Banana Oat Bran Muffins (4 Ingredients)

Perfect 4 ingredient banana oat bran muffins! They are gluten-free, oil-free, vegan, and added sugar free. Customize them in countless ways with various add-ins (chocolate chips, anyone?) and flavorings of your choosing.

I’m bringing oat bran back.

Oat bran was huge back in the 1980s. HUGE! Oat bran muffins, in particular, were a nation wide obsession: if you wanted good health, a daily oat bran muffin was the place to start.

While I am not here to renew oat bran muffin mania (or am I? 😉 ), I am aiming to get you excited about these oat bran muffins in particular.

The muffins are lightly sweet, and perfectly portable, ready for grabbing and gnoshing as you head out the door. Alternatively, split one open and slather with almond butter and raspberry preserves (my favorite two-step treatment), then savor while you sip coffee and solve Wordle.

What is Oat Bran?

So what the heck is oat bran, anyway? Oat bran is the outer layer of the husked oat kernel (oat groat). Rolled oats and steel cut oats contain all parts of the oat groat–the endosperm, germ, and bran–but oat bran is also available as its own product.

Oat bran is a very rich source of soluble fiber, and a good source of protein, calcium, iron, thiamine, phosphorus, riboflavin, magnesium, and zinc.

Use oat bran to make a hearty, creamy hot cereal, or add it to baked goods, like these muffins, for a nutty oat flavor and toothsome texture.

Recipe Benefits

• Only 4 essential ingredients
• 4 grams fiber per muffin
• 4 grams protein per muffin
• 88 calories per muffin
• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free
• Nut-free (e.g., no almond butter, peanut butter, or other nuts)
• Added sugar free
• Quick and easy to make

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

• uncooked oat bran (certified gluten-free, as needed)
• rolled oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
• baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
• very ripe bananas (lots of black spots on the peel)

You will also need water (I use filtered tap water) and (optional, but recommended) salt for the recipe.

Consider this recipe a template. The muffins are wonderful plain, or add all kinds of stir-in embellishments. I have plenty of suggestions in the notes and recipe card.

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan

Preheat oven to 350F (180 C). Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with silicone muffin cup liners. (If using paper liners, I suggest lightly spritzing the insides of the liners with nonstick cooking spray.)

Step Two: Blend the Bananas & Oats

In a blender or food processor, process the bananas, water and rolled oats until smooth.

Step Three: Combine Oat Bran & Banana Mixture

In large bowl, combine the banana mixture (wet ingredients), oat bran and optional salt (not the baking powder). Let soak for 10 minutes to soften the oat bran.

Step Four: Add Baking Powder

Add the baking powder to the batter, stirring until combined.

Step Five: Portion the Batter

Divide the muffin batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups, smoothing the tops. I like to use a spring loaded ice cream scoop for easy portioning.

Step Six: Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the center is firm to the touch. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack, then remove muffins to rack and cool completely.

Step Seven: Cool the Muffins

Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then remove from the muffin pan to a rack and cool completely.

Storage

Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 4 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Variations

• How can I make the muffins moister?
  • Oil Version: Replace some or all of the water with oil or melted vegan butter.
  • No-Oil Version: Replace some or all of the water in the with full-fat coconut milk (coconut banana muffins!), cashew cream, or runny nut butter or seed butter (e.g., peanut butter, almond butter, tahini or sunflower seed butter)
• How can I make the banana oat bran muffins sweeter? You can add 1 to 3 tablespoons of the sweetener of your choice, such as coconut sugar, maple syrup, brown sugar, date syrup, agave nectar or brown rice syrup. Adding other ingredients (e.g., chocolate chips, dried fruit or fresh fruit) will also make the muffins sweeter (see ideas below).

Add-In Ideas

Customize your banana oat bran muffins to your tastes with one, two, or more of these add-in ideas:

• Spices: Add 1/4 to 2 teaspoons of your favorite spice, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice. Or add a combination of spices (no more than 2 teaspoons total) for fragrant spice muffins.
• Dried Fruit: Stir in up to 1/2 cup (118 mL) of chopped dried fruit, such as raisins, dried apricots, dried cherries, dried cranberries or 1 cup of chopped dried apples.
• Fresh Fruit: Add up to 3/4 cup chopped fruit or berries to the batter. For example, blueberries, raspberries, chopped ripe (but not overripe) banana, apples, or mango. You will likely need to bake the muffins for an additional two to five minutes, depending on the moisture of the fruit and quantity added.
• Chocolate: Add up to 1/2 cup of your favorite chocolate chips or chunks. 
• Nuts or Seeds: Add up to 1/2 cup chopped nuts or seeds, such as walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pepitas, or sunflower seeds. Alternatively, sprinkle a few nuts or seeds on top before baking.
• Extracts or Zests: Add a teaspoon or two of pure vanilla extract or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of almond extract, rum extract or coconut extract. Or add one to two teaspoons of finely grated lime, lemon or orange zest.
• Coconut: Add up to 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut or flake unsweetened coconut (toasted or un-toasted). Alternatively, sprinkle the tops of the muffins with coconut before baking.

Related Recipes

• Vegan Gluten-Free Oat Bran Muffins (Oil-free)
• Grain-Free Banana Bran Muffins (Vegan, Oil-Free)
• Oat Bran Muffin for One (Vegan, Oil-Free, GF)
• Flourless Bran Mug Muffin {sugar-free, oil-free}
• Vegan Oil-Free Oat Flour Muffins (Gluten-free)