MuffinsAmericanEasy

Bran Muffins with Prunes

Name: Bran Muffins with Prunes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ cups (120 g) wheat bran; 1½ cups (180 g) whole wheat flour; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp (7½ g) baking soda; ½ tsp (2½ g) baking powder; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 1 tsp (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground nutmeg; ⅛ tsp (¼ g) ground cloves; 2 (100 g) large eggs; ¾ cup (240 ml) unsulfured molasses; ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk; ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil; 1 cup (150 g) pitted prunes, chopped into ½-inch pieces; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Hearty, wholesome muffins loaded with wheat bran, tender prunes, and molasses. These sturdy muffins have a dense, moist crumb with a subtle sweetness and rich, slightly bitter notes from the bran. Perfect for breakfast or a satisfying afternoon snack.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 42 min
Makes: 12 muffins

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups well
Have all ingredients at room temperature
Chop the prunes into ½-inch pieces ahead of time

1
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together wheat bran, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Use a wire whisk to combine thoroughly, breaking up any lumps in the bran.
- This ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform and speckled with bran throughout
Tip: Don't overmix dry ingredients—you just want them evenly distributed for even rising.
2
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, molasses, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
- The mixture should be homogeneous with no streaks of molasses.
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Ready when: Wet ingredients are smooth and fully blended
Tip: If molasses is very thick, warm it slightly in the microwave for 15 seconds to make whisking easier.
3
Combine wet and dry
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl.
- Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir until just combined—the batter should be lumpy and shaggy.
- Stop stirring as soon as you don't see dry flour streaks.
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Ready when: Batter is lumpy; no visible dry flour streaks remain
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes muffins tough. Mix just until combined—lumps are okay.
4
Fold in prunes
- Gently fold the chopped prunes into the batter using a few strokes of the spoon, distributing them evenly throughout.
- Be careful not to overmix.
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Ready when: Prunes are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: Toss prunes lightly in a tiny bit of flour before folding to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
5
Fill muffin cups
- Use an ice cream scoop or ¼-cup measuring cup to divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Smooth the tops slightly with a wet finger or spoon if desired.
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Ready when: All 12 cups are filled evenly
Tip: A scoop ensures consistent portion sizes so all muffins bake evenly. Fill any empty cups halfway with water so muffins bake uniformly.
6
Bake muffinsOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the muffin tin in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven and bake for 20–22 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- The tops should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
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Ready when: Toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs; tops are golden brown and spring back when touched
Tip: Check at 20 minutes—oven temperatures vary. Don't overbake or muffins will be dry; a few moist crumbs are fine.
7
Cool in pan, then on rack
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire cooling rack.
- They can be eaten warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Muffins are firm enough to remove from tin without breaking
Tip: If muffins stick, run a thin knife around the edges to loosen them before turning out.

Good to know

Tips

These muffins freeze beautifully. Bake a double batch and freeze individually wrapped muffins for quick breakfasts.
For extra-moist muffins, soak the chopped prunes in ¼ cup hot water for 10 minutes before folding them in; drain well first.
The batter is thick and heavy—this is normal for bran muffins and ensures a dense, satisfying crumb. Don't thin it out.
Toast these muffins and serve with butter and jam for a classic breakfast, or enjoy them plain with a cup of coffee or tea.

Make ahead

Batter can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container; bake just before serving. Muffins taste best the day they are baked but keep well frozen.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 days in an airtight container. Refrigerator: up to 5 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in an airtight freezer bag. Reheat frozen or thawed muffins in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–12 minutes until warmed through.

Substitutions

buttermilk → plain Greek yogurt thinned with a little milk, or milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice (let sit 5 minutes to curdle). Maintains the bran muffin's tender crumb; adjust milk amount so batter has the same consistency.
pitted prunes → raisins, chopped dried apricots, or chopped dates. Use equal weight. Raisins yield a subtly sweeter muffin; apricots add tartness; dates add caramel notes.
unsulfured molasses → honey or brown sugar syrup (½ cup packed brown sugar mixed with ¼ cup hot water). Honey makes muffins slightly lighter in color and flavor; brown sugar syrup is closer to molasses in depth.
vegetable oil → melted butter or applesauce. Butter adds richness; applesauce reduces fat by about half and adds moisture (muffins may be slightly denser).