These healthy muffins can easily stand alone as a breakfast. Packed with nutrient dense oat bran, sweetened with honey and molasses, these muffins can be enhanced even more by adding fresh or dried fruit. In our house, we make a large batch, divide the batter into 3 bowls and add different berries and/or fruit. Then we enjoy the muffins fresh out of the oven and freeze the rest for a healthy, speedy breakfast. These muffins are also a great way to incorporate some of those healthy boosts like hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and other goodness. Unlike most store-bought bran muffins, which can be quite dense and dry, these muffins are moist and fluffy. They have just the perfect balance of chewy oat texture and light and airy muffin crumb!
- 1 Cup Water (you may need more water if your bran pieces are smaller)
- 10 ounces (2 cups) oat bran
- 6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened
- 6 ounces (1 cup) brown sugar
- 6 ounces (1/2 cup) molasses
- 6 ounces (1/2 cup) honey
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounces (4 cups) Bread Flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Diced apples
- Fresh or frozen blueberries
- Fresh or frozen strawberries, diced
- Raisins or other dried berries
- Pour boiling water over the oat bran, mix to combine and set aside to cool.
- Prepare muffin pan by lining them with paper cups and spray lightly with an oil spray.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar with a paddle attachment of your mixer until fluffy.
- Combine the molasses, honey, eggs and vanilla extract.
- Add to the butter mixture. Add the soaked oat bran.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and any other additions (see note).
- Combine half and half and buttermilk. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with the flour, until everything is incorporated.
- Stir in fruit or berries. For different flavors, divide the batter into separate bowls then fold in.
- For fresh strawberries and any other frozen fruit, mix with ½ teaspoon of flour before adding to the batter.
- Scoop muffin batter into prepared pan, filling the muffin cups ¾ full. Sprinkle with nuts or rolled oats.
- Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 15-20 minutes or until baked through. Press down in the center of a muffin and see if it springs back.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Freeze any extra in a container or a Ziploc bag. Defrost and/or reheat before serving.
I also love to add 1 Tablespoon each: ground flax seeds, hemp seeds, psyllium husks, wheat germ.
Other options are: spirulina powder, chia seeds, maca powder.
To make dairy-free use coconut oil in place of butter, replace half and half and buttermilk with oat and/or almond milk.
- 1 Cup Water (you may need more water if your bran pieces are smaller)
- 10 ounces (2 cups) oat bran
- 6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened
- 6 ounces (1 cup) brown sugar
- 6 ounces (1/2 cup) molasses
- 6 ounces (1/2 cup) honey
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounces (4 cups) Flour: 5 oz sorghum, 5 oz rice, 4 oz teff, 2 oz tapioca flour.
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Diced apples
- Fresh or frozen blueberries
- Fresh or frozen strawberries, diced
- Raisins or other dried berries
- Pour boiling water over the oat bran, mix to combine and set aside to cool.
- Prepare muffin pan by lining them with paper cups and spray lightly with an oil spray.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar with a paddle attachment of your mixer until fluffy.
- Combine the molasses, honey, eggs and vanilla extract.
- Add to the butter mixture. Add the soaked oat bran.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and any other additions (see note).
- Combine half and half and buttermilk. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with the flour, until everything is incorporated.
- Stir in fruit or berries. For different flavors, divide the batter into separate bowls then fold in.
- For fresh strawberries and any other frozen fruit, mix with ½ teaspoon of flour before adding to the batter.
- Scoop muffin batter into prepared pan, filling the muffin cups ¾ full. Sprinkle with nuts or rolled oats.
- Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 15-20 minutes or until baked through. Press down in the center of a muffin and see if it springs back.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Freeze any extra in a container or a Ziploc bag. Defrost and/or reheat before serving.
Other options are: spirulina powder, chia seeds, maca powder.
To make dairy-free use coconut oil in place of butter, replace half and half and buttermilk with oat and/or almond milk.
Photo Step-By-Step
Pour boiling water over the oat bran, mix to combine and set aside to cool.
Prepare muffin pan by lining them with paper cups and spray lightly with an oil spray.
Cream the butter and brown sugar with a paddle attachment of your mixer until fluffy.
Combine the molasses, honey, eggs and vanilla extract.
Add to the butter mixture. Add the soaked oat bran.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and any other additions (see note).
Combine half and half and buttermilk. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with the flour, until everything is incorporated.
Stir in fruit or berries. For different flavors, divide the batter into separate bowls then fold in.
For fresh strawberries and any other frozen fruit, mix with ½ teaspoon of flour before adding to the batter.
Scoop muffin batter into prepared pan, filling the muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle with nuts or rolled oats.
Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 15-20 minutes or until baked through. Press down in the center of a muffin and see if it springs back.
Cool on a wire rack.
Freeze any extra in a container or a Ziploc bag. Defrost and/or reheat before serving.
I make those for the second time, they are chewy and so flavorful!
Hope this recipe becomes a staple in your family as it is in mine!