Thrilled to share this 30-minute recipe for healthy bran muffins with you! Made without refined sugar and positively packed with dietary fiber, these wholesome bran muffins are a tasty AND nutritious treat. Dairy free, no mixer required, and the add-ins are up to you!
What do you think of when you think of “bran muffins”? Healthy but tasteless? Nutritious but dry? Well, I set out to change the humble bran muffin’s reputation, so get ready to rethink your preconceived notions. Because these healthy bran muffins are flavorful, moist, and anything but bland!
A few test batches later and we have ourselves a perfectly delicious, healthful, not-overly-sweet bran muffin that adults AND kids enjoy. I had a 2-year-old, 5-year-old, 6-year-old, 9-year-old, teenager, plus adult taste testers here… approval all around. 😉
Here’s Why You’ll Love These Healthy Bran Muffins
- Wholesome and nutritious
- Slightly sweet, cinnamon-spiced, nutty flavor
- Packed with insoluble dietary fiber
- Hearty but NOT dry, just like these applesauce muffins
- Sweetened with honey—no refined sugar
- Dairy-free baking recipe if using a dairy-free milk
- No mixer required
- Healthy grab-and-go breakfast or anytime snack
- Freeze well
- Add-ins are up to you: raisins, nuts, blueberries… choose your favorite
Recipe Testing for Bran Muffin Success
I adapted this recipe from my morning glory muffins and blueberry oatmeal muffins, two of the most popular healthier muffin recipes on my site. The recipe went through 3 rounds of testing:
- The first test batch I made was too wet—not enough whole wheat flour, so they tasted a little greasy.
- For the second batch, I left out the applesauce and let the batter sit for about 15 minutes before baking, so the bran could soak up some of the liquid. This made the batter really thick, but then the muffins tasted too dry. Better to bake the batter right away.
- My third try was the “just right” Goldilocks-approved batch of bran muffins, which is the recipe I’m sharing with you today.
What Is Wheat Bran?
The bran is the protective outer layer, or shell, of the wheat kernel, which is stripped away during the milling process. But it’s actually super rich in insoluble fiber and other nutrients, and has a lightly sweet, nutty flavor. What’s not to like about this superfood?!
What Type of Wheat Bran Should I Use?
A lot of bran muffin recipes call for bran cereal, but we are just using straight-up wheat bran here, so there are no added ingredients from the cereal.
I usually find wheat bran in the cereal aisle near the oats, or you can buy it online. I like Bob’s Red Mill brand (not working with them, just genuinely like their products). No need to soak it or sift it or anything before using, just add it as a dry ingredient.
A couple questions & answers:
- Can I Use Bran Cereal Instead? I recommend using wheat bran for these muffins, but I know some recipes call for grinding bran cereal (either flakes or strands, such as All-Bran or Fiber One) into crumbs to use in place of wheat bran. I haven’t tested it myself with this recipe. Keep in mind that most bran cereals include sugar.
- What if I Can’t Find Wheat Bran? If you’re unable to find wheat bran at your local store or purchase it online, you can try these blueberry oatmeal muffins or chocolate chip baked oatmeal cups instead. The recipe is similar, and you can choose any add-ins you prefer instead of blueberries (such as raisins).
- Can I Make These Gluten Free? You can’t without completely changing the recipe. I recommend my blueberry almond muffins instead.
All the Ingredients You Need:
- Whole Wheat Flour: I love using whole wheat flour in baking when I can. It can dry out baked goods, so it’s important to pay attention to the ratio of wet ingredients to balance it out. I use it in these peanut butter banana muffins, too!
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder: These leaveners help the muffins rise up tall. I usually use 1 teaspoon each in most muffin recipes, but that proved to be too much baking soda (it left a little bit of an aftertaste). So, use 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon soda here.
- Salt: Flavor enhancer.
- Cinnamon: A favorite ingredient in many muffin recipes!
- Egg: The egg helps to bind the ingredients together. If you’d like to make these muffins vegan, swap the egg for your favorite baking egg substitute.
- Honey: Likewise, you can swap the honey for maple syrup to make these muffins vegan.
- Coconut Oil: This is one of my favorite ingredients in baking. To avoid a coconut-y flavor, look for one that’s labeled “refined.” If you don’t have coconut oil, use vegetable oil, avocado oil, or melted butter instead.
- Applesauce: Unsweetened, smooth applesauce takes the place of more oil. If you don’t have applesauce, mashed banana is a great replacement.
- Vanilla Extract: Baked goods’ favorite flavor enhancer (shh, don’t tell the salt).
- Nondairy Milk: I tested this recipe with plain (unsweetened) almond milk, but you can use oat milk or your preferred type of nondairy milk. You could also use regular dairy milk or buttermilk.
- Optional Add-ins: I used raisins in the pictured muffins, but you can certainly leave the bran muffins plain or fill with fresh, frozen, or dried blueberries; dried cranberries; chopped nuts; apples; etc.
How to Make Your Bran Muffins
Making these bran muffins is as simple as combining the dry ingredients in 1 bowl, combining the wet ingredients in another bowl, then whisking them together and folding in your raisins or other add-ins. Honestly couldn’t be easier—even simpler than whipping up a batch of zucchini muffins.
*Success Tip: The batter will quickly start to thicken up as the wheat bran absorbs the liquid—think instant oatmeal, or bran flake cereal absorbing milk the longer it’s left in your bowl. Scoop the batter into your lined muffin pan as soon as all your ingredients are combined, and bake.
Always appreciate quick, uncomplicated prep work for breakfast recipes.
Enjoy the baked muffins warm and feel free to swipe a pat of butter on each, or apple butter, or my favorite honey butter. So satisfying!
For even more inspiration, see my complete list of 30+ healthy breakfast recipes.
PrintHealthy Bran Muffins Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Flavorful, wholesome, and tender, these bran muffins are an easy and quick healthy baking staple. Make sure you’re using pure wheat bran, not bran cereal. Use your favorite add-ins, or leave the muffins plain. See Notes for freezing instructions and mini muffin instructions.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (195g) whole wheat flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 cup (52g) wheat bran
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (170g) honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup (75g) coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) nondairy milk* (or dairy milk), at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (about 100g) raisins*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use muffin liners.
- Whisk the flour, wheat bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg, honey, melted coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and milk together in a medium bowl until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and whisk to combine. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and fold in the raisins (or other add-ins).
- Spoon the batter evenly into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 14–15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20 minutes, give or take. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
- Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, then transfer to the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then heat up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-Count Muffin Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Muffin Liners | Cooling Rack
- Whole Wheat Flour: Feel free to replace with all-purpose flour, or use a mix of both all-purpose and whole wheat.
- Wheat Bran: I usually find wheat bran in the cereal aisle near the oats, or you can buy it online. I like Bob’s Red Mill brand (not working with them, just genuinely like their products). No need to soak it or sift it or anything before using, just add it as a dry ingredient. If you’re unable to find wheat bran at your local store or purchase it online, you can try these blueberry oatmeal muffins instead. The recipe is similar, and you can choose any add-ins you prefer instead of blueberries (such as raisins).
- Can I Use Bran Cereal Instead? I recommend using wheat bran for these muffins, but I know some recipes call for grinding bran cereal (either flakes or strands, such as All-Bran or Fiber One) into crumbs to use in place of wheat bran. I haven’t tested it myself with this recipe. Keep in mind most bran cereals include sugar.
- Coconut Oil: If you don’t have coconut oil, use the same amount of vegetable oil, avocado oil, or melted butter instead.
- Applesauce: If you don’t have applesauce, mashed banana is a great replacement.
- Milk: I use plain (unsweetened) almond milk, but you can use any type of milk—dairy or nondairy—that you prefer, or buttermilk. Nutrition information calculated using plain unsweetened almond milk.
- Raisins/Add-ins: You can use 2/3 cup of any add-ins you prefer instead of raisins, such as dried cranberries, chopped walnuts or pecans, fresh or dried blueberries, or peeled and finely chopped apples, or leave the muffins plain. If using apples, I usually use closer to 1 cup. Nutrition information calculated using raisins.
- Why the initial high oven temperature? Like I do for most muffin recipes, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a very hot temperature. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, switch to a lower temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high temperature will quickly lift the muffin tops so they’re extra high, then the centers will bake during the lower-temperature bake time. This trick makes beautiful bakery-style muffins every time.
- Mini Muffins: If making these in a mini muffin pan, bake 12–13 minutes total at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.
- Nutrition Information Per 1 Muffin: Calories (191), Total Fat (7.3g), Sodium (174mg), Carbohydrates (31g), Dietary Fiber (4.2g), Sugar (14g), Protein (3.7g)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 191
- Sugar: 14.1 g
- Sodium: 174.7 mg
- Fat: 7.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.4 g
- Fiber: 4.2 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 15.5 mg
I made these today, exactly as written, and they are perfectly delicious and moist. A great recipe and I even got the domed tops as promised. Highly recommended—-make these. I used grapeseed oil for the oil and raisins for the add-ins. They couldn’t be better!!
I have mage this recipe twice—once as printed and once using oat bran. I will continue to substitute oat bran. I prefer the taste and texture from the oat bran.
Excellently muffins. They’re going on the make again list. I used the raisins and about 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
If I wanted to add molasses to this recipe, how much do you recommend and how would I adjust the other ingredients to accommodate for it? Thanks!
Hi Courtney! We haven’t tested it, but you could try replacing some of the honey with molasses. Let us know if you give it a try!
These muffins are wonderful, moist and flavorful. I have been tending towards baking with more whole wheat flour and whole grains so this recipe seemed perfect. I used King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour which gives the muffins a great whole wheat flavor. I also use small dice apples instead of raisins as my add-in. In my last batch, I made the mistake of putting an entire heaping cup of diced apples in a half batch of muffins. I extended the baking time by a minute or two (kept checking for doneness) but they came out perfectly (not gummy which I expected) despite the extra moisture. Thanks, Sally for yet another “foolproof” recipe!
Hi! I would love to make several of your yummy recipes, like this bran muffin one above, and I notice you use applesauce in several of them. I personally do not like the spongy texture that I feel applesauce brings to a muffin, so I was wondering – can I just use the same amount of Canola oil instead of the applesauce? Also, would plain whole yogurt also be a good substitute for the applesauce? (I’ve never done the yogurt replacement; I was just wondering). Thanks so much for letting me know so I can begin baking them!
🙂
Lynne
Hi Lynne! Yogurt would be the best replacement. Happy baking!
Hi Sally, can I use shredded apple instead of milk? Thanks!
Hi Luna, chopped apples can work as an add-in, but we don’t recommend them in place of the milk. The milk is necessary for thinning out the batter a bit.
I’ve got my first batch in the oven, can’t wait.
Could I use Kefir instead of milk?
Hi Kathy, we haven’t tried it ourselves, so we can’t say for sure. It may be too heavy for these muffins, so we recommend sticking with milk for best results.
I love these muffins so much I’ve started making a double batch almost every week! I used macadamia milk for my non-dairy milk and maple syrup for the sweetener. They are delicious and I love having them as a regular part of my breakfast meal prep. They also help with regularity, A+!
Moist, delicious. Definitely a keeper! I used white whole wheat, coconut oil and maple syrup options. For milk I added buttermilk powder to my milk as the use by date is nearing. I was concerned about the loose texture of the mixture but the muffins had a beautiful rise. Picture perfect texture.
Loved these muffins! They are so moist for a bran muffin. I had oat bran on hand substituted it for the wheat bran and used melted butter for the coconut oil.
Will be making again:)
I was feeling adventurous and used this recipe as a base and made some changes. I used a combination of paleo and regular all purpose flour. I doubled the cinnamon, added ginger and pie spice. Also used a combination of ghee and coconut oil, added 2 Tbs yogurt to add more moisture. Also cut back a bit on the honey and added walnuts and dried cherries instead of raisins. I baked as directed and they were delicious!!
Made these because my husband loves bran muffins. They came out looking beautiful but they were a bit dry. Any tips for making more moist?
Hi Gerry! Be very careful not to over-bake the muffins (always keep an eye on them!) and make sure not to pack in dry ingredients when measuring, use the spoon and level method (or use a kitchen scale). These are the most common causes of dry muffins!
I have never left a comment on a recipe before but today I have to. I just took these muffins out of the oven and dove in! They are the best bran muffin I have ever had and I love bran muffins! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe. Now I have to talk myself into not going to grab
another one!
Thanks for taking the time to report back, Glenda! We’re so glad you enjoyed these muffins.
I was disappointed by these. Like someone else said, they taste like muffins that include some bran, rather than like bran muffins. I guess you could say the bran-to-flour ratio didn’t create the result I was looking for. I might adjust that and try again (and perhaps add a touch of molasses for that deep flavor), or just go back to the recipe I was using previously. That said, I love most everything I’ve tried from this website! This recipe just didn’t hit the mark.
Oh, also, I followed the weight measurements and only got 9 muffins!
Excellent recipe for a breakfast or snack muffin. I tweaked this recipe a bit, i.e. I soak the bran in milk (I use regular cow’s milk) for approx. 20 min which makes the muffins even more moist as the bran soaks up the milk. I have also slightly increased the amount of applesauce. Thank you Sally for fantastic recipes.
Our GO TO Healthy Bran Muffin Recipe! Love this recipe. I now have a batch around all the time in the freezer or fridge. The only change I made was to use fresh unsweetened Vanilla flavored almond milk to the batter. It is only 30 calories a cup and actually is great to drink with a warm muffin. I also added 5 – 6 walnut pieces to each muffin in addition to the raisins. It only raised the calories to about 215 total, and added texture and healthy fats and fiber. (so total is about 5 grams of fiber per muffin). Followed the recipe and baking instructions and they were perfect. The muffins have just enough sweetness and stay moist. I highly recommend these!
Thanks for this truly healthy muffin recipe. I added cranberries and walnuts. I too, had the muffins seriously stick to the liners. I’ll use a little spray next time.
These are so delicious! Thanks for the healthy recipe.
I just made this and the muffins are really stuck to the paper cup holders. Next time I make them I will try spraying the paper cups with Pam spray.
These muffins turned out perfect! I altered it a tad: used all purpose flour instead of wheat flour. Omited the honey and substituted with 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Didn’t have coconut oil, so just used vegetable oil. I also added a little shreded carrot. And didn’t add cinnamon. Turned out amazing, moist and the perfect breakfast muffin! Thank you!
Made them two times. Second time, I used a 4oz.jar of baby food prunes, something from another bran muffin recipe, in place of the applesauce. I Also added a tablespoon or two of molasses and the rest of the 1/2 cup was honey. Turned out more moist and like the flavor better
Chocolate chips?
You could definitely add chocolate chips in the place of raisins!
I made these and they were awesome. I used craisins rather than raisins and also put in 2/3 cup carrots. I realized in the middle of making them that I was out of whole wheat flour so I used regular. I also ground up some oats and mixed that in with the regular flour. I used regular sugar in place of the honey (it was hard for me to use an entire 1/2 cup of honey, I just couldn’t do it). Next time I make them I may use some dark brown sugar. They came out super moist and flavorful. I was really impressed with the coconut oil. The flavor was neutral and I think the combination with the applesauce gives it just the right texture. This recipe is added into my staples now. I have your cookbook and was looking for a nice bran muffin recipe but could not find any for bran muffins in there. Thank you for sharing this one online.
I made these delicious muffins today, but added fresh blueberries in lieu of raisins and PERFECT! Fantastic recipe, Sally!
Carbs are kind of high for a diabetic
Easy to make and super delicious. I used maple instead of honey and the muffins turned out so well. Will definitely be making this recipe again
Can I use oat bran instead ?
Hi Sally, that should work, but we haven’t tested it to know the exact results. Let us know if you try it!
I used oat bran instead of wheat, and they came out delicious!
Sally for the win again! Love these muffins. Introduced them to the kids as “delicious muffins with applesauce, honey and coconut oil!” Accidentally put 1/2 T of baking powder in the recipe instead of 1 t (simultaneously on the phone with mom), but no harm, no foul. Might actually repeat that mistake next go-around.
These are terrific! I used honey, reduced to 1/3 cups, added chopped toasted pecans and used oat milk. Due to oven issues, I baked them at a steady 350 for about 19 minutes and they came out perfect. Moist with just the right level of sweetness. This is a good basic recipe that lends itself to just about every fruit/shredded veggie add-in you can dream up. It’s going on repeat.
Hi, I wanted to let you know how mine turned out. I did a double batch firstly, so the second batch was dryer than the first (which is what you said would happen if you left the batter out too long). I do not like coconut oil so I used avocado oil. I used All Bran cereal and reduced it to a powder in my blender. Note: Make sure that you’re putting in the right amount of all brand/cereal once your cereal is in powder form. Since there was sweetener in the All Brand I reduced my honey by 1/4 for ea. batch. My first batch was dry and crunchy on the outside, with a little bit of moisture on the inside. The muffin dough was almost like cookie dough, so before I put the first batch in, I put a half a cup of milk in the batter to soften it up. I used milk, not soy or oat. The second batch I cooked, after putting another cup of milk in the batter, came out so nice! They were formed, not crunchy, soft and moist inside and out. I live in Central Texas and I’m sure altitude has something to do with how long etc you cook things. This is the experience that I had. When I do this recipe again, I will add more milk or applesauce to my batter to thin it out. I love the taste and texture and I also love that they are healthy! I definitely will be making these again! Thank you Sally.
Omitted the raisins- added chopped walnut & pecans. These are AMAZING!!!!! My search for the ultimate bran muffin is finally over! Thank you!!!☺️
I love bran muffins and these are great. I made the muffins using maple syrup instead of honey. the maple syrup was cold, as it was stored in the refrigerator. should I have let the maple syrup get to room temperature? similarly, would frozen blueberries be too cold to use (fresh / dried only)?
Hi Walter! It would be best to use room temperature maple syrup. Frozen blueberries can be folded in at the end – don’t thaw first.
Hi, this is Elizabeth Cox again. I wanted to add a note about the wheat bran. I live in a small Central Texas town and did not have access to this. Since I was making these the same day, I did not order from Amazon. I bought All Bran cereal and instead of the wheat brand used this. Maybe this had something to do with why I needed more liquid? Not sure.