Serve these rustic Bran Muffins warm from the oven for a wholesome, comforting treat. A great breakfast on the go or tasty snack any time of day or night.
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Oh, how I love these muffins!
For some random reason, a strong desire to bake a batch of these nostalgic Bran Muffins hit me a couple of weeks back. This is one of the first muffin recipes I baked by myself when I was just a kid in the kitchen. That old recipe has evolved over the years into the one I’m sharing today.
I have no idea why the craving struck, but the moment I took a bite of one of these sweet, molasses-spiked Bran Muffins warm from the oven, it all came back to me. They are SO good! So good, in fact, that a second batch was baked the following week.
Ingredient Notes
- Bran cereal – You need All-Bran Original for this recipe. It’s the one that looks like little twigs. I’ve not tested this recipe with bran flakes or buds so I can’t say how that would work.
- Buttermilk – I love using buttermilk in baked goods. It is acidic which helps soften the gluten in flour to create a tender result. It also adds richness without much additional fat. If you don’t want to buy buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute.
- Unsulphured molasses – Look for an unsulphured molasses, like Grandma’s Original Molasses. True to it’s name, it has no sulphur dioxide added to preserve it so it has a cleaner, purer taste.
- Raisins – You want fresh, plump raisins for baking. Those dried up old raisins in the back of your pantry are not going to work here. You can substitute chopped dates or nuts, if desired.
How to Make Bran Muffins
- Add the bran cereal and buttermilk to a large mixing bowl
- Stir until the cereal is well coated with the milk. Let it rest for several minutes until the cereal softens. Meanwhile, in a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and setit aside.
- Add the egg, oil, molasses, and vanilla to the softened bran cereal.
- Beat for 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer to combine and break up the bran cereal a bit.
- Add the dry mixture all at once.
- Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula just until moistened. Add the raisins and stir to incorporate them throughout the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between a 12-cup muffin pan that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in the muffin pan for 5 to 10 minutes before removing.
I highly recommend trying one of these wholesome Bran Muffins while it is still warm from the oven. They are delicious at room temperature too but holy cow, there’s something about them when they are warm that just really does it for me. Once cooled, I like to warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds.
Refrigerating Bran Muffin Batter
If you want fresh baked muffins in the morning, this batter holds very well in the refrigerator. Follow the directions as written to make the batter, cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight. The batter should keep well for several days if you’d like to portion it out and bake fresh muffins over the course of a few days. It may take a minute or two longer for the muffins to bake if you’re using refrigerated batter.
Storing Bran Muffins
Most importantly, be sure your muffins have cooled completely at room temperature before packing them up. To absorb condensation and prevent sogginess, line an airtight container with a layer of paper towels. Add the muffins and another layer of paper towels on top. Cover and store the muffins at room temperature for up to 4 or 5 days.
While I can’t imagine a scenario where we would not consume a batch of these Bran Muffins within a day or two, this recipe is an excellent candidate for freezing.
Freezer Instructions
To prevent freezer burn, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and then place the wrapped muffins in a freezer safe plastic storage bag for up to two months.
Thaw frozen Bran Muffins at room temperature and follow the instructions for storage above.
My Favorite Muffin Recipes
- Spectacular Blueberry Muffins
- Lemon Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
- Oatmeal Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips
- Glazed Strawberry Muffins
Bran Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups Kellogg’s All-Bran Cereal, Original
- 1 ¼ cups reduced fat buttermilk
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses, like Grandma’s Original Unsulphured Molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins, (can use chopped dates or nuts, if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the bran cereal and buttermilk to a large mixing bowl and stir until the cereal is well coated with milk. Let it rest for several minutes until the cereal softens.
- Meanwhile, in a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Add the egg, oil, molasses, and vanilla to the softened bran cereal. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer to combine and break up the bran cereal a bit. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula just until moistened. Add the raisins and stir to incorporate them throughout the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in the muffin pan for 5 to 10 minutes before removing. Delicious served warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
This is the best Bran muffin recipe out there. Family favourite.
Valarie, I don’t see in the instructions where the baking Soda comes in. I assume it’s with the baking powder.
Thanks for catching that! The recipe card has been updated. So glad you are enjoying the recipe, Linda 🙂
These are really yummy. They are very tender and full of flavor. I will definitely make these again.
So glad you enjoyed them, Ann!