Blueberry Bran Muffins

Everyone appreciates a fresh batch of muffins. These feel good old fashioned blueberry bran muffins are one of my favorites. Soft, moist and, bursting with fresh blueberries. With just a couple mixing bowls and some basic ingredients, you can appreciate these easy muffins too!

I love to have a mid morning muffin with a cup of hot earl grey tea every day. And while I do like to indulge in a chocolate chip muffin or a chocolate zucchini muffin from time to time.. I try my best to stick to healthier muffins that have added nutrients and fiber to keep me full until lunch time. Bran muffins are those muffins! now I know what you’re thinking… bran muffins are dry and boring. Well I’m here to tell you that bran muffins are soft and moist and 100% customizable with different add ins such as berries, dried fruit, seeds and nuts. If you’re looking for a delicious bran muffin recipe then you need to try these muffins!

Lets Break Down a few of the Ingredients

• Wheat Bran. Wheat bran is the outer layers of the wheat kernel. It is rich in fiber, protein, and nutrients. 1 cup of wheat bran provides 25 grams of dietary fiber which is 99% of the daily recommended value according to the American heart association. ^(source) So these bran muffins are an excellent way to add more fiber to reach your daily recommended value.
• Blueberries. Blueberries are a low calorie, high nutrient berry. 1 cup (148g) of blueberries contains only 80 calories but 15% of your daily recommended value of vitamin C, 25% of your daily recommended value of vitamin K, and 20% of your daily recommended value of manganese. _^(source) Blueberries are also considered a superfood due to their excellent source of antioxidants, which helps the body fight free radicals which are known to cause various diseases including cancer.
• Brown sugar. Brown sugar brings the perfect amount of sweetness and caramel flavor in this recipe. When measuring; be sure to packed your brown sugar in the measuring cup. I used light brown sugar in this recipe, however you can certainly use dark brown sugar as well.
• Vegetable oil. Adds moisture without additional flavors.

Bran Muffin Substitutions and additions

• Blueberries – I like to use fresh blueberries, but if they are out of season, or not available, you can certainly use frozen blueberries instead. no need to thaw.
• Boiling Water – You can substitute the boiling water for buttermilk at a 1:1 ratio with an addition of baking soda. If you choose to make this recipe with buttermilk, combine wheat bran with 1 cup of buttermilk, and 1 tsp of baking soda in a small bowl. let sit for 10 minutes then continue with step 4 in the recipe directions.
• Nuts – Top these muffins with chopped walnuts, or pecans for a little crunch.
• Lemon Glaze – Top the baked muffins off with a drizzled lemon glaze to make them extra sweet. To create the glaze, mix together 1 cup of confectioners sugar with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until you reach a smooth pourable consistency. (adding additional lemon juice as required)
• Streusel topping – If you’re looking for a bakery style blueberry bran muffin, top them with streusel before popping them into the oven. Mix together 1 cup of all purpose flour, 2/3 cup granulated white sugar, 1/2 cup of melted butter, and 1 tsp cinnamon until crumbly. sprinkle on muffins before popping them in the oven. Note that this may add additional bake time to the recipe.

Can I freeze Bran Muffins?

Yes, you can freeze bran muffins for up to 3 months in a air tight container or a large freezer zip lock bag, Thaw at room temperature, or in the microwave before enjoying.

Looking for more muffin recipes? Make sure to try my Raisin Bran Muffins or Banana Chocolate chip muffins or my personal favorite Butternut Squash Muffins

^{Recipe source: foodess.com}