Healthy Oat Bran Muffins
Healthy isn’t a word I’d use to describe most muffins, but these oat bran muffins are an exception. They’re high in fiber and packed with good-for-you ingredients like oat bran, apples, sunflower seeds, flaxseed meal, and walnuts.
Pair one of these moist, delicious oat bran muffins with an egg muffin cup, or spread it with some chocolate hummus for an easy grab-and-go breakfast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Here are some key ingredients needed to make these oat bran muffins. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Oat bran. Look for oat bran in the cereal aisle. It’s similar to oatmeal (see below for the differences) and used as a hot cereal.
Apple. I use chopped sweet apples, plus some no-sugar-added applesauce, to add natural sweetness. Applesauce also replaces some of the fat.
Buttermilk. This adds a tangy flavor, helps the muffins rise, and provides a tender crumb because it reacts well with baking soda.
Walnuts and sunflower seeds. Both heart-healthy ingredients add texture and crunch.
Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of the apple cinnamon flavor, try fresh blueberries, along with a teaspoon of lemon zest, or a mashed ripe banana.
- Swap chopped pecans for walnuts and pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds.
- For a dairy-free option, use plant milk and substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder for the baking soda.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the oat bran, flaxseed meal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, walnuts, and sunflower seeds in a bowl and stir well.
2. Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, buttermilk, egg, olive oil, applesauce, and apples.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to thoroughly combine all the ingredients, scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Fill the muffin tin. This recipe makes enough batter to fill six large (jumbo) muffin wells. Fill each about ¾ of the way (use a soup ladle to make it easier) and bake. I like to add a sprinkle of oatmeal to the top for a garnish.
Expert Tips
It’s OK to mix the batter well. Typically, when making muffins with flour, the instructions advise against overmixing, as this can overwork the gluten and result in a tough texture. However, since these oat bran muffins are gluten-free, they actually benefit from a bit more mixing because it provides more structure.
If you make these oat bran muffins with dairy-free plant milk instead of buttermilk, make sure to use baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons) instead of baking soda. Baking soda won’t react with most plant milks because they’re not acidic enough.
If you have an extra muffin tin, consider doubling the recipe and freezing some of the muffins for later. Reheat them for about 30 seconds in the microwave.
Oat Bran vs Oatmeal?
What’s the difference between these two ingredients? Both are forms of oats and share a similar flavor, but they have distinct nutritional differences.
Oatmeal is the whole, flattened oat groat. Because it has all parts of the oat groat, it’s considered a whole grain. It’s also harder and has a chewier texture when cooked.
- One cup of dry (uncooked) oatmeal contains 307 calories, 11 grams of protein, 55 grams of carbohydrates, and 8 grams of fiber.
Oat bran is just the outer layer of the oat groat. It’s technically not a whole grain, but it has more protein and fiber than oatmeal. When cooked, it’s much softer and creamier than oatmeal.
- One cup of dry (uncooked) oat bran contains 231 calories, 16 grams of protein, 62 grams of carbohydrates, and 15 grams of fiber.
Related Oat Recipes
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Healthy Oat Bran Muffins
Equipment
- 6-well jumbo muffin tin each well holds approximately 3/4 cup
Ingredients
- 2 cups oat bran
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal ground flax seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or more to taste
- 1 cup buttermilk low fat or regular
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 large apple chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and set the rack to the middle position. Line a 6-well jumbo muffin tin with paper liners, or spray it well with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat bran, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. Stir well with a rubber spatula to mix the ingredients.
- In a second mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup, buttermilk, egg, olive oil, applesauce, and apple. Use a whisk to incorporate all of the wet ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (or vice versa) and use the rubber spatula to mix everything together. Scrape down the sides and across the bottom once or twice to ensure everything is well combined.
- Use a soup ladle to spoon the batter into each muffin well. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
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These are absolutely delicious!!! My husband isn’t always a fan of healthy muffins, but he raved about these! The health benefits are wonderful, but they fill the need for something sweet too
I’m so glad you like them Michelle! It’s always a win when you find a sweet treat with health benefits!
I love these so much! I added chocolate chips too sooooo good!! Is the nutrition facts based on just one muffin?? Thank you so much!
Hi Laynee, I’m so glad you like them, and YES to adding chocolate chips! Yes, the nutrition info is for one large muffin.
These are good with cranberry juice (100% juice) to drink. They’re not too sweet but it’s nice to be able to adjust the sweetness to taste.
Dense, healthy and filling muffins. They are not overly sweet but you can adjust the sweetness up or down even more if you prefer. All the substitutions like berries or non-dairy milk sound good.
These are so tasty and good for you!
These look wonderful – one more bowl of oatmeal and i’m going to cry…will make a very nice change!
Kathi
I hear you! I eat oatmeal every day too 🙂 Change is good sometimes!