The Best Bran Muffin Recipe
The combination of All-Bran Original cereal, sour cream, and molasses creates a wonderfully moist and tender muffin, while the optional addition of raisins or dried cranberries gives a sweet burst of flavor in every bite.
Equipment
- Food Processor or Rolling Pin
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Muffin Tin
- Toothpick
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups All-Bran Original cereal (divided)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups sour cream (at room temperature)
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons molasses or sorghum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries (optional)
Instructions
- The first step is to break down half of the All-Bran Original cereal to give your muffins a smoother texture. You can do this by placing half of the cereal in a food processor and processing it until finely ground. If you don’t have a food processor, simply put the cereal in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush it into fine crumbs. This step is important because it helps the bran blend better into the batter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. This will ensure that the baking soda is evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is crucial for even leavening. Once everything is well combined, set the bowl aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract. The sour cream helps keep the muffins moist, while the molasses adds a rich depth of flavor. Whisk everything until smooth and fully combined.
- Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter! Overmixing can activate the gluten in the flour and result in dense, tough muffins. You want the batter to be slightly lumpy—this is normal and will ensure light and airy muffins.
- If you're using raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries, gently fold them into the batter at this point. These add-ins bring a burst of sweetness and texture to your muffins, but if you prefer a more traditional bran muffin, you can skip them entirely. It’s totally up to you!
- Before you start filling the muffin tin, make sure it’s ready. Grease your muffin tin generously or line it with paper muffin cups. This will help prevent the muffins from sticking and make cleanup a breeze. I recommend using paper liners if you want an easy way to remove the muffins from the tin without any mess.
- Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one all the way to the top. Don’t be afraid to fill them generously, as the muffins will rise during baking, giving them a nice, dome-like shape. The batter should be thick, so you’ll need to use a spoon to drop it in without spilling.
- Now, it’s time to bake! Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake at 400°F for 16 to 20 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, they’re done. If not, give them a few more minutes.
- Once baked, allow the muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes. This short resting time makes it easier to remove the muffins without them falling apart. After 5 minutes, transfer the muffins to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This step helps prevent sogginess and ensures the muffins remain fluffy