Throughout my childhood, my mom baked fairly infrequently. She pulled out her large metal mixing bowl and the bag of chocolate chips about once a month, at most, to make a batch of cookies to send to school in our lunch boxes as a sweet treat, but most of the time, we found store-bought chocolate cupcakes or oatmeal creme pies instead.
Yet one particular week after she bought an extra bunch of bananas at the grocery store, we heard the oven come to life and Mom rummaging around in the kitchen cabinets to set out the flour bin, sugar, and salt. My brother and I continued to play with our stuffed animals in the other room, but half an hour later, we stood up and followed our noses to find the source of the sweet aromas filling the house.
We walked in right as Mom reached into the oven, carefully slid out two trays of muffins, and set them on top of the stove. When we inquired what she had baked, Mom replied, “Your dad’s special banana muffin recipe from graduate school! Would you like to try one once they’ve cooled?”
Although my brother quickly shook his head and returned to the teddy bears, I lingered in the kitchen, debating my answer. Back then, the only muffins I ate were lemon poppy seed because they didn’t contain anything like blueberries or nuts—and I really disliked “big bits” in my baked treats! But when Mom reassured me that those homemade muffins had no “big bits” and the bananas were completely mashed, not sliced or whole, I agreed to a taste.
A few minutes later, she broke one open and handed me a piece. I nibbled off a few crumbs, about the size of a mouse’s bite, and swallowed. Then immediately popped the rest into my mouth and asked if I could eat the rest. Those muffins were good—full of sweet fruity flavor and a hint of cozy spices—and I started to request them whenever I spotted bananas on the counter!
So when I found a few speckly bananas on my own kitchen counter last week, I knew exactly what I wanted to make… Although I baked a much healthier recipe than the one Mom followed during my childhood: these Healthy Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins! (And yes, I’m completely fine with “big bits” like fresh berries in my baked goodies now!) They have the same irresistible flavors and perfectly tender texture, and they’re great for busy mornings or quick on-the-go snacks!
So let’s talk a little bit about how to get that perfectly tender texture! People often think of bran muffins as being dry, but these are the exact opposite—thanks to my secret trick! Which is… You’ll soak the oat bran in a mixture of mashed banana, milk, and vanilla for at least 10 minutes before adding it to the other ingredients.
This step softens the oat bran, just like how all of my overnight oat recipes work, and allows the oat bran to soak up the moisture in the milk and banana. By doing this before adding it to the other ingredients, the oat bran won’t soak up the rest of the moisture in the batter (aka what happens when bran muffins turn out dry). Pretty neat, right?
Because the oat bran can soak up so much moisture, it’s really important to measure the oat bran correctly, using either the spoon and level method or a kitchen scale. I highly recommend the latter! This is the inexpensive one that I own, and I use it every day. It’s my favorite kitchen appliance—and the best $20 I’ve ever spent!
Note: This is the oat bran that I typically use. If you need gluten-free oat bran, I love this one.
To sweeten the muffins, you’ll use a combination of pure maple syrup and molasses. Be sure to use the good stuff when it comes to maple syrup! The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it’s generally sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs at the grocery store. (I’ve also bought it online!)
The molasses is what gives bran muffins their iconic warm, cozy flavor, so don’t skip or substitute for it! No other ingredient will come close to imitating its rich taste. Molasses is very inexpensive, shelf-stable, and keeps for ages. You can generally find it either on the baking aisle or near the maple syrup at the grocery store.
I used fresh blueberries in these muffins since the grocery store put pints of them on sale last week. However, frozen ones would work just fine too! The baking time may increase slightly if you use frozen, so keep an eye on the muffins while in the oven. And don’t forget to save a few berries to press into the tops of the batter for a pretty presentation!
Ready to bake your own? And when you do, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking. I’d love to see your muffins!
| Healthy Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins | | Print |
- 1 ½ cups (180g) oat bran (measured like this and gluten-free if necessary)
- ¾ cup (195g) mashed banana (about 2 medium-large)
- ⅔ cup (160mL) nonfat milk or non-dairy milk (see Notes!)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60mL) molasses
- 2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups (210g) fresh blueberries, divided
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oat bran, mashed banana, milk, and vanilla. Let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a third bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and egg white. Stir in the molasses and maple syrup. Add the oat bran mixture, stirring until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture, stirring until just incorporated. Fold in 1 ¼ cups of blueberries.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, and gently press the remaining blueberries into the tops. Bake at 350°F for 22-24 minutes or until the tops feel firm to the touch. Cool in the muffin cups for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack.
Any milk (including non-dairy) may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the maple syrup. Do not substitute pancake syrup because it will not produce the same taste or texture. Do not substitute anything for the molasses; it’s required to produce the iconic bran muffin flavor.
Frozen blueberries may be substituted for the fresh. The baking time may increase slightly.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Chocolate Chip Banana Bran Muffins
♡ Blueberry Buttermilk Bran Muffins
♡ Chocolate Chip Strawberry Bran Muffins
♡ Carrot Cake Bran Muffins
♡ Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bran Muffins
♡ Apple Gingerbread Bran Muffins
Are the bananas used for more for flavor or oil replacement? (even though the recipe calls for 1 Tbsp coconut oi). I have some leftover raspberry puree and was wondering if I could make the substitution without completely destroying the recipe.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Erica! The bananas are used for both. I don’t think it’d be wise to do a straight 1-for-1 substitution… But I think you could probably get away with substituting half of the bananas with your raspberry purée! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these muffins!
Thanks for the recipe, but I’m getting readings of about 180 calories per serving base off your ingredients. I will be making these. Thanks so much.
It’s my pleasure! This is the free nutrition calculator that I use, if that’s of any interest to you. I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins! 🙂
Thank you Amy. I just baked these per your directioners and they taste amazing. Moist with the perfect amount of sweetness. I tasted the batter before I popped them in the oven and got a slight bitter molasses taste that i was worried about. Well you were right! It’s a must! They are delicious and I’m so happy that I finally found a bran muffin recipe that tastes great. I’ve been looking and trying for yeats!
years! that way supposed to be 5 stars!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins Sayea!! That means the world to me that you feel like you finally found a great bran muffin recipe after years of searching. I’m truly honored — thank you so much for sharing that with me!! 🙂
No, thank you! You’re saving me money and I’m much happier eating what I make because I know exactly what goes into it. They kept well and I polished the last one off yesterday. Making another batch tomorrow.?
That means so much to me that you’re planning on making another batch tomorrow Sayea!! That’s the best kind of compliment — thank you!! 🙂
These muffins were a hit! Taste was great but was disappointed with the texture. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out VERY moist (like too moist) and dense (I was so careful not to overmix!). Great taste but fair warning to those who prefer airy muffins!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Marie-Renée! I’m glad you enjoyed their flavor, but I’d love to work with you to figure out that texture issue. These muffins are meant to be on the dense side, but they shouldn’t be so moist that they almost seem raw. Did the insides of your muffins look like the insides of my muffins (see the third photo in this blog post!)? If not, then did you make any modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section? Also, how did you measure the oat bran, flour, and banana? Once I know all of that information, I’ll have a much better idea of what happened and how to fix it if you decide to try making these muffins again!
These muffins were very good, bursting with flavor. I love a good bran muffin and I love that these were lower in calories. They came out perfectly, I measured very carefully and baked a couple minutes extra. They were great drizzled with some almond butter.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins Jeanie! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know — that means a lot to me! 🙂
Just wondering why you don’t post the nutritional value for people to be able to adjust what may make this recipe work for them and to know what they are putting into their bodies in regard to calories, etc.
I actually do, Dyan! The full nutrition information is available directly underneath the recipe. I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins if you try making them!
Hi Amy,
Do you happen to know it there would be any difference if I used wheat bran vs oat bran?
Thank you,
Claire
I’m honored that you’d like to try making my recipe, Claire! I haven’t personally tried wheat bran, but other readers have said it’s worked well. Just measure it by volume (cups), not by weight (grams), because wheat bran and oat bran have very different densities! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins if you end up trying them!
Could I use raisins instead of blueberries?
Yes, absolutely! I’d recommend using closer to ½ to ¾ cup instead. If you have the time, I also highly recommend hydrating the raisins first. It makes a big difference in the taste and texture! To do so, add the raisins to a microwave-safe bowl, and pour water on top until they’re completely covered. Seal plastic wrap over the top (or place a lid or plate on top!), and microwave the bowl on high for 1 minute. If you do this first and let the raisins sit while mixing together the rest of the ingredients, this little trick hydrates them so they’re really sweet, plump, and juicy! 🙂
I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins if you try making them, Gretchen!
HI AMY, I MADE THESE THE OTHER DAY AND THEY WERE DELICIOUS. I USED WHEAT BRAN. I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY. I WILL BE MAKING THESE AGAIN. I ALSO LOVE THAT THEY ARE ONLY 2 WW POINTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECIEPE.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins, Karen! That’s the best kind of compliment, if you already think you’ll make them again. Thank you for taking the time to let me know — it truly means a lot!!
Wonderful muffins….used wheat bran (misread the recipe asking for oat bran) oat milk and added chopped walnuts…delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins, Dieta! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. It means a lot!
Hello! Just made these for the second time and they turned out lovely. We had to make a couple changes: we skipped the vanilla since we don’t have it. And we used extra banana instead of the oil bc we are trying to go oil free. Used frozen blueberries and baked for about 27 mins. Thanks for this great recipe!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins, Barbara! It really means a lot that you’d take the time to let me know. 🙂 Thanks for including your modifications too; I always love hearing what recipe tweaks work out!