From-Scratch Bran Muffins
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These From-Scratch Bran Muffins blend wholesome goodness with Southern charm, featuring the hearty goodness of wheat bran with just the right amount of sweetness. Ideal for an elegant yet nourishing breakfast or snack!
There’s something special about baking from scratch, and these bran muffins really hit the spot. With a bit of Southern flair, they combine the hearty goodness of wheat bran with just the right amount of sweet. Every bite is a perfect mix of wholesome texture and light sweetness, making them great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Whether you’re having friends over for brunch or just want to jazz up your morning, these muffins will do the trick. They’ve got that rustic, homemade charm that pairs perfectly with a pat of butter or a drizzle of local honey. So, fire up the oven and gather your ingredients—these bran muffins are ready to bring a touch of Southern comfort to your kitchen.
These can be made plain, or you can add in your favorites mix-ins. They can be made only slightly sweet for a dinner bread or muffin-sweet for a breakfast muffin or dessert. So roll up your sleeves and let’s get baking!
What You’ll Need to Make From-Scratch Bran Muffins:
Ingredients:
- Wheat Bran
- Vegetable Oil (or melted butter)
- Self Rising Flour*
- Buttermilk**
- Vanilla
- Egg
- Brown Sugar
- Dried Cranberries and Walnuts – but you can use different add ins if you prefer them to the cranberries and walnuts!
*If you don’t have self rising flour, see my FAQ page on how to make your own
**If you want to make your own buttermilk, here is an easy way. For each cup of milk, add 1-2 tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir and allow to sit for five minutes before using.
How to Make From-Scratch Bran Muffins:
Place your wheat bran and buttermilk in a bowl and stir well. It will look kind of like sawdust paste 🙂
Add in egg, oil (or melted butter), brown sugar, and vanilla and stir well once more.
Add all remaining ingredients, including your choice of mix-ins! Stir until it’s well combined.
Spoon out into 12 muffin cups in a muffin tin.
You can either line them with muffin papers or just spray your muffin tin with cooking spray. I have done both but I usually put these in muffin papers because I like to freeze them and it just makes it a little easier.
Sometimes I like to keep a few of the toppings back and add them on the top of the scooped out batter so that you can see the toppings more aesthetically on the top of the muffins!! It’s a great way to make them look even prettier on a plate 🙂
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on the top. Allow to cool for a few minutes in muffin pan and then remove to cool completely on a towel lined counter or platter. Can serve warm, of course!
Aren’t they beautiful?!
I love to serve mine warm with butter. Add some honey on there for even more sweet if you want! They are sooo good!!
Enjoy!!!
How to Store From-Scratch Bran Muffins:
I like to freeze my muffins! First, cool them completely. Place the muffins in zipper seal gallon sized bags and freeze. Thaw them by wrapping in paper towel and heating in the microwave until heated through, about 45 seconds or so.
What else can I mix in to my bran muffins?
Get started customizing by adding 1/2 to 1 cup of any of the following or a combination of the following:
- chopped nuts of your choice (pecans, walnuts, peanuts, etc)
- Dried Cranberries, raisins, dried blueberries, chopped dried peaches, chopped dried apples, etc
- finely chopped fresh apple
- fresh grated carrots
- Seriously, pretty much anything you’ve got a hankering for!
More Recipes You’ll Love:
Ingredients
- 1 +1/2 cups wheat bran*
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup self rising flour
- 3/4 brown sugar Dark or light, your preference. Use 1 cup if you prefer them sweeter
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped nuts - I'm using walnuts.
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl, stir together bran and buttermilk.
- Add in egg, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir well to combine.
- Add in flour, cranberries, and nuts and any other add ins you want. Stir well until completely moist.
- Bake at 375 for twenty minutes, or until golden.
Oh, how I miss Picadilly! (None in Brentwood, or even Nashville, as far as I know.) My very favorite thing is to get a veggie plate – greens, macaroni & cheese (is TOO a vegetable!), carrot souffle (swooooon) and a corn stick. All washed down with a big glass of sweet tea, of course.
And if anybody has the recipe for their carrot souffle, I’d love to have it!
There is one in Madison, anyway there was in the late 90″s
Can I substitute the bran flour with unbleached whole wheat flour?
Would you believe that i have been looking for a bran muffin recipe. This sounds great, thank you!! Want to have them here for a quick grab on the go snack for the family!
I have wonderful memories of our local Picadilly and we also had S&W here in Asheville! That was so special and yet so simple to look back on it now. Those simple things are the best. Now we have to work hard to have those simple times and create special memories for our children. Everything is so fast paced. Thanks Christy for all of the good reminders!
Pam
PS I did not even notice the muffin pan until you mentioned it,. Doesn’t everyone’s muffin pan look like that?
Hi Christy,
Thanks so much for this recipe. I have been trying to find one that doesn’t use bran cereal. I also live in Asheville and was so glad to see another reply from someone in my town. Ditto on the appearance of the muffin pan. Mine looks that way too!
Pat Staigo
Christy, I love raisins in my bran muffins and nuts-walnuts or pecans.. I am thinking about using some raisin bran cereal in place of the wheat bran..(that way I can make them without making a trip to the grocery store.) Love your recipes.. And the memories of Picadilly’s.. It has been years since I have eaten at Picadilly’s–live in West TN.
Oh my heart! My grandma’s favorite eating spot was Picadilly! Can’t count the number of times we ate there. After I was out of college and struttin my big self with all my newly earned dollars, I went to take Grandma out to Sunday dinner after church. Where did she want to go? You guessed it. I couldn’t talk her out of it even though I was a big girl now with dollars to impress. Love it!!
Christy my Mom made these using All-bran cereal. That was before the days of wheat bran. Bet this recipe would work with the cereal. Think I’ll give it a try. Just finished making your peanut butter pie. That’s now my favorite to carry to covered dish dinners. Very, very good!!!
The first thing I noticed was your Pyrex bowl. I have the same one with blue dots! Love it! Not sure what year these came out but they are super cute. Can’t wait to try the muffins. Thanks:)