin. They also freeze better.

Step 2: Mix the buttermilk, wheat bran, and oat bran with a fork and set aside to soak. 

Step 3: In another medium bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. 

Step 4: Add the egg, maple syrup, banana, and vanilla to a large bowl and mix until well combined and there are no streaks of eggs. 

Step 5: Stir in the melted, and still a little warm, coconut oil, followed by the buttermilk mixture. 

The coconut oil needs to be warm; otherwise, it will solidify when you add it to your batter. Then, you will have chunks of oil that become hard to mix, which can cause overmixing and a tough muffin. 

Step 6: Whisk in the flour mixture until just combined, then fold in the blueberries with a silicone or rubber spatula, being careful not to overmix. 

Step 7: Pour or scoop using a disher (large cookie scoop) into prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached. 

Step 8: Cool for 5 minutes in tins and then turn out onto the rack to cool completely. If you are using liners, you can lift the muffins out of the pan immediately and cool on a wire rack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this healthy muffin recipe. Check out our other delicious snack recipes like these easy peanut butter banana energy bites and these healthy homemade KIND bars copycat recipe!