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The Healthiest Banana Bran Muffins
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4.94 from 59 votes

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!
Course Snack
Cuisine vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
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.