These banana bran muffins are made with Raisin Bran cereal and very ripe bananas, with chopped pecans, sweetened coconut and mini chocolate chips mixed into the batter. If you like classic raisin bran muffins, this version adds pureed banana for extra moisture and natural sweetness. The cereal goes in whole, with no soaking or crushing, and the muffins freeze well for quick breakfasts all week.
What We Learned Testing These Muffins
When testing these banana bran muffins, we wanted a soft, moist muffin with plenty of mix-ins in every bite. The batter is thick and chunky, so we filled the liners nearly to the top, about ⅓ cup each. That gives full, rounded muffins and 18 from one batch.
The Raisin Bran goes into the batter whole. There’s no need to crush it or soak it first, the way many classic bran muffin recipes ask you to.
In testing, the muffins were done in about 18 minutes on the center rack. We rotated the pans partway through for an even bake, which helps if your oven has hot spots.
Ingredients for Banana Bran Muffins
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Raisin Bran: Use Kellogg’s Raisin Bran or Post Raisin Bran. Spoon the flakes loosely into the measuring cup and don’t press them down.
- Bran Flakes: Plain bran flakes work too, cup for cup. You’ll lose the raisins, so the muffins will be a little less sweet.
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots, like the ones in the photo. They’re the sweetest. Puree them in a blender, or mash them with a fork until very smooth.
- Butter: Use softened unsalted butter so it beats smoothly with the sugar.
- Buttermilk and Eggs: Let them come to room temperature so they mix evenly into the creamed butter.
- All-Purpose Flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much flour and can make the muffins dry.
- Mix-Ins: Chopped pecans, sweetened shredded coconut and mini chocolate chips. Mini chips are small, so you get a little chocolate in every bite.
Raisin Bran or Bran Flakes?
This recipe was tested with Raisin Bran, and the raisins bake right into the muffins. Plain bran flakes work too, cup for cup, if you’d rather skip the raisins. The muffins will be a little less sweet without them.
Measure either cereal loosely, without pressing the flakes into the cup. Four cups of Raisin Bran weighs about 236 grams and four cups of bran flakes about 144 grams, so if you bake by weight, use the number for the cereal you have.
How to Make Banana Bran Muffins
This is a visual walkthrough of the recipe steps. The full instructions and amounts are in the recipe card below.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set it aside. In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar until well combined, then mix in the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and pureed bananas. The mixture will look pale yellow and fairly smooth.
Add the Flour and Mix-Ins
Mix in the flour mixture on low speed just until no dry flour remains. Add the Raisin Bran, pecans, coconut and chocolate chips and mix on low until evenly combined, then scrape the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula. The batter will be thick and chunky, with the flakes still whole.
Fill the Cups
Divide the batter among 18 paper lined cups in two muffin pans, about ⅓ cup each. The batter is thick and chunky, and the cups will be filled nearly to the top.
Bake and Cool
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 18 minutes, rotating the pans partway through, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Move the muffins to a wire rack to cool.
Tips for Moist Banana Bran Muffins
- Mix just until combined: Stop as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing makes muffins dense and tough.
- Fill the cups nearly full: About ⅓ cup of batter per cup gives 18 full, rounded muffins and matches the 18 minute bake time.
- Pull them on time: Take the muffins out as soon as a toothpick comes out clean. Extra minutes in the oven dry them out.
- Rotate the pans: Turn the pans partway through baking for an even bake.
Tip!
Test the muffins in a spot without chocolate chips. Melted chocolate on the toothpick can look like wet batter.
Are Banana Bran Muffins Healthy?
They’re a treat with some fiber. Each muffin has about 209 calories, 3 grams of fiber and 16 grams of sugar.
The Raisin Bran and bananas add fiber, while the butter, sugar, coconut and chocolate chips make these more of a snack than a health food. You’ll find the full nutrition information in the recipe card.
How to Store and Freeze Banana Bran Muffins
Let the muffins cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To freeze, place the cooled muffins in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature.
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Banana Bran Muffins
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- 2 (12-cup) muffin pans
- 18 paper muffin liners
- medium mixing bowl
- ⅓-cup measuring cup or large cookie scoop
- Silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk at room temperature
- 3 medium ripe bananas pureed
- 4 cups (236 g) raisin bran cereal loosely measured, such as Kellogg’s Raisin Bran (see notes for bran flakes)
- ½ cup (55 g) chopped pecans
- ½ cup (43 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup (85 g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C for a fan oven, with a rack in the center. Line 18 cups of 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down the bowl with the spatula.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and pureed bananas. Mix on low speed until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until no dry flour remains.
- Add the raisin bran, pecans, coconut and chocolate chips. Mix on low speed until evenly combined, then scrape the bottom of the bowl with the spatula to catch any dry pockets. The cereal goes in whole; there is no need to crush it.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 18 lined cups, about ⅓ cup each. The cups will be filled nearly to the top.
- Bake for about 18 minutes, rotating the pans partway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool.
Notes:
- Plan ahead: Set the butter, eggs and buttermilk out early so they come to room temperature before you start.
- Measuring the cereal: Spoon the whole flakes loosely into the measuring cup without pressing them down. There’s no need to crush or soak them.
- Bran flakes: Plain bran flakes cereal can replace the raisin bran cup for cup (4 cups, about 144 g). The muffins won’t have raisins.
- Measuring the flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much.
- Even baking: Rotating the pans partway through helps if your oven has hot spots.
- Storage: Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Recipe Troubleshooting
No. The cereal goes into the batter whole, and there’s no need to soak or crush it first.
Three medium bananas. Use very ripe ones with lots of brown spots for the most sweetness.
The usual causes are too much flour, overmixing and overbaking. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it, mix just until the flour disappears, and take the muffins out as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
That’s normal. The Raisin Bran makes this batter thick and chunky, so it won’t pour like a regular muffin batter. Scoop it into the cups, about ⅓ cup each.
Yes. Freeze the cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temperature.
Looking for more muffins to bake? Try these Banana Muffins, Morning Glory Muffins, Carrot Banana Muffins or Applesauce Muffins. If you’d rather bake a loaf, try this Healthy Banana Bread.
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