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Buttermilk bran muffins don’t have to be dry or boring. These bake up tender and hearty, with molasses adding a deep, toasty sweetness that pairs with the nuttiness of wheat bran. Buttermilk keeps the crumb moist, and the batter is easy to customize with add-ins like raisins, pecans, or toasted coconut. A classic muffin perfect for a satisfying breakfast or snack.
Here’s Why This Bran Muffin Recipe Works
Sweet with depth: Molasses adds a rich, toasty sweetness, while honey creates a lighter flavor, both balance the nuttiness of bran flakes. If you prefer something sweeter, my Chocolate Chip Muffins are a bakery-style classic.
Hearty but soft: A mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour gives a wholesome texture with a soft crumb that rises tall.
Easy to customize: This bran and buttermilk muffin batter is a flexible base; fold in raisins, nuts, or coconut for a breakfast muffin that freezes well.
Make-ahead refrigerator muffins: The batter keeps in the refrigerator for a few days, so you can bake fresh muffins on demand without extra prep.
Recipe Tips
Choose the right bran: Use wheat bran, not bran cereal. They’re different products, and only wheat bran gives the right texture and flavor.
Mix gently: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough muffins.
Adjust bake time: Standard muffins bake in about 18 minutes; jumbo (Texas-sized) need closer to 28–30. Use the toothpick test to be sure.
Bake fresh for best rise: Muffin batter keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but freshly mixed batter domes higher.
Balance sweetness: For sweeter muffins, add a little sugar. Extra molasses or honey will throw off the moisture balance.
Refrigerator Bran Muffins
Buttermilk bran muffins bake up tender and hearty, with a moist crumb, a hint of molasses, and a subtle tang from buttermilk. They’re simple to make and easy to customize with add-ins like raisins or nuts. The batter can also be stored in the fridge for fresh muffins any day of the week. Perfect for breakfast or a grab-and-go snack. For a brighter, fruit-forward muffin, you’ll love my Cranberry Muffins.
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Buttermilk Bran Muffins
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups wheat bran flakes, 65 grams
- ¾ cups water, boiling
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses, or honey; 170 grams
- 1 cup buttermilk, 236 grams
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted (50 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 150 grams
- ½ cup whole wheat flour, 60 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins
- ½ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup pecans, toasted and chopped nuts
- ⅓ cup toasted coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Line a 6 cup Texas-size muffin tin OR a 12 cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or spray the muffin tin with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, use a fork to mix the bran and boiling water until all the bran is damp. The mixture will look like damp sand. Reserve until needed.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, molasses (or honey), buttermilk, and coconut oil. Stir in the reserved bran flake mixture.
- In another bowl add the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until well sifted then fold into the wet bran mixture. Fold in the optional add-ins if using.
- Fill each muffin liner ¾ full and bake in the middle of the oven. Standard size muffins will need to bake for 17 to 20 minutes and Texas-sized muffins need to bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when testing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Muffins are such a great breakfast! I love freezing them too!
Oh, and these are so good, I hope you try them. Thanks for the comment, Laura! 🙂
I’ve got a copy of that cookbook somewhere! Was huge in the 70s. Anyway, I love a good bran muffin, and these look excellent. Thanks.
Thank you, John…..yes, these are really good bran muffins especially with the addition of nuts and raisins.
Looks Really Good Pat… Since I don’t have a muffin pan, I bet I could even add a little more buttermilk to this recipe and make some great pancakes too! Ha! OK, go ahead: Call me Scary Jerry… I don’t mind! 🙂
Jerry, you are so funny! Let me know how the pancakes turn out. 🙂
I’m pretty sure I have a very similar recipe in my mom’s old recipe box that I keep. They’re called “Refrigerator Bran Muffins,” and you could make the batter and keep it in the fridge for a week or so until ready to bake. This recipe always brings back warm memories. Bran muffins are so delicious and never go out of style. Yum! Love ’em! Oh, and I always love them with the raisins 🙂
Hi, Allison, it is probably the same recipe as mine also said the batter would keep in the refrig for up to 3 weeks, however, with the eggs being uncooked I felt it was a little ‘iffy’ so I just skip that part, bake them and then re-heat as needed. It works for me. Thanks for your comments 🙂
I enjoyed these muffin when I came over. 🙂
Hi, Cora….yes, they were delicious. We will do it again 🙂