Healthy Bran Muffins With Molasses

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Moist and fiber-rich, this healthy bran muffins recipe comes out perfectly every time! These fluffy cinnamon-spiced muffins make a hearty breakfast or snack. Enjoy them immediately or freeze for busy weekday mornings. So delicious and kid friendly too!

It doesn’t get much better than a freshly baked muffin. It’s a bonus if said muffin is healthy too! That’s where these delicious bran muffins with molasses really shine. They’re made with wheat bran, whole wheat flour, apple sauce, molasses, and plant based milk – making them so satisfying and super good for you!

Wheat bran is made from the outer layer of the wheat kernel. It’s nutrient-dense, low-calorie, and packed with fiber! It has a nutty taste that complements a sweet and fluffy muffin. This bran muffin recipe might be healthy, but it tastes anything but. My kids devour them before I can transfer them to a plate.

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If you can’t resist leftover muffins, I feel ya! Just freeze the sticky bran muffins for another time. They stay fresh for up to 3 months. Zap them in the microwave any time you need a quick breakfast. As a mom of two littles, a kid-friendly and easy breakfast are a win-win.

👩‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• The best bran muffins in only 20 minutes!
• A healthy breakfast even the kids will enjoy.
• Wheat bran is packed with insoluble fiber that improves gut health.
• My low calorie bran muffins freeze well too!
• A moist muffin with a strong molasses flavor
• Perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack.
• No need for food processor or stand mixer!

🥘 Ingredients

This bran muffin recipe with molasses requires simple ingredients found at most grocery stores!

Whole wheat flour: Wheat flour is nutrient-dense with a nutty flavor that white flour can’t match. If you can find whole wheat pastry flour, snag it! Pastry flour is more finely ground and should give you a lighter muffin.

Wheat bran: Regular wheat bran is sweet and nutty. You may be familiar with its flavor from raisin bran. It provides texture to muffins, bread, and other baked goods. You can usually find it near wheat flour and wheat germ or in the health foods section. If you love bran cereal, you will love muffins with wheat bran!

Brown sugar: A small amount of light brown sugar compliments the sweetness of the molasses and apple sauce. Coconut sugar or white sugar are great options too.

Baking powder & baking soda: Both ingredients are vital for a fluffy bran muffin. The baking soda reacts with the acid in the molasses to create lift.

Salt & Cinnamon: Don’t forget the salt. A little bit of salt accentuates sweetness! The warmth of cinnamon is a great addition to muffins. It’s also packed with disease-fighting antioxidants.

Raisins: Regular or golden raisins work great. Golden raisins are a bit sweeter with a fruity taste. Any dried fruit tastes delicious in this recipe and provides a touch of sweetness. If you aren’t a fan of raisins, leave them out.

Eggs: Eggs provide structure for muffins and baked goods. Use flax eggs for a vegan version.

Apple sauce: Unsweetened applesauce prevents the muffins from drying out. It naturally sweetens them too! Make sure your applesauce has no sugar added to keep this recipe healthy!

Molasses: Molasses has a sweet, caramel-like flavor essential for this easy bran muffins recipe. It also helps the muffins rise since it activates the baking soda. Avoid blackstrap molasses since it has a dark and bitter flavor to it.

Vegetable oil: Butter can dry out muffin recipes. The oil keeps them nice and moist. Canola oil or melted coconut oil are great options as well. I wouldn’t recommend olive oil for this recipe.

Soy milk: Almond milk or whole milk also work! You can also make buttermilk bran muffins by replacing the soy milk with buttermilk (but then it wouldn’t be vegan friendly).

Apple cider vinegar: Vinegar reacts with baking soda to create carbon dioxide. This will ensure the muffins are nice and light! If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, white vinegar works too.

📖 Variations

You can customize these low fat muffins to fit your tastes and dietary preferences. Here are a few easy variations:

• Vegan Molasses Bran Muffins: To make this recipe vegan friendly, replace the eggs with 2 tablespoons of ground chia seeds to the dry ingredients and 6 tablespoons of water to the wet ingredients.
• Oat Bran Muffins with Molasses: Replace the wheat bran with oat bran. For a lighter flavor, use all-purpose flour in place of whole wheat flour.
• Make It Gluten Free: Replace the wheat flour with a 1:1 gluten free flour like Bob’s Red Mill, and replace the wheat bran with gluten free oat bran. I haven’t tried this recipe with almond flour, but that would be a gluten free flour option as well.
• Low Sugar Bran Muffins: Either cut the amount of raisins, molasses, and brown sugar in half (which would give each muffin only 8 grams of sugar), or for a sugar-free muffin, peplace the brown sugar with powered monk fruit.
• Banana Bran Muffins with Molasses: Replace the apple sauce with mashed banana. Make sure to use a ripe banana so it’s nice and sweet.
• Blueberry Bran Muffins with Molasses: Replace the raisins with 3/4 cup of fresh blueberries. Don’t use frozen or it will weigh down the muffin batter.
• Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins: Replace the raisins with 3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. It’s the perfect way to turn this particular recipe into more of a healthy dessert! I like to slather peanut butter on this delicious version!

🔪 Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F / 200 C. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups and set aside. Alternatively, you can spray the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, wheat bran, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the raisins.

Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.

Combine Ingredients: Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, then stir to combine.

Scoop & Bake: Spoon batter into the muffin pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let Cool: Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Serve with a smear of butter!

❓ Recipe FAQs

💭 Expert Tips

• Let the muffins come to room temperature before storing. Any warmth will create condensation and cause the muffins to get soggy.
• Don’t remove the muffins from the tin immediately. Give them a few minutes to set up first so they don’t fall apart.
• Use muffin papers for easy removal.
• If you can’t find wheat bran at the store, you can also buy it online. I prefer Bob’s Red Mill brand for its superior quality.
• For a sweeter muffin, top the muffins with coarse sugar before placing them in the oven.
• Enjoy the warm muffins with butter, jam, or peanut butter for plant-based protein!
• For a fluffier muffin, use white whole wheat flour in place of wheat flour.

🧁 More Healthy Muffin Recipes!

• Cranberry Orange Muffins
• Peanut Butter Muffins
• Birthday Cake Muffins
• Bakery Style Pistachio Muffins
• Dairy Free Blueberry Muffins
• Vegan Zucchini Muffins
• Healthy Vegan Matcha Muffins
• Healthy Apple Carrot Muffins

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