Banana Bran Muffins Moist Healthy Muffin Recipe Wellplated Com

Of course, I say this assuming you’ve been scarred by bad healthy bran muffins in the past. I know more than one timid taster who flinches at the word “bran.” As someone who has long enjoyed (and I say this with the utmost affection and respect) old lady food (Grape Nuts and All-Bran were my favorite cereals for years; I do not mind raisins in my oatmeal cookies and Trail Mix Cookies; etc.), I am a bran believer. THAT SAID, with the number of banana oat bran muffins and wheat bran muffins out there that are more akin to hockey pucks than yummy, healthy muffins, I can 100% understand how they’ve earned their tooth-cracking reputation. These moist banana bran muffins are here to change bran’s rap one tender bite at a time!

How to Bake Moist Banana Bran Muffins

These bran muffins are healthy, courtesy of the bran itself. They are sweetened with honey, use yogurt, and don’t go overboard on excess oil that the muffins do not need. If a bran muffin recipe is dry (assuming you did not overbake it) it is because the recipe didn’t call for enough liquid ingredients in the batter. Thanks to its high fiber content, bran can even help promote digestion. Thirsty bran (and other whole grain flours like the whole wheat used to bake my Applesauce Muffins) is much drier than white, all-purpose flour. Whole grains drink up more liquid. That’s why we are coming at this muffin recipe with liquid in multiple ways!

The Ingredients

Banana is naturally sweet and moist. It gives the muffins both taste and texture. (If you are a banana muffin fan, don’t miss my classic Healthy Banana Muffins, Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, and toddler-approved Banana Oatmeal Muffins.)Greek Yogurt plays several roles in baked goods. It’s a liquid (moisture), and it also has acid which, similar to what buttermilk does in muffins, tenderizes them further.

Honey. This golden nectar makes the muffins moist, sweetens them naturally (this banana bran muffin recipe has no sugar!), and is a delightful flavor pairing with the bran and the banana.Olive Oil (or canola oil). These healthy banana bran muffins contain no butter. Instead, I prefer to use oil which adds the necessary fat to the batter to make them taste yummy, not gummy. This recipe uses a moderate amount, thanks to the addition of the yogurt.

Let me say again: THESE HEALTHY BRAN MUFFINS ARE NOT DRY! Since it is high in protein and low in calories, using yogurt instead of sour cream is a great trick to make your breakfast muffins more healthy (I have even more sneaky swaps like this in my cookbook). They do have some heft to them, which as a lover of wholesome, whole grain muffins, I appreciate. It’s part of bran’s brand. They will not, however, dry out your mouth and cause you to chug a gallon of orange juice. If you prefer a lighter muffin more similar to what you’d find at a bakery, try these Cranberry Orange Muffins. In addition to having enough liquid to make the muffins tender, this recipe also includes a range of ingredients to give them cozy flavor (e.g. these muffins do not taste like cardboard).

Cinnamon pairs wonderfully with the banana flavor and adds warmth. Pure Vanilla Extract. For that delightfully cozy vanilla flavor. MIX-INS! Since we are shattering banana bran muffin’s poor reputation here, let me add one more. You don’t have to add raisins!

In fact, our banana bran muffin base is fit for a wide range of mix-ins.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Store muffins in a paper towel-lined airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 1 week. To Freeze. Individually wrap muffins in plastic wrap, and freeze them in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Muffin Pan. Perfect for muffins on demand. Mixing Bowls. These bowls are stackable, dishwasher-safe, and microwave-safe. Batter Scoop. For beautifully domed muffin tops.

We’ve already gone through two batches of these banana bran muffins in the last two weeks.

Chocolate Chips. In our household, chocolate chips are a non-negotiable mix-in! They’re delicious in this banana bran muffins recipe and so many others (like my Chocolate Banana Muffins). Blueberries. These Healthy Blueberry Muffins are proof that blueberries are a crowd-pleasing addition. Dried Cranberries. Raisin’s more readily embraced cousin. Chopped Nuts. The recipe calls for toasted walnuts, but toasted pecans would also be scrumptious.

And yes, if you are like me and don’t want to stray from the original, on the right morning, raisin banana bran muffins hit the spot.

Crustless Quiche

50 mins

Baked Bacon in the Oven

25 mins

Greek Yogurt Smoothie

5 mins Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe. Ben’s favorite is walnut. Mine is chocolate chips AND walnuts, because why choose? Which version do you want to try first? I’d love to hear from you!