Oat Bran Muffins (No Flour, Gluten-Free with Sugar-Free Option)
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These oat bran muffins are hearty, naturally gluten-free, and made without any flour. They’re a simple, healthy muffin recipe that can be made sugar-free, lightly sweetened, or even vegan depending on your needs.
They are soft and satisfying (not dry) and are perfect for quick breakfasts, snacks, or meal prep.
While I like to have my kids eat veggies for snacks as much as possible, I try to have other healthy snacks on hand as well.
While we really love these “Almond Joy” Bars, Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, Raw Chocolate Fudge Brownies, Bean Fudge, and Chocolate Truffles, we love these oat bran muffins for many reasons.
And I hope you will too.
You can see here that these oat bran muffins are soft and hearty—not dry.
In our household, we go back and forth between making these oat bran muffins sweetened and unsweetened. Either version is delicious.
This recipe is very forgiving and easy to adjust. In fact, the last time I made them I added too much liquid and added no sweetener or vanilla or cinnamon.
I had to cook them a bit longer since they were more moist, but my kids said that they tasted better than usual! And with no sweetener—imagine that!
This recipe is a revised version of one found on Whole Approach, a sadly now defunct website. That site was such a support to me when I first started dealing with what we thought was systemic candida in our household.
They're simple but have a very pleasant heartiness that is very satisfying.
In fact, once I made both these and my Baked Oatmeal (which I consider to be a really yummy treat) and my youngest asked for these instead of the cake pretty much every time he wanted a snack.
Why You’ll Love These Oat Bran Muffins
These oat bran muffins are sure to be a favorite in your home as they are in ours. This recipe is great because it's:
- no flour needed
- gluten-free
- can be sugar-free
- high fiber
- freezer-friendly
- flexible (muffins, mini, or muffin tops)
- tastes as a savory muffin or sweet
How to Serve
These vegan oat bran muffins are great plain, with almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or pumpkin seed butter and sometimes a little sweetener like a bit of honey or yacon syrup.
They're also great with just butter or really any kind of spread.
In order to counteract the phytates in the oat bran, I typically plan to make these a day or half a day in advance and soak the bran overnight.
Recipe Variations
Here are some great ways to make variations on this oh-so-flexible recipe.
Add the following to 1 batch:
- Pumpkin Puree (15 ounces: adds 1 carb to each muffin)
- Applesauce (1.5 cups: adds 1.5 carbs to each muffin)
- Banana (1 cup: adds 2 carbs per muffin)
Other possible add ins:
- Chocolate chips
- Coconut shreds
- Nuts
- Dried Fruit
These muffins can also be made mini size (I love them this way!) or you can even skip the muffin tins with their fussy clean up and just drop some dollops on a baking stone or tray and make muffin tops!
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Multiple Batches: Baking multiple batches at once is a great way to save time. In the case of these muffins, double or triple the recipe and mix the oat bran and liquids in a bowl (and sweeteners, if using), then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar or about 1 teaspoon of vitamin C powder to the mix and let it all soak for at least 7 – 12 hours. Then proceed with the recipe.
- Baking Powder: If you would like to make your own baking powder, see my Aluminum and Corn-Free Baking Powder.
- Egg Substitute: My Powdered Egg Replacer is a great option for a homemade egg substitute.
- Sweetener Options: This recipe was developed to work for the candida diet and initially called for vegetable glycerin as the sweetener. You can use another liquid sweetener if you like. Other low-carb options are keto honey, liquid allulose. You can also use a granulated sweetener, but you'll want to subtract about 1/8 cup water from each batch. See my post on How to Substitute Sweeteners for more information. This sugar-free maple syrup works great. This Sugar-free Simple Syrup is another great liquid sweetener option.
- Coconut Oil: Butter, organic ghee, or organic palm shortening can be substituted for the coconut oil.
More Healthy Treats
Looking for other “sure to satisfy” recipes (all with special diet options)? How about:
– Baked Oatmeal such a great make ahead breakfast, snack, or treat
– Pumpkin Snickerdoodles a fun twist on a classic cookie
– Soft Pumpkin Cookies these taste interestingly like the Enjoy Life Brand
– Quick Whole Grain Drop Biscuits
– Buckwheat Crepes these are even great for “on the fly” sandwiches!
Oat Bran Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups oat bran
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2–1 teaspoon salt (start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust to taste. Use less for unsweetened muffins.)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional; omit for unsweetened version)
- 2 eggs (or equivalent substitute)
- 3/4 cup water
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional; omit for unsweetened version)
Optional Sweeteners (choose one)
- 2—4 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup for lightly sweet muffins)
- 2—4 tablespoons allulose syrup (or other sugar-free syrup; add a pinch of stevia if desired for more sweetness)
- 1/3 cup vegetable glycerin (plus 1/16 teaspoon stevia extract, for lightly sweet but lower carb)
Optional Add Ins
- 1/4 cup nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 °F.
- Mix dry ingredients together and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, including any sweetener you’re using. (Add stevia here as well, if using.)
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
- Let the batter soak overnight or for 24 hours if desired, for better digestibility.
- Add nuts if using.
- Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins (mini or regular size), or for a simpler option, drop onto a prepared baking sheet or stone.
- Bake for 10–20 minutes, depending on size, until the centers are set and the tops are lightly golden.
Notes
- Sweetener Options: The original recipe uses glycerin plus a small amount of stevia. Honey or maple syrup work well on their own. Sugar-free syrups are less sweet, so you can add a pinch of stevia if desired.
- Sweetness & Texture: These muffins are only lightly sweet, even when a sweetener is used. The unsweetened version is slightly more dense; for a softer texture, add 1–2 tablespoons of additional water or oil.
- Oat Bran Note: Different brands of oat bran absorb liquid differently. If your batter seems too thick, add a little more water. If too thin, let it sit a few minutes to thicken. Be sure to use oat bran—not oat bran cereal.
- Egg-Free Option: Use a powdered egg replacer or flax egg. Both work well.
- Oil Substitutions: Coconut oil can be replaced with butter, ghee, or palm shortening.
- Soaking (Optional): For improved digestibility, soak the oat bran with liquid and a little acid (like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar) for 7–12 hours before baking.
- Mini Muffins or Muffin Tops: You can bake these as mini muffins or scoop onto a baking sheet for muffin tops. Adjust baking time as needed.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
I'd love to hear what you think about these muffins!
Can’t wait to try these! I would love to have you share this on Thursday at Tasty Traditions
You always take the most beautiful pictures! These look soooo good. Pinning.
Thanks for linking up to Thank Your Body Thursday!
http://www.thankyourbody.com
Found you over at Raising Homemakers. This recipe looks great. I’m going to try it this weekend!
:-).. Hope you like them!
Where do you buy Vegetable Glycerin? Is there a difference between
the kind you use on your body and the one used in food?
I made these Oat Bran Muffins tonight. They will be a staple in my household! Thank you
Hi there. Glad you like them!!! I think this is a pretty reasonable source: https://amzn.to/2lDbiNU (affiliate link) (updated comment in 2/17)
Which brand of salt do you buy?
I use Real Salt. Hope to have a giveaway soon!
I just used regular salt, so that could be the reason. I just made them again with 1/2 tsp & they were perfect! Thanks for sharing an amazing recipe. These will definitely become a staple in our home! (so much better & cheaper than buying granola bars for lunches!)
:-). That regular salt has some icky stuff in it. Try the real salt and you’ll love it! I hope to have a giveaway soon!
I put in 2t salt as the recipe said, and it was too much salt. You could taste it in the muffins and could see the salt crystals on top of the muffins after they baked. When I make them again, I will only add at most 1/2 tsp salt.
I think some might think it’s too much, but we love them this way. I have never seen the salt on the muffins – strange?? Maybe someone had a heavy hand?? Maybe it’s because I use natural salt? Hmmmm? Sorry about that.
too salty for my taste anyways! i WISH I WOULD have seen your post before I made these as now i have to throw it all in the trash what a waste! The recipe needs to be updated with a 1/2 tsp at the most! I dont want this to happen to anyone else. What a waste! I am so bummed. I should have known that was alot of salt:(((
Sorry – we like them a lot. I will check and make sure it’s correct and give an option for an alternative. Let’s not be angry in our comments, OK? Keep it encouraging. :-).
Oh my goodness! That is so incredibly frustrating, especially since gluten-free baking can be so irritatingly hit-and-miss, and since the ingredients are a little bit pricier than with standard baking. I so understand the agony of throwing food dollars in the trash! Did the muffins work out well in other respects (like texture, etc.?). I sure hope you will give these another try, and thanks so much for letting us know about this issue you had so that others won’t have the same problem! (I think this is what Adrienne meant to say?) It’s okay to express frustration, and you expressed it very objectively without personal attack, Kate.
Those muffins look great. Have you checked the gluten-free status of that oat bran? I noticed they have a few gluten-free products, including oats, but the oat bran is not listed as gluten-free. I’m guessing oat bran would probably have the same cross contamination issues as oats.
Hello Linda. I checked on the oat groats from this company years ago and they had a really clean record. They did assay tests regularly and had repeated results of 20-50 ppm, w/ most of the results being at 20. However, recently, they haven’t been doing regular testing. I am not sure why. However, they have put in further precautions about their cross contamination issues. Our family doesn’t have celiac to my knowledge, but we avoid clear gluten issues.
Do you use GF oat products?
Yes, we eat gf oats, but I was concerned that their oat bran was not tested because it is not listed as gf. Either way, I think I will avoid it based on your information. We often have issues with products tested to 20 ppm, sometimes even those tested to 10 ppm. Thanks!
So what are phytates? And why do you need to soak the oat bran? I’m so used to standard cooking with bran being a dry flaky item this just makes me whacky!
Hello Pam! Did you hop over and read my post on phytates and soaking grains? That should help – otherwise, just shoot me another email and I’ll do my best! These muffins are pretty good though – I’m soaking some right now :-).
In your recipe for oat bran muffins, you have this:
2/3 vegetable glycerine or other liquid sweetener
Is that 2/3 cup, or some other measurement?
What are good liquid sweeters to use — maple syrup or honey?
Hello Lois – Thanks for the question – I did mean 2/3 cup. Now you know I’m not perfect :-). I use vegetable glycerine since it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels. You can use either maple syrup or honey if you are okay with those. Hope you enjoy them!