Classic Bran Muffins With Molasses And Cinnamon

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 12 standard muffins
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups wheat bran
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses, preferably mild or full-flavor, not blackstrap
• 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as canola, avocado, or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Do This

• 1. Heat oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan.
• 2. Stir wheat bran and buttermilk together; let stand for 10 minutes to soften.
• 3. Whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
• 4. Whisk egg, molasses, oil, and vanilla into the soaked bran mixture.
• 5. Fold wet and dry ingredients together just until no dry streaks remain.
• 6. Divide batter among the cups and bake for 20 minutes.
• 7. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move muffins to a rack for 10 minutes before serving.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic breakfast flavor: Molasses, wheat bran, and a gentle touch of cinnamon give these muffins that familiar, old-fashioned bakery taste.
• Hearty but soft: Soaking the bran in buttermilk keeps the crumb tender while preserving the satisfying, dense texture bran muffins are known for.
• Not too sweet: A balance of brown sugar and molasses makes these muffins mildly sweet, cozy, and easy to enjoy with coffee or tea.
• Great for make-ahead mornings: They keep well, freeze beautifully, and reheat quickly for busy breakfasts.

Grocery List

• Produce: None required; optional 1 orange if you want to add fresh orange zest for a variation.
• Dairy: Low-fat buttermilk, 1 large egg.
• Pantry: Wheat bran, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, unsulphured molasses, neutral oil, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, fine salt, paper muffin liners or butter for greasing.

Full Ingredients

For the Pan

• 12 standard paper muffin liners, or 1 tablespoon softened butter for greasing the muffin pan

Bran Soak

• 1 1/2 cups wheat bran, 90g
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, 240ml

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, 125g
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 70g
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses, 113g, preferably mild or full-flavor, not blackstrap
• 1/3 cup neutral oil, 80ml, such as canola, avocado, or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the oven and muffin pan

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease each cup well with 1 tablespoon softened butter. This recipe makes 12 standard muffins, so use one full pan.

Step 2: Soften the wheat bran

In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups wheat bran and 1 cup buttermilk until the bran is evenly moistened. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. This short soak is important: wheat bran is very absorbent, and giving it time to soften helps the muffins bake up dense and hearty without turning dry or crumbly.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Break up any clumps of brown sugar with your fingers or the back of a spoon so the sweetness spreads evenly through the batter.

Step 4: Add the wet ingredients

After the bran has soaked for 10 minutes, add 1 large egg, 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses, 1/3 cup neutral oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the bran mixture. Whisk until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture looks glossy, dark, and evenly blended. Use mild or full-flavor molasses for a classic bran muffin taste; blackstrap molasses is much more bitter and can overpower the muffins.

Step 5: Combine the batter gently

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a spatula, fold the mixture together just until the flour disappears and no dry streaks remain, about 12 to 15 gentle folds. The batter will be thick, slightly lumpy, and spoonable. Avoid vigorous stirring; overmixing can make bran muffins tough instead of soft.

Step 6: Fill the muffin cups

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, using about 3 tablespoons batter per cup. Each cup should be about three-quarters full. For the most even muffins, use a large cookie scoop or lightly oiled measuring cup. Let the filled pan sit at room temperature for 5 minutes while the oven finishes heating and the batter settles.

Step 7: Bake the muffins

Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until the muffin tops are domed, deep golden brown, and spring back lightly when touched in the center. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If your oven runs cool, check the muffins carefully at 20 minutes and bake for 1 additional minute only if needed.

Step 8: Cool and serve

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving. They are excellent warm with a small pat of butter, a light drizzle of molasses, or simply on their own with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk.

Pro Tips

• Soak the bran: Do not skip the 10-minute soak. It softens the bran and helps prevent a dry, scratchy crumb.
• Use the right molasses: Unsulphured mild or full-flavor molasses gives warmth and depth. Avoid blackstrap molasses unless you specifically enjoy a very strong, bitter flavor.
• Measure flour lightly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour and make the muffins heavy.
• Do not overbake: Bran muffins continue to firm as they cool. Pull them from the oven when the centers are set and a toothpick shows only a few moist crumbs.
• For extra softness: Let the baked muffins rest in an airtight container for a few hours. Bran muffins often become even more tender after they sit.

Variations

• Raisin bran muffins: Fold 3/4 cup raisins into the batter with the dry ingredients. For plumper raisins, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain well before adding.
• Walnut bran muffins: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts for a nutty crunch that pairs beautifully with molasses and cinnamon.
• Orange-cinnamon bran muffins: Add 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest to the wet ingredients and increase the cinnamon to 1 1/4 teaspoons for a brighter, fragrant version.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store cooled bran muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. To freeze, wrap each muffin tightly and place in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat a room-temperature muffin in a 300°F oven for 8 minutes, or microwave one muffin for 15 to 20 seconds. For make-ahead prep, stir the wheat bran and buttermilk together, cover, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours; keep the dry ingredients mixed separately, then combine and bake in the morning.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 175 kcal | Carbs: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Sodium: 265mg | Cholesterol: 16mg