The Best Bran Muffins

I adapted this recipe from Cooks Illustrated which has the perfect ratio of wet to dry ingredients so that you have a healthy muffin that is also quite moist.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine English

Keyword muffins

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 270kcal

Author downtonabbeycooks

Equipment

12 cup muffin tin
6 cup jumbo muffin tin

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups bleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup whole-wheat flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
½ cup dark brown sugar plus 2 additional tablespoons
2 large eggs
2 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. molasses
1 1/4 cup buttermilk plus 3 additional tablespoons
1 ½ cups wheat bran
1 cup raisins

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Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour through nutmeg in medium bowl; set aside.
Beat butter in large bowl at mediium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add brown sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute longer. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly before adding the next.
Beat in vanilla and molasses until thoroughly combined and creamy, about 1 minute longer. Reduce speed to low; beat in buttermilk and half the flour mixture until combined, about 1 minute.
Beat in remaining flour mixture until incorporated and slightly curdled looking, about 1 minute longer, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Stir in bran and raisins.
Spray a twelve cup muffin tin (each cup measuring 1/2 cup) or a six cup jumbo muffin tin (each mold measuring one cup) with cooking spray or coat lightly with butter; divide batter evenly among molds using spoon or ice cream scoop.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into center withdraws cleanly or with a few moist particles adhering to it, about 25 minutes, 40 minutes for the jumbo muffins.,
Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and they are ready to serve.

Notes

It is easy to make your own buttermilk. Just measure out the milk you have in a measuring cup and then add a tsp or two of lemon juice or vinegar and let sit a few minutes.

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