Wholesome Banana Bran Muffins Crafted from Whole Grains and Natural Sweeteners

These Moist and Fluffy Banana Bran Muffins are delectable, soft, and made with nutritious oat bran cereal, bananas, and without any butter or refined sugar. A perfect quick breakfast option for busy mornings!

Is there a better way to enjoy warm, comforting banana bread? This healthy banana bran muffin recipe truly satisfies! Moist, airy, and an ideal easy breakfast. It’s made better with wholesome oat bran cereal, oat flour, and is sweetened naturally with banana, cane sugar, and maple syrup. Next time, I’ll add chocolate chips or chopped nuts for extra flavor and texture. I’m sure the entire family will appreciate these!

Reasons to Love These Muffins

• These nutritious banana bran muffins are fluffy, naturally sweetened, and an ideal pre-made healthy breakfast or snack!
• Great recipe for utilizing those overripe bananas you have lying around.
• A wholesome snack that provides dietary fiber, which your children will enjoy.
• I like to prepare them in batches for meal prep and freeze them for school lunches or quick snacks.

Ingredients Needed

• bananas – Ensure you’re using very ripe bananas for maximum natural sweetness. A fantastic way to use up bananas you have on hand!
• eggs – These give the muffins their structure and height.
• coconut oil – I incorporated a small amount of melted coconut oil to retain moisture. If you lack coconut oil, you can substitute with Greek yogurt or unsweetened applesauce.
• oat flour – This makes the muffins airy and pairs wonderfully with the oat bran. If oat flour isn’t available, you can easily create your own (see notes below). Whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour can also be used.
• oat bran – Oat bran imparts fiber and protein to these muffins along with a delightful oat flavor and texture. Wheat bran can also be used for wholesome muffins.
• baking soda – This serves as a leavening agent for rising the muffins.
• milk – You’ll need 1/4 cup of milk, and any type of milk will work for this recipe.
• sweetener – I used a mix of maple syrup and cane sugar for natural sweetness without refined sugar. Honey, white sugar, or brown sugar could also be alternatives.
• vanilla – You’ll need one teaspoon of vanilla extract for an extra kick of flavor!
• cinnamon + salt – Enhance the flavor. You may also include a touch of nutmeg or allspice for additional warm notes.

Instructions for Making Healthy Bran Muffins

1. Preheat oven. Set your oven to 325 degrees F and spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners.
2. Mash bananas. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until you achieve the desired consistency.
3. Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oat flour, oat bran, cane sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set this flour mixture aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, mashed bananas, milk, melted coconut oil, and vanilla until fully combined.
4. Create the batter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a spatula until just combined. Avoid over-mixing the batter. At this stage, feel free to fold in any add-ins like chocolate chips or chopped nuts into the wet mixture.
5. Fill muffin tins. Generously coat a muffin pan with non-stick spray (or use paper liners) and evenly distribute the batter among 12 muffin cups, filling each almost to the top.
6. Bake the muffins. Place muffins in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Making Oat Flour

To create your own oat flour, take rolled oats (or instant oats) and grind them in your food processor or blender for about 60 seconds until they reach a fine, powdery texture. You can purchase oat flour at the grocery store, but this method saves money and the flour can last up to three months in your pantry. The conversion is one cup of oats = one cup of oat flour, making it easy to measure.

Variations and Swaps

• Ensure you use overripe bananas with brown spots for maximum sweetness!
• Avoid over-mixing the batter, as this creates dense, dry muffins which we want to avoid. We’re aiming for light and fluffy!
• You can easily substitute oat flour with whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour; almond flour or coconut flour are not recommended for this recipe, as preferences vary.
• Swap melted coconut oil for olive oil, unsweetened applesauce, or plain Greek yogurt in this healthy bran muffin recipe. You could even add extra mashed banana.
• Incorporate additional ingredients like chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, coconut flakes, chia seeds, dried fruit, or fresh berries on top of each muffin.
• For chocolate banana bran muffins, simply mix in 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and reduce the oat flour to 1 cup.

Storage and Preparation

To Store: You can keep these banana muffins in a sealed, airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days, but refrigerate them afterward for longer preservation. They will last up to a week in the fridge in a sealed container.

To Freeze: These nutritious muffins freeze exceptionally well!  You can wrap each muffin in plastic wrap or store them together in a freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy, microwave them for 30 to 40 seconds or let them thaw at room temperature for a healthy breakfast. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months!

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I hope you all love this fiber-rich, nutritious muffin recipe! If you enjoy it as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ feedback below and tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delightful recreations!