One Bowl Buttermilk Bran Muffins

One Bowl Buttermilk Bran Muffins

Cook's Notes: If you check out the ingredient list for most muffins, you'll quickly discover that they're really (what I call) "cake in disguise". With 100% all-purpose flour, lots of sugar, and often a mountain of buttery crumble, there's minimal worthwhile nutrition.

On the contrary, these Buttermilk Bran Muffins have whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, lots of wheat bran, eggs, buttermilk, oil, raisins, and a relatively small amount of sugar in the cast of characters, making them much more suitable for a healthy breakfast. With all the fiber in these bran muffins, along with 3 eggs, you will find yourself satisfied for hours. They are delicious, filling, and super moist. And the 
one-bowl method is always a plus for cooking and not having to use a mixer.
The recipe adapted from Chris Scheuer and makes 12-14 muffins.

Cooking Tips:

• Wheat bran is available at most grocery stores, but it can be a little tricky to find. Most stores that carry Bob's Red Mill products will carry it and will stock it near the oatmeal or in the flour section. Health food stores will often carry it in bulk. If you can't find wheat bran wheat germ can be substituted for satisfactory results. 
• These bran muffins freeze well. Allow the muffins to cool completely, then freeze on a sheet pan, uncovered, for 1 hour. Once frozen, place muffins in a ziplock bag or airtight freezer container. Pull out as many as you want and allow to thaw before serving.
• Golden raisins, dried currants or dried cranberries are all delicious substitutes for the raisins.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves to the batter for a spiced bran muffin.
• This is a somewhat unusual muffin recipe in that you fill the muffin tins almost full rather than ⅔ or ¾ full like most muffin recipes recommend (if you're making just 12 muffins, fill the cups right to the top.)
• When you spray the muffin pan as you prep for this recipe, spray generously and also around the top edge of each muffin cup as well so they'll be super easy to remove from the pan.
• You can make this batter the night before, store it in the fridge then bake up the muffins in the morning.
• The honey-butter glaze is optional, but it's super delicious and only adds 10 calories per muffin. It will make enough to glaze the top of each muffin. If you want to glaze the whole muffin (it's delicious!) double the glaze amounts.
• If my raisins are dry, I like to plump them up before adding them to the batter. To plump, just combine the raisins with 2 teaspoons of water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a plate or with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
  

Buttermilk Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• ½ cup mild-flavored oil such as sunflower, grapeseed, canola or avocado will all work
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups wheat bran or wheat germ (can use either) 
• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup raisins

Optional glaze:

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon butter

or sprinkle each muffin with white sparkling sugar before baking and skip the glaze.

Directions:

• Preheat oven:n to 400 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick spray or use cupcake liners. 
• Whisk together oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl until well blended. Add molasses, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
• Sprinkle bran, flours, baking powder baking soda, and salt over the top. Stir just until all of the flour mixture is incorporated (do not overmix). Add raisins and stir to combine.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling to the top. Bake for 12- 13 minutes until firm to touch and a tester comes out clean.
• Allow to sit in muffin tin for 3 minutes, then remove to a cool rack.

For the honey-butter glaze:
Combine melted butter and honey in a small bowl. Stir well to combine. Brush the mixture over the top surface of the warm muffins.

KINDNESS MATTERS-SHARE A TREAT

Recently a friend shared chocolate chip cookies with us💓YUM and YUM!