Easy Raisin Bran Muffins
- PREP 15min
- COOK 15min
- TOTAL 30min
These delicious bran muffins are full of healthy ingredients like wheat bran, raisins, and applesauce. For extra moist and juicy raisins in your muffins, I soak them in hot water before adding them to the batter. This simple step makes a big difference in the final texture!
You Will Need
1 ½ cups wheat bran (95 g)
½ cup raisins (80 g)
⅔ cup boiling water, divided (158 ml)
2 cups (260g) whole wheat flour, spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature (113 g)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed (213 g)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce, try homemade applesauce (128 g)
2 tablespoons molasses, unsulphured (40 g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk (236 ml)
Directions
1Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 18 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
2Hydrate the bran and raisins: Grab 2 small bowls. In the first bowl, combine the wheat bran with ⅓ cup of boiling water, stirring well to mix. In the second bowl, combine the raisins and ⅓ cup of boiling water. Set both bowls aside.
3Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
4Make batter: In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. You can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low, then mix in the applesauce, molasses, and vanilla.
5Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until mostly incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then mix in half of the buttermilk. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk.
6Drain raisins and discard the water. Do not drain wheat bran. Fold both the drained raisins and the wheat bran mixture into the batter.
7Bake muffins: Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Keep muffins in an airtight container lined with paper towels up to 4 days. Individually wrap for freezing (freeze up to 3 months).
- Buttermilk substitute: Combine 1 cup of milk (dairy or non-dairy) with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes before using the recipe above.
- Measuring your flour: Fluff the flour in its container and gently scoop it into your measuring cup until slightly mounded. Then, level off the top with a knife for accurate measuring. Or, use a scale and measure the flour by weight (in grams) for even more accuracy.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.