Okay guys, today’s the day that I get to share my banana bran muffin recipe from my postpartum meal plan, which I shared just before my son was born! I made these as “Birthday muffins,” to enjoy with coffee after his birth and to share with visitors coming to see our sweet boy.

What are “Birthday muffins”?

Birthday muffins are the name I’ve given to whatever muffins I choose to make for the freezer every time I’m going to have a baby.

So far, I’ve only had home births; and, although it may sound silly, having muffins on hand to enjoy with a cup of coffee after the baby comes is something I really look forward to. I also love having them on hand to serve to company, since we have usually had lots of family want to come see us after the baby comes. Since I need to rest, I’m not able to be hospitable in the way that I want; so, I always make muffins ahead of time to serve with tea or coffee for our visitors. It’s my version of “Birthday cake” for the baby’s very first birthday.

Are bran muffins good for you?

Bran is an excellent source of fibre, and one thing that I appreciate about this recipe especially is that it can be made with less sugar than most, since bananas add plenty of natural sweetness on their own.

I would never tell you to eat a diet of just these muffins, but as muffins go, these are a pretty great choice, especially if you substitute the chocolate in them for cacao nibs, dried fruit, or nuts.

Substitutions for this banana bran muffin recipe:

1. Egg
   You can substitute the egg in this recipe for 1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds mixed with 3 Tbsp. water. Let this rest for a few minutes (until it becomes the slippery texture of an egg white), and then add it to the recipe.
2. Milk
   Any type of milk should work fine for this recipe. Try almond, coconut, or oat milk, for example.
3. Banana
   If you find that you don’t have quite enough banana to make these, you can always top up your measurement with a bit of applesauce to round it out; just note that the flavour will be more mild that way.
4. Oil
   Any type of good baking fat/oil will work well as a substitute for the oil in this recipe. You can use olive oil, coconut oil, or butter as great options.
5. Sugar
   I’ll be honest, I’ve never made these muffins with another type of sweetener. However, based on my experience with other baking, I would be very comfortable trying coconut sugar, maple syrup, or honey as a 1:1 substitute for the sugar in this recipe.
6. Whole wheat flour
   Try any type of whole grain flour in place of the whole wheat flour in this recipe.
7. Chocolate chips
   Try substituting the chocolate chips for cacao nibs, chocolate chunks, nuts, or seeds.

Does the banana make the fibre in bran muffins less helpful?

I’ve heard people talk about banana causing constipation before, but as far as I can tell from looking into it, that should only happen when the bananas are more firm, or even underripe. This recipe is best made with overripe bananas, which could even help with constipation; so, if that’s why you’re looking at making bran muffins, don’t worry too much about the addition of bananas.

Other additions to make these muffins special

If you want to make these muffins into more of a full-on meal, feel free adding any (or a couple!) of the following items to this recipe (about 1/4-1/2 cup) to make them a little extra special:

• Raisins
• Dried cranberries
• Fresh, frozen, or dried apple chunks
• Banana chips
• Cacao nibs
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Pecans
• Coconut
• Pretzel bits
• Peanut butter
• Seeds

Tips for making great muffins

1. Do not over mix the batter.
   Like all quick breads, these muffins are best if mix them until just combined. This yields a much softer, more crumbly muffin (rather than a dense, spongy one).
2. Line the pans.
   You can make these muffins in greased muffin tins, but I always like (for easy cleanup and easy removal of the muffins) to use regular muffin liners (like I have in this recipe), or tulip liners. Another great option, if you prefer not to line your pans, is to bake your muffins in a silicone muffin pan.
3. Do not over bake.
   These muffins are best on the day they are made because they tend to dry out a little faster than others. Making sure that you don’t over bake the muffins will also extend their shelf life and leave them tasting soft and delicious for longer.

Can this recipe be made into banana bread?

Yes! My only recommendation there, however, would be that you opt for small loaf pans. Smaller pans will help to make sure your bread doesn’t dry out, since they will require less time in the oven to bake through.

If you do decide to make this recipe in loaf pans instead of muffin tins, remember to extend the baking time! Quick bread loaves can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on the size of the pan.

To make this recipe, you will need:

• Ingredients (see recipe card)
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Spatula
• Large ice cream scoop (optional)
• Muffin liners or tulip liners
• Muffin tins or silicone muffin tins
• Cooling rack

Print

Banana Bran Muffins

This a delicious, not too sweet muffin, perfect for a quick breakfast or a snack. Try adding nuts instead of chocolate chips if you prefer!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American, Canadian

Keyword bran, bran muffins, chocolate, muffins

Prep Time 45 minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Author Naomi

Ingredients

• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (or 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed)
• 1/3 cup oil (I just use canola or vegetable oil)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup bran cereal
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon optional
• 1 cup chocolate chips optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the beaten egg with milk, mashed banana, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add the bran cereal and allow this to soften while you complete the next steps.

3. Measure the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a large sieve or sifter.

4. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper muffin liners, and set aside.

5. Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl; add the chocolate chips, make a well in the centre, and pour the wet bran mixture into the middle of the well. Mix until just combined (do not over mix). Divide the batter into prepared muffin cups.

6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the largest muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Store in sealed containers.

Other recipes you will enjoy:

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other favourites! Here are a few that I can quickly recommend:

• Cranberry Bran Muffins
• Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
• Rhubarb Sour Cream Muffins
• Strawberry Oat Muffins

As always, I’ll close by saying that if you make this recipe, please leave a comment to let me know what you thought! I also love it when people tag me in their photos on Instagram @naomicakesofficial so that I can see your beautiful work. It makes my day to know when these recipes are being enjoyed!

I’ll be back soon,

Naomi

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