Healthy Pumpkin Bran Muffins

By Sam Pierce

Ingredients (18 muffins)

  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup wheat bran
  • 3/4 cup oat bran
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 2 medium bananas, mashed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup raisins

Prepare Muffin Batter

You will need to preheat your oven to 400F and use paper liners in your muffin tin before beginning to prepare your muffin batter.

Combine the buttermilk, the wheat bran, and the oat bran in a small bowl and mix well.

Then, allow the brans to soak and hydrate for 10-15 minutes by leaving the bowl covered and setting it aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, flaxseed, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda, and baking powder by whisking.

Create a wet mixture by whisking together the dark brown sugar, melted coconut oil, eggs, vanilla, bananas, and pumpkin puree in a large mixing bowl until combined.

In the large mixing bowl where you combined the wet ingredients, add the soaked bran mixture and the dry ingredients; using a spatula, very gently fold the two together until combined, being careful not to overmix (it is perfectly fine to have some lumps).

Add the raisins, gently folding them into the batter.

Baking Muffins

Once the batter is prepared and your muffin pans are ready, evenly divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups.

They will be overfilled, so don’t worry.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with only a couple of moist crumbs attached to it.

After baking, allow the muffins to cool in their pans for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before enjoying.

Healthy Pumpkin Bran Muffins

These pumpkin muffins are a great alternative to the typical sweet, cake-like bakery muffin. They are moist and filling, made with whole wheat flour, wheat and oat brans, and flaxseed. The sweetness comes from banana, pumpkin puree, and a bit of brown sugar. Soaking the brans in buttermilk first is a key step to ensure the final muffins are moist, not dry.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients (18 muffins)

  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup wheat bran
  • 3/4 cup oat bran
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
  • 2 medium bananas mashed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup raisins

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F and line muffin tin with paper liners.
  • Combine buttermilk, wheat bran, and oat bran in bowl; let soak 10-15 minutes.
  • Whisk together whole wheat flour, flaxseed, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
  • In large bowl, whisk brown sugar, melted coconut oil, eggs, vanilla, mashed bananas, and pumpkin puree.
  • Add soaked bran mixture and dry ingredients to wet ingredients; stir until just combined.
  • Fold in raisins.
  • Fill muffin cups with batter.
  • Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.
  • Cool in tin 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

Notes

Makes 18 muffins. Do not overmix batter; some lumps are okay.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & let me know!