Bran Muffins
Bran muffins have a reputation for being heavy and somewhat bland. But this updated version raises the classic with a tender crumb and natural sweetness. The wheat bran and the white whole wheat flour and the cinnamon add both a warm depth of flavor and, you know, a nutritious breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups 180 grams white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup 60g wheat bran
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup 77g light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup 113g honey
- ⅓ cup 70g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup 140g unsweetened applesauce or ¾ cup (170g) mashed very ripe banana
- ¾ cup 180ml buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Toast the wheat bran
- Spread the wheat bran in a single layer on a baking sheet. The parchment paper will help with the transfer, but I don’t find it necessary to line the sheet. Toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until nutty aroma is released. Be careful not to brown too much. Let it cool a little on the tray, while you prepare the batter and muffin pans.
- Prepare the muffin pan
- Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Grease the tops of two standard muffin tins lightly with nonstick spray. To encourage airflow and even baking, line every other well with paper liners.
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients together
- In a medium bowl, whisk the toasted wheat bran, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon.
- In another large mixing bowl, mix the light brown sugar, honey and melted butter together with a whisk until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping well after each addition. Add the applesauce (or banana), then stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
- Mix the batter
- Using a silicone spatula, fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients. Gently fold briefly or just until no streaks of flour are visible — be careful not to overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each nearly to the top.
- Bake the muffins
- Put the muffin tins into the oven and roast at 425 ˚F (220 ˚C) for 5 minutes. Without opening the door of the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 10 to 13 minutes more. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
Cool and store
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for three days.