Oat Bran Muffins

Oat Bran Muffins are tender, moist, and peppered with raisins, dates, and walnuts throughout. These healthy muffins are dairy free, naturally sweetened, and the perfect make ahead breakfast or snack!

Other hearty muffins we love are healthy morning glory muffins, healthy apple muffins and carrot oatmeal muffins.

These oat bran muffins are hearty and wholesome, yet moist and full of flavor with a delicious nutty, slightly chewy texture!

They’re made dairy free with whole wheat flour, high fiber oat bran and a touch of unsulphured molasses. Maple syrup, raisins, dates, and applesauce deliver natural sweetness and moisture.

Whip up a batch of this bakery style oat bran muffins recipe at home quickly and easily with ingredients you probably already have on hand.

They make a great mid morning or afternoon snack as well as breakfast or brunch. Or make ahead and freeze for school lunches throughout the month!

What Is Oat Bran?

Oat bran is just one layer of the entire oat grain. First off, when oat grain is harvested, the outer shell (called the hull) is removed and discarded because it’s not meant for consumption. What remains from the removal of the hull is called the oat groat. What a name!

The outer layer of this groat is what we know as oat bran. It can either be kept with the rest of the oat groat or removed and used separately. The innermost part of the oat groat is what continues to be processed whether minimally into steel cut oats or a bit more into old fashioned rolled oats.

Why Oat Bran Muffins Are Good for You?

According to Healthline, here are a few things what makes oat bran muffins wholesome.

• Fiber, protein, and iron: Oat bran, whole wheat flour, dates, and flaxseed provide muffins with tons of fiber, protein, and iron among other things, which our bodies need to regulate blood sugar.
• No refined sugar: Medjool dates, raisins, maple syrup gives us loads of vitamins and antioxidants but also a sweetness without the addition of any highly processed refined sugars.
• Dairy free: These oat bran muffins are great for those looking for a dairy free muffin when dairy causes inflammation. 
• Walnuts: Not only provide us with great nutty texture and flavor but they also have plenty of good fats and antioxidants too.
• Keeps us fuller longer: Just one oat bran muffin provides our bodies with what it needs to stay full and satisfied longer and maintain our blood sugar levels so we don’t find ourselves reaching for extra snacks.

Oat Bran Muffins Ingredients

To make healthy oat bran muffins, you will need just a few simple ingredients plus an oat bran itself.

• Wet ingredients: Eggs, applesauce, maple syrup or honey, unsulphured molasses, oil, and pure vanilla extract.
• Dry ingredients: Oat bran, whole wheat flour or spelt flour, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Raisins and Medjool dates: Dates sometimes look like jumbo raisins but they’re not. They’re dehydrated stone fruits that have a delicious sweetness to them. They need to be pitted and chopped. Try them in savory stuffed dates!
• Walnuts: Coarsely chopped, they add a crunchy, creamy, nutty texture to these muffins.
• Cooking spray: I use Misto to help create a nonstick surface inside the muffin liners.

How to Make Oat Bran Muffins

Here is a detailed overview how to make oat bran muffins. You can find full recipe card below.

• Prepare your station: Set the oven to preheat to 425 degrees F. Line the muffin cups with unbleached muffin liners and spray with cooking spray. Set that aside.
• Mix wet ingredients: Mix eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, molasses, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Combine well and set aside.
• Combine dry ingredients: Using a medium mixing bowl this time, add oat bran, flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, use a spatula to mix until the flour mixture is smooth and lump free.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients: Gently pour and stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just enough to combine.
• Allow the batter to rest: Set the oat bran muffins batter aside to allow it to thicken. This gives the leavening agents time to activate and do their thing!

• The add-ins: Give the batter a gentle stir a few times and then add the raisins, dates, and walnuts. Fold them in a few times making sure everything is incorporated.
• Divide the batter and bake: Evenly divide the batter between each of the 12 prepared muffin compartments. I like to use an ice cream scoop so I know I’m getting an equal amount of batter in every one. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
• Cool before eating: Remove oat bran muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool down a bit more.

Optional Add-In’s and Variations

• Applesauce substitute: Mash bananas and add them into the muffins if applesauce isn’t your thing.
• Swap your sweetener: Instead of maple syrup use honey, or a liquid form of any of your favorite sweeteners. Do not use any dry sugars like dark or light brown sugar, or even coconut sugar. It will throw the dry-wet ratio off balance.
• To make gluten free oat bran muffins: Try a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour. Coconut flour or almond flour will not work!
• Other dried fruits: Blueberries, goji berries, mango, apricots, strawberries, and raspberries would all be delicious in this oat bran muffin recipe.
• Nuts: Any chopped nuts would pair well with oat bran muffins. Chopped almonds, pecans, pistachios, you name it!

Tips for Best Results

Here are my top tips for the best oat bran muffins in the world!

• Stick with oat bran: I haven’t tried wheat bran or oats instead, so I can’t guarantee those results.
• Don’t skip the spray: Applesauce in muffins can sometimes cause the muffins to stick to liners, which is why we spray them first.
• Unsulphured molasses means there has been no sulfur added to preserve the molasses giving it longer shelf life. It tastes better and is less processed.
• What does overmixing do? It releases the trapped air needed to create fluffy muffins, leaving them dense and heavy.
• How to know they’re done? Use a toothpick and insert it into the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean, your muffins are ready! If not, continue baking for a little while longer.

How to Store Oat Bran Muffins

Store: No need to keep oat bran muffins in the fridge. As long as they’re covered and stored in a cool dry area, you’ll have fresh muffins to last you up to 4 days.

Freeze: Once completely cooled, transfer muffins to an airtight container or freezer friendly bag. Keep them frozen for up to 3 months. Only thaw what you intend to eat!

FAQs

More Healthy Muffins Recipes to Try

• Healthy oatmeal muffins
• Oat flour banana muffins
• Protein muffins
• Healthy banana muffins
• Apple cinnamon muffins