Oat Bran Muffins with Sweet Potato

Made with shredded sweet potato, oat bran, dates, pecans, and warm spices, there’s so much to love about these Oat Bran Muffins with Sweet Potato! They’re simple to prep, family-friendly, and a fantastic way to add comforting flavor and nutrition to your mornings.

This recipe was written on October 12, 2017. It was updated with additional recipe information on Oct 1, 2024.

These tender and tasty Oat Bran Muffins with Sweet Potato are the best of two worlds: gluten-free oat bran meets shredded sweet potato for an oat bran muffin you’ll adore. That’s right, there are no cardboard muffins here! The oat bran adds nutty flavor and healthy fiber and sweet potato brings natural sweetness, moisture, and color. Before scooping and baking, we will stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, chopped dates, and pecans, making these easy sweet potato muffins a comforting and homey taste of fall.

Enjoy these vegan sweet potato muffins toasted with your favorite spread and a cup of your favorite hot beverage for a comforting and satisfying breakfast or afternoon snack. Or, serve them with a fruit salad and tofu scramble for a satisfying weekend brunch the whole crew will love!  For more delicious vegan breakfast recipes, check out my Sweet Potato Chocolate Muffins, Perfect Oat Flour Pancakes, and Sweet Potato Breakfast Burrito recipes.

Ingredients 

Sweet Potato: Adds sweetness, texture, fiber, and moisture to this oat bran muffin recipe. Choose potatoes with smooth, deep brown skin.  Peel and shred them with a box grater or the shredding attachment of a food processor.

Almond Flour: This flour is made from finely ground blanched almonds. It adds a nutty, naturally sweet flavor, healthy fats, and other nutrients to this recipe while keeping the oat bran muffins healthy and gluten-free. Finely ground almond flour is best, though coconut flour can be substituted if necessary. Be sure not to use almond meal.

Oat Bran: This healthy sweet potato muffin recipe is gluten-free because of the oat bran, but wheat bran can be substituted if you prefer a traditional-style muffin. 

Coconut Sugar: This sweetener has a deep molasses flavor similar to dark brown sugar and is made from the sap of the coconut palm tree. Because of this, coconut sugar is processed sugar-free. You can find it in the health foods aisle of most well-stocked grocery stores. Swap in packed light brown sugar or cane sugar if needed. 

Unsweetened Applesauce: Adds moisture and natural sweetness to the muffins. To keep the recipe processed sugar-free, use unsweetened plain applesauce. 

Vanilla Extract: Contributes nutty and warm notes to the healthy sweet potato muffins, giving them an indulgent and comforting finish. For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract.

Flaxseed Meal: Forms a gel-like substance after being mixed with water, creating a binding effect that replaces eggs, keeping these vegan bran muffins plant-based.

Dates: Chopped dates add natural sweetness, texture, and a delicious caramel flavor to this sweet potato muffins recipe. For the best results, use pitted Medjool or Deglet Noor dates.

Pecans: This favorite nut contributes a tasty and satisfying crunch factor. Chop them roughly to help them evenly distribute throughout the batter. If desired, you can also toast the pecans before chopping. 

Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add warm and sweet-spicy notes to the gluten-free sweet potato muffins. For the most pronounced flavor, be sure to use spices that are within their expiration dates.

How to Make Oat Bran Muffins with Sweet Potato

• Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare a muffin tin with muffin liners or spray with non-stick spray.
• Make a flaxseed egg. Combine the flaxseed and water in a small bowl, then set it aside to thicken for 3-5 minutes.
• Combine wet ingredients. Combine the applesauce, soy milk, vinegar, oil, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Once thickened, stir in the thickened flaxseed mixture.

• Combine dry ingredients. Whisk the almond flour, oat bran, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

• Stir wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix the batter, or the muffins will be tough.

• Add mix-ins. Fold in the shredded sweet potato, pecans, and dates.

• Divide the batter between muffin cups. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, dividing it equally between the 12 cups.

• Make sweet potato streusel. Add the remaining shredded sweet potato, pecans, coconut sugar, oats, cinnamon, salt, and oil to a mixing bowl and stir until combined.

• Top muffins. Sprinkle the streusel over the muffins, dividing it equally between the 12 cups.

• Bake muffins. Bake the muffins for 37 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Cool. Cool the muffins for 5-10 minutes on a wire cooling rack or until just cool enough to touch. Carefully remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool to room temperature directly on the wire rack.

Recipe Pro-Tips 

• Don’t overmix the batter. Overworking it can result in dense, chewy, or tough muffins. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and only a few streaks of flour remain.
• Divide the muffin batter and streusel evenly. Scoop equal amounts of batter and streusel into the 12 muffin cups for even baking and moist vegan bran muffins. I like to use a cupcake or muffin scooper but you can also use a ⅓ or ½-cup measuring cup.
• Cool completely before enjoying. Gluten-free baked goods have the best texture after cooling to room temperature. This allows the crumb to set, making them more tender and preventing crumbling. Cool the gluten-free bran muffins in the pan for 5-10 minutes, or until cool enough to remove, and then cool to room temperature directly on a wire rack.

Recipe Variations

Make this recipe your own by making any of the following adjustments:

• Change the seasonings: For enhanced fall flavor, add ¼ teaspoons of ground cloves or allspice. Swap ground cardamom for the nutmeg to give the muffins a delicate, almost floral-like finish. For light citrus notes, stir in 1 teaspoon of fresh orange zest.
• Swap Veggies: Experiment with different flavor profiles by substituting all or part of the grated sweet potatoes with grated carrots, butternut squash, apples, or beets. 
• Try different mix ins: Swap any combination of dark chocolate or carob chips, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, or slivered almonds for the dates and chopped pecans.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy toasted or at room temperature as is, or with vegan butter, coconut oil, or nut butter with a mug of one of my favorite drink recipes below.

• Perfect Sweet Potato Latte
• Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Latte
• Oat Milk Matcha Latte

Storage Directions

• Storage: Cool the healthy bran muffins to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container. They keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and up to 3 at room temperature.
• Freezing: The muffins can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 1 hour or in the microwave on 30-second bursts of low heat until thawed through.

More Sweet Potato Baking Recipes

• Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
• Sweet Potato Macaroons
• Vegan Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
• Sweet Potato Granola

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