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Healthy “Almond Joy” Bran Muffins

in Baking· Breakfast· Chocolate· Clean Eating· Gluten Free· Low Fat· Muffins· Vegetarian

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An easy recipe for really moist bran muffins full of almond, coconut & chocolate flavor — just like the candy bars! They’re made with wholesome ingredients, like oat bran, yogurt, and whole grain flour. Perfect for breakfast and quick grab-and-go snacks!

 

healthy almond joy bran muffins on a white countertop, surrounded with mini chocolate chips – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, whole wheat, low fat, clean eating, made with greek yogurt and molasses

 
On our first trip to Southern California this past spring, we quickly fell into a routine. Wake up, shower, drive straight to the hospital to meet Grandma, who had stayed there all night. Talk to the doctors, let Grandma head home to shower and nap, sit next to Grandpa’s bed, take turns holding his hand until night fell.  

We ate nearly all of our meals in the hospital’s cafeteria, including breakfast. With good quality food and a decent selection of items, everything from scrambled eggs and breakfast burritos to Philly cheesesteaks and sushi to almond-crusted chicken and tuna salad, nobody ever grew bored.
 

close-up photo of healthy almond joy bran muffins – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, gluten free, low calorie, clean eating, made with greek yogurt and molasses

 
After Grandpa passed on Sunday afternoon and everyone went back to Grandma’s house, nobody felt up to cooking, so Mom ran out to grab pizza from the nearby shopping center. On her way back, she also stopped by the grocery store to pick up a platter of cookies for dessert.

The next morning, Mom and Dad woke up early to take care of a few chores while Grandma slept… But they completely forgot that we had no breakfast food in the house! Dad opted for leftover cold pizza, but Mom turned to those chocolate-dipped macaroons from the night before.

I officially know the source of my sweet tooth and chocoholism! 😉
 

overhead view of a healthy almond joy bran muffin broken in half to reveal its soft and tender texture inside – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, low calorie, clean eating, made with molasses, greek yogurt and oat bran

 
So as a more wholesome breakfast treat for Mom, I baked her these Healthy “Almond Joy” Bran Muffins when we returned home instead! They have the same coconut and chocolate flavors from those cookies she snuck for breakfast in San Diego, plus a bit of almond too. (Almond Joys are her favorite candy bar!)

These bran muffins contain no refined sugar or refined flour, yet they’re still really moist and soft. They’re also simple to make — and I’m thrilled to report that my family thoroughly enjoyed them!
 

a glass mixing bowl holding the batter to make healthy bran muffins, with shredded unsweetened coconut and miniature chocolate chips sprinkled over half of the batter – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, whole wheat, low fat, clean eating, made with molasses, greek yogurt and oat bran

 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY “ALMOND JOY” BRAN MUFFINS

To make these healthy bran muffins, you’ll start with oat bran (this is the kind I buy — or this, for gluten-free muffins!). It’s extremely important to measure the oat bran correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale! Too much will quickly dry out your batter.

For that reason, I highly recommend a kitchen scale. This is the one I own, and it has been the best money I’ve ever spent. Using it ensures my treats turn out with the perfect taste and texture every time I bake them — and it almost always results in fewer dishes to wash too!

Although bran muffins often have a bad reputation for being dry (or overly oily to compensate for the dryness), I have a secret trick to extra tender, almost-like-cupcakes bran muffins… You’ll soak the oat bran in Greek yogurt and milk before mixing it into the batter! This softens the oat bran, and the Greek yogurt gives your muffins a protein boost too.
 

overhead view of freshly baked healthy almond joy bran muffins in a blue silicone muffin pan – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, gluten free, low calorie, clean eating, made with molasses, oat bran and greek yogurt

 
You’ll use two sweeteners to make these healthy bran muffins: pure maple syrup and molasses. The former is the kind that comes directly from maple trees, and it only contains one ingredient: maple syrup! It’s often sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs, like this.

Tip: Skip pancake syrup and sugar-free syrup! These behave differently in baking recipes, so they’ll affect the texture of your muffins. That’s especially true of sugar-free syrup because it’s generally water-based, which makes your muffins collapse while cooling and turn out overly dense.

The molasses is what creates that classic, oh-so-cozy bran muffin taste, so I don’t recommend skipping or substituting for it! This is the kind I use. It’s inexpensive, shelf-stable, and keeps for ages. If you’re based in the US, you can find it at just about any grocery store!

Tip: Use regular unsulphured molasses — not blackstrap! They have very different flavors. Blackstrap is much more bitter, and its taste will overwhelm all of the other flavors in your muffins.
 

healthy almond joy bran muffins on a white countertop, surrounded by miniature chocolate chips – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, gluten free, low calorie, made with molasses, greek yogurt and oat bran

 
For the iconic almond joy flavor, you’ll use a combination of almond extract, shredded unsweetened coconut, and mini chocolate chips. These are my favorite mini chocolate chips because they taste very rich and melt really well. I love pressing some into the tops of the muffin batter just before baking for a cute presentation!

Confession: I’m not a big fan of nuts or coconut flakes in my baked goods, so… I stuck with almond extract and only added a modest amount of coconut. 😉 You’re more than welcome to add more coconut, if you prefer — or even some chopped or sliced almonds!

Then after dividing the batter between the muffin cups and popping those into the oven…
 

healthy almond joy bran muffins on a white countertop, with one broken in half to reveal its soft and tender texture inside – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, whole wheat, low fat, made with molasses, greek yogurt and no refined sugar

 
Time for breakfast! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy almond joy bran muffins!

Healthy Almond Joy Bran Muffins – an easy breakfast muffin recipe! They're really moist, almost like cupcakes! Made with wholesome ingredients & no refined sugar. These healthy bran muffins have the same flavors as Almond Joy candy bars: chocolate chips, coconut & almond. Sweet, simple & SO good!! ♡ Healthy bran muffins recipe clean eating. Easy bran muffins with yogurt. Oat bran muffin recipe. Coconut chocolate chip muffins. healthy kid friendly breakfast. Healthy bran muffins no sugar.

Healthy Almond Joy Bran Muffins

© Amy's Healthy Baking
Yields: 12 muffins
Since Almond Joys are her favorite candy bars, my mom absolutely loves these muffins! They’re practically as tender as cupcakes, thanks to Step 2, and they have the perfect combination of classic cozy bran muffin flavors mixed with almond, coconut, and chocolate. Leftovers will keep for at least four days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
5 from 5 votes
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Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the oat bran, Greek yogurt, milk, and almond extract. 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 whites. 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 the coconut and 2 ½ tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips.
  • Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, and press the remaining miniature chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 350°F for 18-21 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.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either will will make your muffins dry (especially the oat bran; it acts like a sponge and soaks up so much liquid!).
 
OAT BRAN NOTE: Other readers have had success substituting wheat bran for the oat bran. I have not tried that myself and cannot personally vouch for that substitution. If you decide to try substituting wheat bran, measure by volume (cups) not weight (grams).
 
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
 
ALMOND EXTRACT NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: For a less prominent almond flavor, decrease the almond extract to 1 ½ teaspoons. If you're not a fan or don't have almond extract, vanilla extract may be substituted.
 
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the regular whole wheat flour.
 
EGG WHITES NOTE: These muffins require 2 full egg whites. The whites contain the majority of the protein in eggs, and that protein is required to ensure the muffins maintain their shape and texture while cooling. If you prefer to use whole eggs, use 2 whole eggs AND reduce the milk by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the added liquid volume from the yolks.
 
PURE MAPLE SYRUP ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the maple syrup. Do not substitute pancake syrup or sugar free syrup; these change the texture of your muffins.
 
MOLASSES NOTE + ALTERNATIVES: If at all possible, I don’t recommend substituting anything for the molasses; it’s required to produce the iconic bran muffin flavor. Use regular molasses (like this), not blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses is much more bitter, and it overwhelms all of the other flavors in these muffins.
 
In a pinch, pure maple syrup, honey, or agave may be substituted for the molasses to produce the same muffin texture — but their flavor will be different and lack that classic "bran muffin" taste!
 
COCONUT NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: I’m not a huge fan of coconut in my muffins, which is why there’s very little of it. You’re welcome to add more, if you prefer! You're also welcome to add diced or thinly sliced almonds for a stronger "almond joy"-like flavor.
 
Shredded sweetened coconut may be substituted for the shredded unsweetened coconut.
 
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten free flour, use the following blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) should also work, as long as they are measured like this.
 
HOW TO STORE: Store the fully cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least 4 days (if not closer to a week or more!). These muffins freeze well too!
 
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡   Chocolate Chip Banana Bran Muffins
♡   Morning Glory Bran Muffins
♡   Peach Pie Bran Muffins
♡   Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins
♡   Blueberry Buttermilk Bran Muffins
♡   Double Chocolate Bran Muffins
♡   …and the rest of Amy’s healthy muffin recipes!

healthy almond joy bran muffins – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, low fat, clean eating, made with greek yogurt & no refined sugar
healthy almond joy bran muffins – easy coconut chocolate chip muffin recipe – moist, gluten free, low calorie, made with greek yogurt, oat bran and molasses

 

 

Comments

  1. These look delightfully fluffy. I’ve been creepin your posts waiting for your announcement…please tell me I didn’t miss it!

    Reply

    • Thanks Brittany! You’re such an awesome friend to creep on my posts!! (Dang, that sounds funny… ?) You haven’t missed it yet — I promise! Still working on the final details!

      Reply

    • I’ve actually answered that already in the Notes section! It can be easy to miss. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins Erin!

      Reply

      • Oh my gosh I’m so sorry! I saw the ingredient list and immediately jumped down to ask you!! Too excited I suppose!!?

        Reply

        • Nothing wrong with being overly excited about making a recipe Erin — that makes me happy to hear! 😉

          Reply

  3. Hello Amy!
    Thank you so much for this recipe! I just ate two muffins straight from the oven and they are delicious!:) I must say I was sceptic while making the batter, but they dont’t taste healthy at all and make a delicious snack (or dessert of my breakfast like today:))!
    Next time I will use less maple syrup as for me they are too sweet, even though I skipped the chocolate chips. I made only 2/3 of the recipe (didn’t have enough oat bran), but used one whole egg nevertheless.
    I devoured them with extra cinnamon on top, because there can never be enough cinnamon in a muffin, especially if there are molasses involved;-)!5 stars

    Reply

    • I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins Anna! That really means a lot to me! If you prefer your muffins to be less sweet, then substitute milk for however much maple syrup you omit to make sure the batter has the same consistency (and so the muffins don’t turn out dry!). 🙂

      Reply

  4. I always find something great here! I use a lot of your recipes and everything is just delicious 🙂 Thanks a lot for sharing this, I am a big fan of your blog! 🙂

    Reply

  5. To my favourite food blogger in the whole world…these muffins are crazy good! So moist and delicious!! When I was making the batter, I was whistling your jingle and my son came running downstairs and asked “What Amy recipe are you making?!?!?” with the biggest grin ever! When he saw chocolate chips and coconut he nearly lost his mind! He wanted to know the exact time they were coming out of the oven so he can eat three of them! You rock Amy! Thank you again!

    Reply

    • Awwww!!! Carmelina, you ALWAYS make my day with your sweet comments! Now I have the biggest grin on my face too!! 🙂 I love how your son knows the tune I use in my videos… And how he wanted to know what time these muffins would come out of the oven. WOW! That’s such a huge compliment from your family!! Thank you so much for sharing, sweet friend!! ♡ I’m so glad everyone loved these!

      Reply

  7. Hi these look delicious. I was thinking of trying them for my 17th month old as a change up for brekkie, I was wondering why you choose non fat Greek yogurt. Can I use full fat instead?
    Many thanks
    Jo

    Reply

    • I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Joanne! I have many family members who are trying to watch what they eat to lose weight, so I use nonfat Greek yogurt because it’s lower in fat and calories while still being really high in protein. Full fat Greek yogurt will work just fine if you prefer that! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins!

      Reply

  8. Hi Amy..can I grind my own oatmeal to make a substitution for the oat bran?

    Ty kindly,
    Roseanne

    Reply

    • We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Roseanne! We’ve subbed instant oats for oat bran before, and that actually worked pretty well! We pulsed the instant oats a couple of times in a food processor first so they’d be smaller and closer in size to oat bran, but the muffins’ texture turned out great. It sounds like you already had that idea! We’d love to hear what you think if you try making these muffins! 🙂

      Reply

  9. These are THE best bran muffin I have ever tasted! I cannot believe how well these turned out. I didn’t have oat bran so used wheat bran instead they turned out incredible! Not dry and chewy and decadent. I was quite surprised as I tasted the batter a bit while spooning into the muffin tins. I actually didn’t think much of the taste at that time likely because of the almond flavouring, but once baked, the best! Thank you for this!5 stars

    Reply
5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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