Bakery-Style Bran Muffins

Submitted by Roxygirl in Colorado

"I LOVE a good bakery bran muffin and have tried countless refrigerator bran muffin recipes, which always come up short. This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated and promises the best bran muffins. What is different about the ingred. is the ratio of white and wheat flours and wheat bran. The molasses, dark brown sugar help make up the great flavor and you will love the bakery crusty top. It is a little more work, but I would never bake any other recipe!"

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 19
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
• 1⁄4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup buttermilk, plus
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 1⁄2 cups wheat bran
• 1 cup raisins

directions

1. Adust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375.
2. Beat butter in large bowl of electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minute.
3. Add brown sugar, increase speed to medum-high, and beat until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute longer.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly before adding the next.
5. Beat in vanilla, molasses, and sour cream until thoroughly combined and creamy, about 1 minute longer.
6. Reduce speed to low and beat in buttermilk and half the flour mixture until combined, about 1 minute longer.
7. Beat in remaining flour mixture unil incorporated and slightly curdled looking, about 1 minute longer, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
8. Stir in bran and raisins.
9. Spray a twelve mold muffins tin (each mold measuring 1/2 cup) or a six mold muffin tin (each mold measuring one cup) with cooking spray.
10. Divide batter evenly using ice cream scoop or spoon.
11. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center withdraws cleanly of with a few moist particles adhering to it, about 25 minute Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minute Remove muffins from tin and serve warm.
12. Makes 12 small muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.

Reviews

[Sian]

Without doubt, the best bran muffins I've ever tried! Not particularly caring for the recipes utilising bran cereal, I prepared these exactly according to the recipe and was delighted: the muffins are light, moist, and possess a rich, almost caramel-like flavour. This has become my holy grail of bran muffin recipes. Thanks so much for posting!

 

[tjlight]

Made recipe exactly except used raisin bran cereal which I pulsed in the food processor. I liked the consistency of these muffins very much. Next time I might add a little honey or more brown sugar to get the sweetness I'm looking for. I used large paper baking cups and the 25mins was a bit too long as they browned too much on the bottom. Overall, a good recipe!

 

[lindabartels46]

Difficult to use these recipes as the fractions are typed in such a way as to make them difficult to discern.

 

[rowan h.]

well i was short a few ingredients had company for brekkie so I used oil instead of butter, greek yogurt for sour cream and 1/2 applesauce instead of the molasses -they were fabulous light and tasty

 

[KSTOTTS53GMAIL.COM]

These are very good bean muffins,,, only prob is, the instructions say nothing about when to add the spices. You need to go correct this, especially with new cooks