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The Healthiest Banana Bran Muffins
These are no ordinary bran muffins. These are sweetened with bananas and applesauce, plus they’re made with whole wheat flour, making them the healthiest banana bran muffins. They’re high in fiber, low in sugar and make the perfect snack when served with nut butter, butter or jam!
prep time
15 minutes
cook time
20 minutes
servings
12
The healthiest banana bran muffins with no added sugar. These bran muffins are sweetened with bananas and are high in fiber. Perfect for a light and nutritious breakfast or snack!
Where do you stand on bran muffins? Do you like them? Personally, they were never my go-to muffin flavor, but I do appreciate their extra dose of fiber. And really, I’m up for any healthy baked good.
I first decided to create a healthy low-sugar bran muffin after being asked by countless patients for a healthy bran muffin recipe. I searched and all the recipes that I found contained a generous amount of added sugar. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying muffins with sugar, I wanted to share a low-sugar version.
I’m calling these muffins the healthiest banana bran muffins for good reasons. First, they’re sweetened with fruit. Second, they’re made with whole wheat flour (believe it or not, but most bran muffins aren’t). Finally, they’re packed with fiber thanks to the added bran. That last one goes for every bran muffin of course.
Put all of these things together and you’ve got very nutritious muffins. Of course they might not literally be the healthiest on earth, but they’re certainly the most nutritious muffins I know, so let’s just go with it.
These muffins are highly customizable. This recipe is a great base, but I’m sharing some ingredient substitutions and additions below if you want to take it to the next level.
What You Need: Overripe bananas, apple sauce, eggs, avocado oil (or light-tasting oil), vanilla extract, all-purpose whole wheat flour, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder, salt.
How to Make The Healthiest Banana Bran Muffins:
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make healthy banana bran muffins.
- Getting Ready
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the bottom of a muffin pan or use muffin liners.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients
Mix all the wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, including the mashed bananas, apple sauce, eggs, avocado oil and vanilla extract.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients
Stir all the dry ingredients together in a different bowl, including the flour, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Bake
Transfer the mixture to the prepared muffin pan, making 12 muffins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Ingredient Substitutions and Additions:
- For the Apple Sauce: Some readers have had success replacing the apple sauce with Greek yogurt. If you use plain Greek yogurt, you will lose some of the sweetness of the apples. Read below for tips on adding sweetness to the recipe.
- Add Spices: For more flavor, try adding a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cardamom to the muffins.
- Add Fruits: Feel free to add blueberries or dried raisins to add a light sweetness to the muffins. Raspberries, dried cranberries and other fruits could work too. Have fun with it!
- Add Nuts: You can add a crunch to the recipe by adding chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.
- Add Chocolate: Add chocolate chips for extra sweetness. Of course they won’t be fruit-sweetened in this case, but it would be a delicious addition to these nutritious muffins.
- Make them Vegan: You can make these muffins vegan by using a flax egg or other egg replacement. The results might vary slightly. I’m currently working on a vegan recipe and I will update this post to share the other version when they’re done.
- Make them Gluten-Free: Some readers have had success using different flours. You can try replacing the wheat bran with oat bran (use certified gluten-free if needed) and the flour with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour mix. Some have also used almond flour with success, but I can’t guarantee the same results as I haven’t tried it myself.
A Note on the Sweetness of the Muffins:
Note that these muffins aren’t overly sweet. They’re not meant to be sweet dessert-style muffins. I would describe them as lightly sweet breakfast muffins, which are best when served with nut/seed butter, jam or other toppings. So before you tell me that these are not sweet, please know that this is not the intention of this recipe. Please keep this in mind when you leave a review. That being said, most of you said you LOVED this recipe! I love them too and I’m so happy to see you guys make this recipe.
Healthy Bran Muffins FAQ:
Can I Add Sugar to the Recipe?
If you want a nutritious fiber-rich muffin recipe with a little more sweetness, you can add a bit of sugar. I haven’t tested this recipe with sweeteners myself, but many readers have made them with a touch of honey, maple syrup or even stevia. If you use honey or maple, I would recommend starting with 1-2 tablespoons as adding more might affect the texture of the muffins. If you want them sweeter, try adding granulated sugar to taste.
If you don’t want to add sugar to the batter, but would prefer a sweeter snack, I highly recommend serving them with a fruit jam or a bit of honey.
What Are the Nutrition Facts for Bran Muffins?
I don’t include the nutrition facts in my recipes for specific reasons. As a dietitian, I truly believe that having a healthy relationship with food is incredibly important and that we can enjoy nutritious foods without needing to count calories or macros. That being said, I understand that there are times when knowing certain macronutrient numbers is helpful or necessary, such as carb counting for insulin purposes. Each one of these muffins have 15g of carbs and 3.7g of fiber. If you want more information on the nutrition facts, some readers have shared the details in the comments. I hope this helps!
More Fruit-Sweetened Muffin and Bread Recipes:
- Fruit-Sweetened Carrot Cake Loaf
- Fruit-Sweetened Breakfast Banana Bread
- Fruit-Sweetened Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins
- Blueberry Banana Almond Flour Muffins
- Fruit-Sweetened Apple Muffins
- Fruit-Sweetened Cardamom Blueberry Muffins
The Healthiest Banana Bran Muffins
These are no ordinary bran muffins. These are sweetened with bananas and applesauce, plus they’re made with whole wheat flour, making them the healthiest banana bran muffins. They’re high in fiber, low in sugar and make the perfect snack when served with nut butter, butter or jam!
Servings 12
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup wheat bran
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the bottom of a muffin pan or use muffin liners.
- Mix all the wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir all the dry ingredients together in a different bowl, then stir in the wet ingredients until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Transfer to the prepared muffin pan, making 12 muffins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let them cool a few minutes before removing from the pan.
Notes
Note that these muffins aren’t overly sweet as they’re only sweetened with fruits. They’re great served as a healthy snack with peanut butter or butter/margarine! If you want them sweeter, try serving them with a touch of honey or jam. You could also add chocolate chips or fruits to the batter, such as blueberries, raspberries, dried raisins or cranberries.
Some readers have had success replacing the apple sauce with Greek yogurt.
For different flavors, try adding a touch of spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cardamom to the muffins.
You can add a crunch to the recipe by adding chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.
You can make these muffins vegan by using a flax egg or other egg replacement. The results might vary slightly.
For a gluten-free option, you can try replacing the wheat bran with oat bran (use certified gluten-free if needed) and the flour with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour mix.
If you make these banana bran muffins, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
This post contains affiliate links. I only share products that I trust and recommend. Choosing to use these links helps to support me and this blog. Thank you!
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I’m Caroline, a registered dietitian based in British Columbia. Here, you’ll find a variety of nourishing vegan recipes, without a side of diet culture
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Comments
165 responses to “The Healthiest Banana Bran Muffins”
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May I sub gluten free flour? The recipe looks so healthy but I don’t eat gluten.
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I haven’t tried it, sorry, I can’t say it would work. The wheat bran would need to be changed as well and it wouldn’t be the same recipe. You can always try my sugar-free banana bread, which has gluten-free options. 🙂
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How much fiber please? These are awesome.
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Hi Lori, I calculated it at 4g. Someone else in the comments mentioned 3.7g. I’m happy you like them!
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I’m just baking these awesome looking sweets! I’m just wondering if you know the protein and calories for these muffins?
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Hi Lucie, sorry, but I don’t. However, I have them for my other bananas muffins (which are very similar). It’s 139 calories and 3g of protein. Hope this helps!
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Wow, these are the best bran muffins ever and I’m not very good at baking. . I like bran muffins myself but not the extra sugar. Thank you so much for this recipe.-
I’m so happy you love them! I agree, regular bran muffins are full of sugar, just like most muffins. Thanks for taking the time to share. 🙂
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These Bran muffins are 124 calories each! Love them btw.
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Thank you Justine!
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How many carbs in these muffins please?
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Hi Delores, I don’t have the nutrition facts for this recipe, but if you make my banana bread into muffins (it’s a very similar recipe), they’re about 20g of carbs per muffin. Hope this helps!
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Thank you I love this recipe and turned it vegan. I don’t really eat refined sugar so for clean eaters this is a bread with a touch of sweet, perfect! I substituted protein powder for the flour, coconut oil used, and Bob’s Redmill egg replacer for the eggs. Excellent recipe. Blessings
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Just made these- altered it a touch! 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 cup rolled oats- delicious!
Made a second batch with 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1 T. of chia seeds, and a TON of frozen blueberries (had to bake an extra 5 minutes- but worth it for the extra fiber/fruit!) They were amazing. Everyone wolfed them down- the teenagers begged me to make them all the time!-
Hi Lisa, I’m so happy you like them! Thanks for the feedback, I love hearing about other’s substitutions. Enjoy!
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We added a 1/4 tsp each or cinnamon and cardamom. These were delicious. They will be on the table at Christmas Brunch.-
Hi Dale, thank you so much for the feedback! I’m so happy you loved them and that they’ll have a place at your Christmas brunch. Enjoy! 🙂
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Thank you I love this recipe and turned it vegan. I don’t really eat refined sugar so for clean eaters this is a bread with a touch of sweet, perfect! I substituted protein powder for the flour, coconut oil used, and Bob’s Redmill egg replacer for the eggs. Excellent recipe. Blessings
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Hi Jennifer, thank you for the feedback! I’m so happy it turned out well with those substitutions. Thanks for letting me know and enjoy!
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I can’t say enough how impressed I am with these muffins! I added a tsp of cinnamon, substituted coconut oil for the avocado oil and added chopped pecans. These are so moist and just sweet enough. Thank you!-
Hi Rhonda! Thank you so much for the sweet comment! I’m so glad you liked them and the added pecans sound like such a good idea. Enjoy!!
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Sorry! Didn’t like them; even added a bit of cinnamon & raisins- still so bland! Sadly, they do need a touch of sugar..-
It’s not for everyone I suppose, but I must say, you were warned. I did specify many times in the recipe that these aren’t sweet bran muffins. They’re made to be a high-fiber muffin without any added sugar that can be eaten for breakfast or a snack with nut butter, jam or other normal bread toppings. Instead of seeing them as a sweet muffin, try seeing them as a high-fiber bread in muffin form that should be enjoyed with regular bread toppings. I’m sorry you gave them a 1 star rating as the recipe was not meant as you thought they should, but thanks for the feedback!
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I loved this recipe. I used almond flour instead of the other flours and it turned out perfectly.
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Hi Nancy, I’m so happy you loved them! And it’s good to know they worked with almond flour. I’ll have to try it myself. Enjoy! 🙂
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Great recipe!!! Made it for my 1 year old for quick breakfast or snack. I used coconut oil and added chia seeds and she loves them. I also used bran cereal soaked in warm water. First time making on of your recipes and will definitely not be my last. Thanks.-
Hi Jane, that’s so good to hear! I’m happy she loved them and that it worked well with the adjustments. I hope you’ll both enjoy the other recipes. 🙂
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Does anyone know the calorie count on these?-
Hi Sarah, I don’t have the calories for these, but the recipe is inspired by my banana bread, which is similar. The banana bread made into muffins will come to about 145 calories. Hope this helps!
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I’m wondering if I could substitute greek yogurt for the applesauce?
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Hi Amanda, I haven’t tried it, so I can’t guarantee it will work. My thought is that it would work fine for the texture, but you’ll lose some of the natural sweetness of the recipe. I definitely think it’s worth a try though! You could add a touch of granulated sugar or top it with sweet ingredients when serving. Let me know if you try it!
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These were super healthy and god dang good!I’ve tried a few banana bran muffin recipes and this is tied for #1..not as tasty as the other one, but way healthier, as the other recipe uses a 1/2 cup of honey, and is a tad too sweet for my liking..so next time I’m going to combine the two recipes, and try 1/4 honey mixed with 1/4 cup of applesauce, which methinks will be the perfect mix.
These muffins are a good taste test to see how askew one’s taste buds and sensitivity to sugar is..if they’re too sweet for one’s taste, it’s likely that individual is the typical obese first world consumer of about 50x more sugar on a daily basis than should be ideally consumed, and it’s all but a given their taste buds are dysfunctional from an appalling diet.
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I’m so happy you liked them! Thank you for the feedback. 🙂
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The greek yogurt works and I added a few tablespoons of Stevia! They are excellent!
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That’s so great to hear! Thank you for reporting back, it will certainly help others. 🙂 Enjoy!
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Hi Caroline! What would you suggest as a substitute for applesauce in recipes like this? I have an intolerance to sorbitol and mannitol, so can no longer do apples or applesauce.
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Hi Amanda! Someone else tried Greek yogurt and said it worked! I haven’t tried it myself though. You can find her notes in the comments. She also added a touch of stevia, but you could try granulated sugar or maple too. Hope this helps!
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Wow! This recipe looks amazing. May I sub the wheat bran with oat bran? thanks!-
Thank you so much! I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work the same! It’s worth a try. Let me know if you make them. 🙂
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I add a small handful (1/8c?) of carob chips, raisins and walnuts and cook them an extra couple of minutes. They’re in my husband’s lunch rotation and he LOVES them!-
Aww I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing your feedback. 🙂
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This is an awesome recipe! I love the bran and banana ratio and, most importantly, that there is no added sweetener. The muffins rose nicely and the ripe bananas add the perfect amount of sweetness (IMO). Thank you for sharing this recipe.-
Hi Janice, thank you so much for the feedback! I’m so happy you liked them. Enjoy!
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I really liked these. I had 3 old bananas that I needed to get rid of, but two were on the smallish side, so it was only a little more banana. I also did not have any applesauce, so crushed some pineapple in, and I added a bit of cinnamon. They were delicious and do not need sugar in my opinion. I will try some stewed Apple next time as I think it will be better than pineapple. But delicious nonetheless! Thank you for posting.-
Hi Anna, that’s so great to hear! I’m happy you love them. It’s good to know that it worked well with those substitutions. Enjoy!
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For those of you asking for the nutrition facts on this recipe, here you go. These figures came out of using the Nutritionix app entitled “Track” for IOS (I put it in as a recipe). I am NOT affiliated with this company, just a happy user. I made no changes to the recipe in order to get these figures. These figures are per serving (of 12 servings total)
Calories : 117 (calories from fat : 54)
Total fat : 6g
Saturated fat : 0.7g
Cholesterol : 31mg
Sodium : 202mg
Total Carbs : 15g
Dietary fiber : 3.7g
Sugars : 3g
Protein: 3.3gVitamin A: 1.4%
Vitamin C: 6.8%
Calcium : 4.1%
Iron : 6.2%Net Carbs : 11.6g
Vitamin D: 6.8 IU
Phosphorous : 113.5mg
Potassium : 169mg-
Thank you. 🙂
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Love, love, love thee muffins. I added raisins, used regular flour, as it was all I had on hand. Getting ready to make another batch.-
I’m so happy you loved them!! And I’m sure it was delicious with regular flour and raisins. Enjoy! 🙂
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I don’t use refined sugar so often anymore after I had my baby so this recipe is perfect for me! Easy to bake and taste delicious! I can’t wait to try other sugar-free recipe that you created. Thank you Caroline!-
Thank you for the sweet comment! I’m so happy you like them. And I hope you’ll love the other recipes as well. Enjoy! 🙂
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Please send me the nutritional info. These look great! (Perhaps it’s there somewhere, but I can’t find it.)
Ilene-
Hi Ilene, I’m sorry, but I don’t include the nutritional information with my recipes for several reasons. You can check out my breakfast banana bread recipe on the blog, where some people shared the nutrition information in the comment section (the recipe is similar to this one). Another option is to use a nutrition calculator app. If you want recipes with nutrition information, I do have some meal plans available. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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Love the recipe I am sugar free right now in my diet and adding some sweetness to recipes through fruit has been a lifesaver. The things I changed was using only coconut flour, coconut oil in place of the applesauce because I didn’t have any and I added unsweetened coconut and raisins. I used coconut milk and almond milk. Delicious and will use again-
Hi Amy, thank you for leaving your review. I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! And thank you for sharing your substitutions. Enjoy!
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Just made these for my son who is big on NO ADDED SUGAR.
Such a simple recipe — and they are absolutely DELICIOUS! They will surely become a staple.
Thanks so much — I’ll keep my eye open for more excellent ideas from you!-
Hi Jo-Ann, I’m so happy to hear that they were a hit! Thank you for your feedback. Enjoy! 🙂
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Thank you for a great tasting, healthy recipe. I love recipes that do not use sugar. These muffins are moist, delicious and so easy to make. Probably the easiest muffin recipe I have ever made. For those wanting a little more sweetness, I added dried cranberries to one batch, just because I needed to use them up. The muffins were quite sweet, sweeter than I need. I like them plain just as much. Thanks again.-
Thank you so much for leaving your feedback. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them! I’m sure they would be delicious with dried cranberries, especially this time of year. 🙂
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These are delicious. Muffins sweeter than this are cupcakes. I did, however, add a few cals to mine by smearing butter on them right out of the oven. Yum.-
I love that! Haha. They’re so good with butter, I’m happy you loved them. 🙂
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Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was exactly what I was looking for – a healthy banana/bran muffin. I used coconut oil, and did half whole wheat flour and half almond flour (thanks to another baker’s comment). I added 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of chopped nuts. The muffins were absolutely perfect. My picky 10 year old is gobbling them down right now. Love the recipes that are sugar-free. Thanks again!-
I’m so happy you both loved it! Thank you for leaving your feedback and your substitutions. It’s always helpful. 🙂
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I absolutely love these muffins. I substituted the whole wheat flour and wheat bran for Presto enriched self-rising cake flour. Is sugar free, no added sugars and fat free and I also I also used a cup of old fashioned whole grain oats. I added blueberries, raspberries and pecans.I saved this recipe for future baking-
Thank you for sharing your substitutions and for reviewing the recipe! I’m happy that you enjoyed it. 🙂
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Love this recipe. As I am celiac, I subbed gluten free flour for the flour and gluten free oat bran for the wheat bran, with the addition of 1/2 t xantham gum and a few extra minutes baking time. They came out perfectly.
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Hi Rose, that’s great to know! I’m happy they worked well with these substitutions. Thank you for the feedback, I’m sure it will help others too. 🙂
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Loved these muffins however didn’t rise as much as I like. I used crushed pineapp!e in lieu of applesauce. Very moist-
I’m so happy you like them! I’m assuming the reason why they didn’t rise as much is because you used pineapple instead of applesauce. It’s good to know that it works well and tastes good though, despite the fact they they didn’t rise as much. Thank you for the feedback. 🙂
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What a great (and forgiving!) recipe. I made these for my 7 month old baby for baby led weaning breakfasts. Applesauce isn’t a thing in my country so I made my own by cooking and pureeing apples and strawberries. I also used ‘Ancient Grains’ baby cereal (powdered oats, millet, quinoa and barley) instead of the wheat bran in order to use it up and boost the iron in the recipe.Finally I cooked it in a loaf tin and cut into strips for my little one. He loved it! Perfect recipe with limited sugar. My husband and I loved it with just a drizzle of honey on top. Thank you!
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That’s so great to hear! Thank you for sharing your feedback and substitutions. I’m sure it will help others. 🙂
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I make these on repeat. Sometimes adding pecans, sometimes cinnamon, and sometimes unsweetened coconut on top!! They are always delicious and satisfy the afternoon snack cravings!
Thank you again for a perfect recipe!-
You just made my day! Thank you so much for leaving your feedback. I’m so happy you like the recipe! 🙂
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I make these on repeat. Sometimes adding pecans, sometimes cinnamon, and sometimes unsweetened coconut on top!! They are always delicious and satisfy the afternoon snack cravings!
Thank you again for a perfect recipe:) -
These are a great lunchbox snack. I omit the oil and use two individual containers of unsweetened apple sauce instead. I also add chocolate chips, chopped nuts , raisins and sunflower seeds. I find I have to cook them an extra 2 minutes or so (probably because of the apple sauce) and my husband loves them!-
That’s great! I’m so happy you both like them! And it’s good to hear the apple sauce works. It could be the reason for the extra cooking time, but every oven can be different, so it could be that too. Thank you for sharing your feedback! 🙂
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Fabulous!! It is so hard to find good healthy low sugar options. These are absolutely wonderful & I added some dried cranberries & chopped walnuts for a little extra pizazz!Delish!
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I’m so happy you liked them Candace! Thank you for sharing your feedback. 🙂
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I made these yesterday with wheat bran, Greek yogurt (in lieu of applesauce), cranberries and walnuts. I put in about a tablespoon of honey (hard to be precise as it made a big mess trying to pour from the jar; sticky results). They are certainly not sweet, as made clear, but I find them good and they’re certainly healthy. Thanks for sharing the recipe.-
Hi Mary, thank you for the feedback! I’m happy you liked them and that they turned out well with those few substitutions. Enjoy!
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Wow, these are so good! I used flax seed meal in place of the egg and added frozen blueberries. They were light and delicious and may replace my usual go-to vegan blueberry bran muffin recipe whenever I have overripe bananas on hand.-
I’m so happy you liked it! It’s great to know that it works with those substitutions/add-ins. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
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Love this recipe! Perfect level of sweetness for me and added a little bit raisins for extra treat.-
I’m so happy you like them Catherine!! Thank you for sharing your feedback. 🙂
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Finally!!!! A delicious, moist, light, and truly healthy Bran Muffin!!! Thank you so much for this recipe with the best balance of healthy & sweet (the fruit) that I’ve tried. Other ones I’ve tried don’t rise as nicely as these and are dense and usually too dry or too doughy. -
Made this with the ingredients I had on hand (will list substitutions below) and they turned out so great! Definitely adding to the regular rotation for a healthy breakfast/snack option. I wanted to make them vegan so I used two flax eggs (two tablespoons ground flax mixed with five tablespoons water). No applesauce, so I used canned pumpkin and coconut oil instead of olive oil. Then lastly, I only had whole wheat bread flour and was worried about how the extra protein would react. So I mixed it 50/50 with oat flour and added in some raisins. Baked for exactly 20 minutes and they were perfect!-
I’m so happy that it worked out well with these substitutions! Thank you for sharing, I’m sure it will help others. 🙂
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These are terrific muffins…my quickie breakfast go-to. I add chopped nuts and raisins to the recipe and I don’t miss the sugar at all, with peanut butter on top and some fruit on the side, it’s all I need. Thank you Caroline for this recipe 🙂-
I’m so happy you like them! That sounds like a delicious way to start the day.:)
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I have a tried and true family recipe that used 1 cup sugar so wanted to compare a similar one without the sugar. This one is great, and the addition of 1/2 tsp nutmeg really clinches it, it makes the difference 🙂 we tend to add 1/2 cup of blueberries or choc chips. I’m going to try raspberries next with 2tsp lemon juice, but your recipe is the perfect baseline for the healthy muffins we love, thank you!!!-
I’m so happy you love the recipe, thank you for leaving your feedback! It’s definitely different than other recipe with more sugar (which are delicious too of course!), but I’m glad that you enjoy these too. I also love the sound of these add-ins. Enjoy!
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Made these today for my one year old and they’re great! Light enough to not get gummy for her, which is what I had hoped for. Plus, Lots of healthy ingredients and just a touch of sweetness from the fruit. Perfect! I might try adding a bit of grated apple next time and see how it turns out.-
Thank you for the sweet comment! I hope it will work well with the grated apples. They’re definitely versatile with add-ins and some people had success with adding blueberries in as well. Enjoy! 🙂
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I have made these muffins several times and love them! I do modify with subbing brown rice flour and oat bran, also adding in raisins as well as a little ground flaxseed. The additions/substitutions do not alter the outcome. Very healthy and delicious!-
I’m so happy you love the recipe! And it’s great to learn that it works well with those substitutions. Thank you for sharing!
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I made a few minor changes, melted butter instead of oil, and added 2 tbsp of maple syrup and some cinnamon. My kids and I all thought they were sweet enough with the 2 tbsp of maple syrup, they probably would have been for me without it. It’s a solid basic recipe to build on with add ins like dried fruits, or spreads.-
I’m so happy you all loved the recipe! And it’s great to learn that it worked well with those substitutions. Thank you for sharing!
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Started yet another journey into weight loss and healthier eating July 1st 2021! This was the first recipe I tried as I knew I’d want a healthy snack from to time or a quick breakfast.
I LOVE this recipe! Quick, easy to put together (I added raisins and chopped walnuts).
Thank you.-
I’m so happy that you loved the recipe! It’s always so important to have recipes that you enjoy when eating a healthy diet. Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
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Very,very tasty! The sweetness is perfect, I made my own applesauce, added cinnamon and can not believe how delicious the are! Thank You for this recipe!-
Thank you Anna! I’m so happy you loved the recipe. 🙂
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Loved these! was so plesantly surprised. I used three bananas which was probably 1 1/2 c banana and added cinnamon and nutmeg. I also drizzled some maple syrup in the batter and topped the muffins with a sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking. Turned out fabulous, will definitely be making again. Would like to try adding nuts and golden raisins next time! From one RD to another, thanks for this recipe! 🙂-
Hi Julia, thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback. I’m so happy that you loved the recipe! And I love the sound of those additions. 🙂
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I made these muffins, adding a teaspoon of cinnimon and 1/2 cup pecans. They were perfect with a dab of jam for breakfast. Thank-you so much for the great recipes.-
Hi Ruth, thank you for the sweet comment! I’m so happy to hear that you like the recipe. Those additions sound delicious!
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Loved the muffins, I am making them again. They went quickly as my husband loved them for breakfast. I shared them with my neighbour and she is waiting for the next batch.-
Thank you, I’m so happy you all love the muffins!
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These muffins are very easy and quick to make, and they are delicious. I did add more raisins the second time I made then to add some more aweetness, and I also added some cinnamon and cardamon. I love that there is no sugar added!-
Thank you Lynn, I’m so happy that you love the recipe! It would be delicious with extra raisins, cinnamon and cardamom, I’m sure. 🙂
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Love love love these muffins. I have been making them once or twice a month for over a year now. Coconut on top, add in berries, nuts or cinnamon. So many potential modifications!-
Thank you so much Laine! I’m happy you love them and I appreciate the review. 🙂
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Absolutely love these. I grew up with a mother who made THE best bran muffins (childhood friends actually asked for them over other baked goods). While I miss the molasses, the trade off for healthier is worth it. Quite satisfied with these. Have to confess I did substitute all purpose flour and all bran (old school “original all bran” not bran flakes or buds). Calorie count as modified is 140 per muffin.-
Thank you Karen, I’m so happy that you loved the recipe! That’s a great compliment considering your mom made great bran muffins growing up. 🙂
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This is now my “go to” recipe. I do use unbleached white flour( I rarely bake with WW flour) but cut it in half and add Almond meal , so 1/2 C flour 1/2 C Almond meal ! It works great and adds more protein. I’m able to get a very good type of coarse wheat bran from a local mill. Lindley Mill in NC.-
Thank you Bobbie! I’m so happy you like the recipe. And it’s great to learn that it works well with almond meal as well.:)
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These were perfect! I’m already making my second batch. I added cinnamon and chopped pecans on top!-
That’s great to hear! It must be delicious with pecans and cinnamon. Thank you Kerry. 🙂
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These are delicious! I like sugar particularly in baking, and I usually love my super sweet bran muffins but wanted to be healthier for the sake of my toddlers. We didn’t even miss the sugar. Even my fussy 2yr old ate them! We’ll be making these every week.I did add a lump of cream cheese in the centre of each muffin.
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Thank you Ione, I’m so happy you all loved the muffins! I’m sure it was delicious with the cream cheese too. 🙂
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OMG! Caroline these muffins are awesome. Thank you for sharing and thanks to all the reviewers.
I read all of the reviews and changed/added the following:
Switched the applesauce for yogurt
Added 1/4 cup oats
Added tsp cinnamon
Added 1/2 cup raisins
Added 1/4 cup maple syrup
So so yummy.-
Thank you so much Deborah! I’m happy you loved the recipe. And thank you for sharing you substitutions and additions. I’m sure it will help others too. 🙂
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These are good but next time I will leave out one of the salts. Either the baking powder or the baking soda should be used but not both. Way too salty for me. The sweetness however for me is just right. Also, oats can be used with the bran instead of flour, just chop them in the food processor. I also used a sweet pear and apple instead of applesauce only because I had no applesauce. I chopped them fine in the food processor also.Turned out very well.
Thank you for the recipe.-
And thank you for the review. I do wonder if the modifications affected the salty taste that you describe. I haven’t experienced this while making the recipe as is, but we all have different tastes. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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2nd review. Very tasty especially if a pear is used. Shredded carrots, nuts, and diced figs are also delicious. This recipe has so many possibilities. I will use it often. I wish I could add pictures of these muffins. Thanks again for the recipe.Lisa
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Thank you Lisa, I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
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I made the Banana Bran muffins. I did a few substitutions of my own.
I doubled the recipe, used bran flakes, added 2 cups of washed raisins and substituted the 1 c of apple sauce to: 1/2c applesauce & 1/2c molasses. I increased the flour and bran flakes by 1/2c each.
They turned out very well.-
I’m happy it turned out well! Thank you for sharing your substitutions and results. 🙂
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Great recipe and yummy muffins! And I like how flexible this recipe is so that you can customize it to your liking. Wanting to increase some additional nutrients, I tried an equal blend of AP flour, oat flour, wheat bran, and ground flax seeds, and the muffin texture was perfect.-
Thank you Samantha! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe. The muffins are definitely versatile, which I love! 🙂
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Great base recipe! Simple and to the point. I doubled the recipe and it came out perfectly. Appreciate the no-added sugar!-
Thank you Fiona! I’m so happy that you like the recipe. 🙂
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Reply to Linda: Yes, you can make it g/f. I made it with oat flour and added frozen cranberries to it, best muffin I ever made!
Thank you-
Thank you for sharing Kristina! 🙂
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I don’t understand the repeated comments to serve these slathered with additional fat and sugar. The entire point of leaving those things out of the recipe . . . . is to avoid eating them.
We should Just eat them plain! Thanks for your sharing.
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Hi Chris, I appreciate your feedback and you can definitely decide to eat them plain if that’s what fits with your goals. I believe that food should be enjoyed and if that means eating plain muffins, then great! However, I love to serve muffins with other toppings myself, such as nutritious nut butters and homemade fruit jams. It also makes them more filling and satisfying, which is not a bad thing. Plus, this recipe can be enjoyed as a nutritious snack to increase fiber intake, while adding a little something extra if it makes them more enjoyable. Everyone has a different preference and different goals, so I wanted to offer a variety of options. I hope this clarifies that a little. Thanks again for the feedback and enjoy the recipe!
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These muffins are absolutely delicious! I used coconut oil and it gave it a touch of coconut flavor and I also added flax seeds and walnuts. A new healthy and delicious breakfast favorite, for sure!-
Thank you Carla, I’m glad you liked them! And I love the idea of the coconut oil, flax and walnuts. Enjoy!
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Just baked these tonight and they are delicious and moist. The only thing I changed was I added 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Love this recipe.-
Thank you Maria, I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe!
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I had fun using this recipe as a base to build on … I used mixed berry smoothie cubes instead of applesauce, greek yogurt as a fat and following others posts chucked in some oats (steel cut) and added some sort of pumpkin seed blend. I added fresh blueberries and raspberries, a tsp of stevia and topped it with slivered almonds.
I know the subs are a little odd but I am trying to use up things in the freezer and fridge 🙂
But it all worked and the muffins are moist, tender and really quite tasty.-
Thank you for the review Crystal! I’m glad that the muffins turned out well with the substitutions. I’m sure it will help others! 🙂
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A wonderful recipe. I added 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a healthy pinch of ground cloves. Also added 1/3 cup chopped dates, 1/3 cup of raisins, and 1/3 cup chopped walnuts. This will be my go-to bran muffin recipe from now on. Delicious.-
Thank you so much Cindy! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
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I LOVE this recipe, i just made them this morning, though i did NOT add the eggs or oils, i DID add more unsweetened applesauce, greek yogurt and golden flax seed!
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Thank you! I’m so happy that you loved the recipe and that it worked well with those substitutions. It’s good to know. 🙂
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Love this recipe, I’ve made several variations. For the last one I added 1c frozen cherries (thawed, drained & pureéd), ¼c unsweetened cocoa powder & replaced the vanilla with pure almond extract-
Thank you Adrianna! That sounds like a delicious variation on the recipe, thank you for sharing. 🙂
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I made this recipe very good I did tweak it a little had no applesauce and had to use bran flakes cereal so I substituted the applesauce for a half a cup of milk to soak the cereal then I added half a teaspoon of cinnamon quarter teaspoon of ginger quarter teaspoon of nutmeg I put two sugar twin packs in with the cereal and milk and I put three in with the vanilla and the bananas Plus plus I added two to three tablespoons of molasses PS I’m a cook on a gas barge can’t wait to make this for my boys-
Thank you Peter, I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe and that it worked well with those substitutions. 🙂
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Loved these! Not even vegan but I love a good healthy bran muffin. Didnt have applesauce so I used three bananas, added walnuts, and Lily’s dark chocolate chips.-
Thank you so much Janna, I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
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I just realized on my last post I said “I’m not even vegan” alluding to making these with flax eggs, I did not, I used regular eggs 🙂 but I have baked with flax eggs when I didn’t have eggs and they’re just as good! -
Made this couple days ago & they were delicious!! If this isn’t the best Bran Muffin, I don’t know what else it could be 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing.-
Thank you so much Shalimar! 🙂
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These turned out superb. Made a few modifications; I added 3 TB carob powder, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and raisins. I used a bit more banana due to lack of apple sauce, and butter instead of oil.-
Thank you Gina! I’m happy that you enjoyed them and thank you for sharing your substitutions. I’m sure that it will help others as well!
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Love these! We eat them for breakfast every morning before work, and for a quick snack! Thank you!-
Thank you Christy! I’m so happy that you like them 🙂
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I love this recipe, I have always loved bran muffins and while these taste a little more like banana muffins the bran does come through. Next time I’d like to eliminate the bananas and have a more bran tasting muffin. For wheat bran I used Bran buds, seemed to work well. I substituted the applesauce with Oikos Triple Zero vanilla blended greek yogurt. Also added all the spices you listed using 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardomom. About half a cup of chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup of raisins. Our family just loves nuts and raisins in baked goods and it definitely was a hit. This will be a keeper in this household
Thanks for posting.-
Thank you so much Suzanne! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the banana bran muffins. Those additions and substitutions sound great! Enjoy. 🙂
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Second time commenting on this recipe because I love it so much! Didn’t have applesauce today so I used Greek yogurt instead and they turned out great! Added hemp seeds and topped with oats and a sprinkle of brown sugar before baking – love them! Next time I’m going to try adding blueberries like another commenter mentioned!-
I’m so happy that you love the recipe! Thank you for sharing your feedback and the variations you’ve tried. It’s always helpful! Enjoy. 🙂
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Can I sub crushed Fiber One ceareal for the wheat bran?
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Hi Mary, some have commented using bran cereals with success (there’s a note from someone using soaked cereal). I can’t guarantee myself that it would work as I have never tried it. Sorry for having no definitive answer.
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This is my go to recipe for quick breakfast stuff. I have made them a dozen different ways. I stick with the recipe but I add to it. Sesame seeds, chia seeds, nuts, raisins, craisins, dried cherries, psyllium, sunflower seeds. Sometimes I go tropical and add dried mango, dried pineapple, coconut. I put in lots of spices and additional vanilla extract, sometimes almond extract. I have even added protein powder. They all come out great. I love having something nutritious that I can grab on the way out the door on my way to work. They do freeze well.
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