There are bran muffins, and then there are bran muffins.
Most people hear the words “bran muffin” and immediately think of something dry, dense, and suspiciously healthy. These are not those muffins.
These muffins are incredibly moist thanks to buttermilk and freshly grated apple. Toasted pecans add warmth and texture, while cinnamon and nutmeg make the kitchen smell like a bakery. They happen to contain bran, but they eat like a treat.
My 90-year-old father enjoys bran muffins, and after making these, I understand why. Warm from the oven with a little butter melting into the center, they’re one of life’s simple pleasures.
Ingredients
The Night Before
- 2 cups wheat bran
- 1 cup buttermilk
Wet Ingredients
- Bran and buttermilk mixture
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Apple & Pecan Mixture
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, grated
- ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Optional Topping
- Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Step 1: Soak the Bran
The night before baking, combine the wheat bran and buttermilk in a bowl.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
By morning, the mixture will resemble a thick porridge. That’s exactly what you’re looking for.
Step 2: Toast the Pecans
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 1 teaspoon butter.
Add the chopped pecans and 1 teaspoon brown sugar.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant.
Set aside to cool.
Step 3: Prepare the Oven
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.
Step 4: Mix the Wet Ingredients
To the bran mixture, add:
- Eggs
- Melted butter
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Vanilla
Mix until smooth.
Step 5: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Salt
Step 6: Build the Batter
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Mix only until combined.
Do not overmix.
Fold in:
- Grated Honeycrisp apple (including any juices)
- Toasted pecans
Step 7: Fill the Muffin Tin
Fill each muffin cup approximately ¾ full.
For bakery-style tops, fill slightly higher.
If desired, sprinkle the tops with a little turbinado sugar.
Step 8: Bake
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 9: Cool and Enjoy
Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
Serve warm with a little salted butter.
Kevin in the Kitchen Notes
- Grate the apple on the large holes of a box grater and leave the skin on.
- These muffins are even better the next day.
- They freeze beautifully.
- The toasted pecans add a subtle caramel note that takes them to another level.
- The first warm muffin is the baker’s reward. Don’t skip it.
