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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!
I have tried at least 10 different brands muffin recipes and yours is the best! I hate dry crumbly bran muffins, yours are so moist. I do add some spice like ginger and cinnamon just to give them a little zip. My hubby would never eat a bran muffin, now he asks for them. Thank you!
Thank you! I’m so glad these passed the dry, crumbly bran muffin test. Love the ginger and cinnamon addition. Thanks for the comment.
Made these tonight and I love how easy it all came together! We added frozen blueberries to the mixture beacause blueberry bran muffins are my favourite. Thanks for the recipe! It will be a regular in my house for sure!
I’m so glad you liked them. Thank you for the comment.
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 🙂