Buttermilk Bran Muffins
I’ve been baking these Buttermilk Bran Muffins for years. Tender and full of fiber, they’re a fabulous way to start the day!
Once touted as a 6-week Bran Muffin Recipe or Refrigerator Bran Muffins, this same muffin batter could be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month and a half so fresh muffins could be baked up each morning!
Why You Must Make
- This recipe has been around for decades and is still a winner!
- These are sweet and tender and great for a high-fiber breakfast or snack.
- They freeze well, so you can always have a stash in the freezer.
I have an old index card with a recipe for “6 Week Buttermilk Bran Muffins” which I received at one of my bridal showers, eons ago. It looks quite splattered after years and years of use. Then, one day I couldn’t find Nabisco 100% Bran on the cereal shelves anymore.
My days of making this batter which could sit in the fridge for up to 6 weeks, allowing you to prepare fresh buttermilk bran muffins on a whim, seemed to be finished. I never did get behind the idea of baking these past the 24-hour mark, but they were quite tasty and a staple at our house. But I found a solution.
Expert Tips
- PRO-Tip: Like with all muffin and quick bread recipes, do not overmix the batter or there will be tunnels in your muffins. If you use a mixer, mix on low speed and stop once the dry ingredients are combined.
- PRO-Tip: The batter can be left in the refrigerator for 6 weeks, so you can make fresh muffins every day if you want. Just stir the batter before scooping it into your muffin tin.
- Use muffin liners for easy cleanup.
- If you’re going to freeze your muffins, make sure they’re cooled to room temperature before storing them.
- Use a freezer zip-top bag and remove as much air as possible before freezing. Mark the date on the bag and eat within 3 months.
Once I used unprocessed miller’s bran instead of the defunct Nabisco cereal, but Katie, the primary consumer, didn’t think they were quite as good as our old standard bran muffins. So I went back to the old recipe and tweaked it by using all All-Bran instead of two kinds of bran cereal. That did the trick!
These refrigerator bran muffins freeze marvelously, so make this humongous batch and stock your freezer. Try these Blackberry Bran Muffins for a delicious alternative!
Recipe Testimonial:
From Hailee: This recipe is delicious, add butter while they are warm. However, I made the full recipe and it says 4 dozen. Mine made about 6 dozen. So if you make it, plan to give muffins to everyone you’ve ever met.
Tip of the Day
PRO-Tip: If you have enough leftover batter for just one or two muffins, place paper liners in a ramekin or two, fill, and bake with your tin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although bran muffins sound healthy and do contain fiber and nutrients, like most muffins, they are sweetened with sugar plus contain vegetable oil.
Adding shredded carrots or even raisins adds some nutritional benefit, and substituting half the oil with applesauce can decrease the fat and calorie content. Eating a bran muffin occasionally is OK as long as you realize they aren’t healthy per se.
Yes, these freeze beautifully. Just cool them completely and place them in airtight containers or freezer-safe Ziploc bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Bran or “millers bran” is the outer husk of cereal grains like wheat. Bran contains indigestible fiber and B vitamins, protein, iron, carbohydrates, and fatty acids.
Refining wheat to make white flour removes the bran and reduces its nutritional content.
Muffins will keep well at room temperature for 2-4 days if kept in an airtight container. To keep them at their freshest, place some paper towels in the bottom of your container, then another layer on top of the muffins. This will help absorb any moisture they might exude.
After 4 days, it’s best to freeze them. Just pull out what you need and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
You May Also Like:
- Double Cherry Muffins
- Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins
- Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins
- Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Plus, this Peach Soda Bread is another terrific quick bread recipe
- More Breakfast Recipes
Buttermilk Bran Muffins
Tender, sweet and delicious fiber-filled muffins!
Ingredients
- 6 cups bran cereal, divided (I use All-Bran cereal)
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or 2 sticks butter, melted)
- 4 eggs
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 5 cups flour
- 5 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2-3 medium carrots, grated, or dried fruit of choice, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
- Combine 2 cups of All-Bran with 2 cups boiling water and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugars, oil, and eggs. Add buttermilk and reserved softened All-Bran and mix well.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 4 cups of All-Bran. Mix until just combined. Mix in carrots or dried fruit if using.
- Fill muffin cups about ⅔ full.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
- Allow to cool slightly before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
These freeze well. The batter will also last for weeks in the refrigerator if kept covered. Then you can make fresh muffins every morning if you'd like.
If you'd like to add some zucchini instead of carrots, shred it and make sure to squeeze it dry so it doesn't make the batter too watery.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
48Serving Size:
1 muffinAmount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 278mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 3g
44 Comments on “Buttermilk Bran Muffins”
I have a question or an opinion from you please, I made these (love recipes with buttermilk)—-these are very good, but mine had a little greasy taste–the only thing I did different was soaked ALL the bran—do you think this would make a difference?? If not, what about using less oil??
Hi, Loretta,
I don’t think soaking all the bran could make the muffins taste greasy…BUT maybe that prevented the dry bran from absorbing some of the oil? An interesting thought! You could either try decreasing the oil to ¾ cup and see if that helps or next time only soak part of the bran. I’ve never had them turn out greasy and I’ve made these dozens of times 🙂 I’m glad they were still tasty, though. Whew!
Have you ever added som raisins in to the muffins?
No, but that’s a delicious option, Mary! My daughter, the bran muffin eater in the family, would pull them all out 🙂
Can I cut this recipe in half and only make 24?
Yes, that will definitely work! Hope you enjoy them, Kat.
I was wondering if this muffin recipe could be baked as a loaf rather than muffins.
Hi, Karen, I’ve never heard of this being made as a loaf, but it works for many other muffin recipes. It would probably make at least 3 loaves. I haven’t tested it, so don’t know the exact timing (or how it will turn out). If you do give it a try, please report back.
Are the carrots optional as well? Could shredded zucchini be used instead?
Yes, carrots are optional. You can use zucchini, but squeeze it dry after you shred it or it could make the batter too watery. Or just make them plain 🙂
I don’t have bran buds, but bran flakes. Can I use them in this recipe?
Of the two kinds of cereal I’ve used in this recipe, neither was bran flakes. I think it would be hard to figure out the amount needed since you’d need a lot more bran flakes to provide the same bulk as the bran buds. This recipe makes a LOT of muffins and I’d hate for you to invest all the ingredients and not have it work out! Wish I could be more optimistic!!!
I think that buttermilk adds something special to baked goods. These muffins sound delicious. Visiting from Gluten Free A=Z Blog.
I like that the recipe can be stored in the fridge for weeks! Makes it nice and easy to have a hot muffin when desired:@)
These are as good as morning glory muffins! I would love one for my tea.
Have. Looked all over for this recipe, love it
My best friend’s mom gave this recipe to me at my bridal shower. My daughter loves them so I used to make sure to keep a stash in the freezer. Hope you enjoy these, May!
Hi. Tweaked using all ALL BRAN? Since I can’t find it, did you mean now you use all All Bran Buds? Have been searching for substitute to use in my grandmother’s recipe I’ve made for over 40 years.
Yes, Amy, use all All Bran Buds!! So glad you’ll be able to make them again!!
Hi Liz. I started making these Buttermilk Bran Muffins for my 4 daughters, over 30 years ago, now I’m making them for my Grandchildren! They yell “Puffins” in delight when I arrive to babysit with a new batch! 🙂 I have been interested in making this recipe a little bit healthier, I like the idea of substituting applesauce for the butter, I’ll give that a try next time. I’ve been wondering if it would be possible to cut the amount of sugar? My recipe calls for 3 cups of sugar, I notice your recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 cup brown sugar, I will try that, at least that’s 1/2 cup less sugar! Any other suggestions for a slightly healthier version would be appreciated! Thank you!
I do think you can cut down the sugar even a bit more. Try the 1/2 cup less first, then maybe decrease it by another 1/2 cup if they’re still plenty sweet. My daughter loved these, too, but probably b/c they tasted like cake, LOL!
These muffins are great for breakfast or a snack. I love that recipe makes enough that I can stock up my freezer!
These muffins are so delicious and tasty! My family loved them! They were a big hit here at the house! I will definitely be making these again!
I used to make these all the time. This is an easy recipe to halve and great for “portion control.”
These were one of my favorite memories of mom because she loved them so much! Perfect muffins every time the recipe is awesome!
Yummmmy Am so very delighted to again have this delightful recipe.
Am 83 yrs young and as bride of age 23 I think recipe came into being.
Lost my recipe and seemed like All Bran dropped off Grocery shelves for sev eral years?
Am going to put recipe together now-it’s quite chilly out so perfect for supper.
Thanks again for this Original recipe.
Oh, I’m so glad Naomi! We love this recipe, too, and I bet we both started with the same recipe years ago. Hope you enjoy.
My mom gave me this recipe 25 years ago, promising that even I, a fat girl, would like bran muffins after trying these. She was right! These are moist and have an amazing flavor – my children and grandchildren love these. What a lovely way to get your fiber too!
Hi, Natalie! Yes, I’ve had the recipe for years, too. My best friend’s mom gave it to me at my bridal shower. My daughter loves them, too. Thanks for stopping by!
Will batter keep in fridge and make a few every few days?
Yes, the original recipe said you could keep it in the fridge for up to 6 weeks, but I’d try to use it within 3-4 weeks. Give the batter a good stir before scooping out portions. Great question, Gloria.
I made these muffins years ago when my kids were little. It was a great way to add fiber to their diet. We love them straight out of the oven with butter on them yum yum. I’m going to make them this week for my grandchild when she is visiting.
I have used applesaue in place of the oil since the 2nd time I made these. I don’t even measure I just open a 15 oz can of unsweetened apple sauce and scrape it in. Great yummy taste.
Great idea, Elizabeth! I’m going to try your version soon!
Have you ever tried substituting applesauce for some of the oil?
I have not, Connie Jo, but I think it would work. I’d start with a smallish amount (maybe 1/4 of the oil) and if they turn out, you could increase with a larger percentage. Let me know if you try the substitution. Thanks!
Do you have (or did I miss it) the nutritional info for these? I made them and they are delicious!
Hi, Ron,
I’m sorry, I don’t have that info. Most online calculators that I know about aren’t especially reliable. They aren’t particularly healthy, though! I’m glad you enjoyed them!!
Such perfect-looking bran muffins!
The color and crowns on these muffins are absolutely perfect!
Hi, should my muffins be a light pale color? All bran muffins I see are ‘mocha brown’ in color- what could I have done wrong?
These muffins aren’t dark dark brown like bakery bran muffins. Are they much lighter than the muffins in the photo? Did you use the full 6 cups of All-Bran? I imagine you did or your muffins might not have baked correctly. I hope they were tasty!
Do you sift your flour for these muffins? Is the brown sugar dark?
Hi, Susan,
No, I don’t sift the flour. And I use regular brown sugar…but dark brown would be yummy, too.
Hope you enjoy! I just made a batch on Thursday 🙂