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If you know me, you know that, when it comes to recipes, I'm rarely content until I find the one that feels just right in every way. That was certainly the case with this banana bran muffin recipe!
I actually spent years searching, testing, and tweaking bran muffin recipes, looking for one that was decently healthy but didn't taste like, or have the texture of, cardboard. I wanted a muffin that was high in fiber, not too sweet, moist, beautifully domed, and (of course!) super delicious. I tried recipe after recipe, always hoping the next one would be "the one," but none of them quite measured up. Then one happy day, I finally hit gold and was thrilled to share it with our readers: our Honey-Glazed Bran Muffins recipe - it checked all my criteria!
I've been running with that base recipe ever since, slowly creating a whole family of variations. There's a Blueberry version, a Cranberry Pecan rendition, a Pineapple Coconut adaptation, and three delicious others! These maple-glazed banana walnut bran muffins are the latest addition, and they might just be our favorite yet.
I recently sent a plateful along with Scott to his Wednesday morning Bible study, and they were an instant hit. The guys loved them and are still talking about them, which feels especially sweet because you don't often hear that kind of enthusiasm when bran muffins are involved.
So easy!
The one adjective I didn't use to describe my ideal bran muffin was "easy". But if you've been following The Café for any length of time, you know that I'm a little lazy and LOVE restaurant-quality (or in this case, bakeshop-quality) recipes that require minimal effort. These Banana Walnut Bran Muffins come together in one bowl and involve no fancy equipment or techniques.
My daughter-in-law, Lindsay, made a video of the original Honey Glazed Bran Muffins recipe. As I mentioned earlier, this is the same basic recipe, just dressed up this time with maple-walnut-banana clothes. Check out the easy steps:
The recipe makes a large batch of 18 muffins (or 12 muffins and a mini loaf.)
The muffins/loaves freeze nicely, so that makes a delicious breakfast/brunch/tea-time treat just minutes away!
Check out the beautiful, moist, banana-studded interior!
Ingredients for these Banana Bran Muffins
These bran muffins come together with simple pantry staples, bananas, and a quick maple butter glaze.
Walnut-Banana Topping
- Chopped walnuts
- Banana (optional -see Café Tips below)
- Maple syrup
Bran Muffins
- Neutral oil (avocado or similar)
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Unsulphured molasses
- Buttermilk
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Wheat bran - or crushed All-Bran cereal
- Whole wheat flour
- All-purpose flour
- Banana
Maple Butter Glaze
- Maple syrup
- Butter
Ways to make this recipe your own
One of the things I love most about this bran muffin recipe is how adaptable it is. With the same simple batter, you can bake it a variety of ways depending on your needs or how much time you have.
Easy ingredient swap:
If wheat bran is hard to find, crushed All-Bran cereal is a great substitute. I've tested it, and it works beautifully without changing the texture or flavor of the muffins.
Muffins or loaves:
You can bake the batter as 18 standard muffins, or make 12 muffins plus one small loaf. It also works beautifully as four mini loaves (6x3-inches), which makes this recipe especially nice for gifting.
Perfect for gifts:
Baked as small loaves and finished with the maple butter glaze, these make thoughtful, homemade gifts for friends, neighbors, or teachers.
Topping optional:
The maple walnut topping adds a lovely finish, but it's completely optional. If you prefer a simpler muffin or are short on time, you can skip the walnut maple topping altogether.
Short on time?
Instead of spooning the walnuts on top, you can simply stir the chopped walnuts right into the batter. The muffins will still be delicious, with a bit less hands-on work.
Make these Banana Bran Muffins!
These maple-glazed muffins are proof that healthy baking can still feel special. With their moist texture, bakery-style domes, and simple maple butter glaze, they're the kind of muffin you'll be happy to serve for breakfasts and brunches, to share with family and friends, and/or to tuck into the freezer for busy mornings!
- I love this OXO muffin pan. The cups are slightly narrower and taller than most, which consistently produces beautifully domed muffins.
- About the banana topping: The diced banana in the topping is optional. If you plan to serve the muffins the same day, adding it to the topping adds extra freshness, flavor, and a pretty presentation. For longer storage, stir that diced banana into the batter along with the other banana instead.
- About the bananas: The bananas are diced in this recipe, not mashed (as in most banana bread recipes). Look for nicely ripe bananas, but not overly ripe with a ton of brown spots.
- Wheat bran: This recipe calls for wheat bran. Wheat bran is the outer layer of the wheat kernel. It has a delicious, nutty flavor and is packed with fiber, protein, B vitamins, and minerals. I find wheat bran in the same area as oatmeal at my local grocery store. If you can't find wheat bran, crushed All Bran breakfast cereal is a good sub. (I just put it in a ziplock bag and crush it with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or heavy-duty pan and measure it after crushing.)
- The molasses is an important ingredient: There's only a quarter cup of molasses, but it makes a big difference in keeping the muffins moist. It also acts to enhance the leavening power of the baking soda and powder, producing beautiful, tall muffins. I had a reader write to say she made the muffins, but was out of molasses. She substituted maple syrup and reported that the muffins turned out "dense and hard", unlike previous batches she'd made in the past.
- For tall, bakery-style muffins: Be sure to preheat the oven fully and fill the muffin cups to within a half inch of the top. This helps create beautifully domed muffins.
- Don't skip the glaze: Brushing the warm muffins with maple butter adds moisture and just enough sweetness to make these muffins truly irresistible.
- Storage: Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to 2 months.
- Freezer tip: Freeze muffins fully cooled and unglazed. Warm slightly before serving, then brush with freshly melted maple butter for the best flavor and texture.
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Maple-Glazed Banana Bran Muffins
Ingredients
For the topping:
- ⅔ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 medium ripe (but not overly ripe) banana, diced small (¼-inch)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
For the muffins:
- ½ cup mild-flavored oil, I use avocado oil but any neutral-flavored oil will work
- ½ cup brown sugar, I love using dark brown sugar but light will also work
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup molasses, unsulphured
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk, I like whole milk buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups wheat bran, or crushed All Bran cereal
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, or white whole wheat flour
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 medium ripe (but not overly ripe) banana, diced small (¼-inch)
For the glaze:
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
For the prep:
- Spray 18-cup muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Or spray 12 muffin cups and a small, 4x6-inch bread pan with baking spray. (See Café Tips above in the post for different pan options.) Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
For the topping:
- Combine the walnuts, diced banana (if serving the same day - if not, add the second diced banana to the muffin batter) and maple syrup in a medium-sized bowl. Stir gently to combine. Set aside. ⅔ cup chopped walnuts, 1 medium ripe (but not overly ripe) banana, 1 tablespoon maple syrup
For the muffins:
- Whisk together oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl until well blended. Add the molasses and buttermilk. Stir to combine. ½ cup mild-flavored oil, ½ cup brown sugar, 3 large eggs, ¼ cup molasses, 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and stir until thoroughly combined. 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Sprinkle bran, whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour over the top. Stir just until all of the flour mixture is incorporated (do not overmix). 2 cups wheat bran, 1 cup whole wheat flour, ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- Add the diced bananas and stir gently to evenly distribute. 1 medium ripe (but not overly ripe) banana
- Using a large scoop, portion the batter into the prepared pans, filling to within a half inch of the top.
- Add a heaping tablespoon of the prepared banana walnut topping mixture to each scoop of batter, spreading a bit with your fingers to evenly distribute.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until firm to touch and a tester comes out clean.
- Allow to sit in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove to a cool rack.
For the maple glaze:
- While the muffins are cooling in the pan, place the butter and maple syrup in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup and microwave on high power until the butter is melted. Stir well to combine. 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon butter
- Brush mixture over the top surface of warm muffins. Allow the muffins to cool completely (the glaze will set) before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
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Oh my goodness! These were amazing!! My grandsons loved them and so did I. I didn’t have wheat bran but used oat bran and tit turned out great. Will have to get some wheat bran and try it as written. I am always happy with your recipes. Thanks for sharing these with us!
Thanks for the excellent review, Patti! It's great to know that you were able to substitute oat bran successfully, and we so appreciate you taking the time to let us know how much you and your Grandsons enjoyed the muffins!
I will try these!
In your instructions your refer to the glaze as honey and then maple syrup. I'm assuming you did mean maple syrup? TY
Ah, thank you, Laurie! Yes, you are correct - I will amend that!
Do you have any suggestions of what I could use to replicate the wheat bran while making the muffins? I have celiac disease so I cannot use the wheat bran. My husband and I loved bran muffins many years ago and I would love to make something similar now. Thank you.