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These fabulous one-bowl, no-mixer Blueberry Bran Muffins are high-fiber, super moist, studded with juicy blueberries and lower in refined sugar than most muffins!
Did you ever notice that it's difficult to find muffins that are super delicious but also decently healthy? It seems that the majority of muffins are either nutritious, but taste like cardboard and have the texture of sawdust OR they're super delicious, but they're not any better from a health standpoint, than eating a piece of cake or a big chocolate donut. These Blueberry Bran Muffins offer you the best of both worlds!
Better than the average Joe!
So how do they stack up to other muffins? According to the Harvard School of Public Health, "the average coffee shop blueberry muffin is hardly what you’d call a health food: It’s got almost 470 calories and most of those calories come from refined carbohydrates, primarily white flour and sugar. Less than 2 percent of the carbohydrates in these muffins comes from fiber, offering up only a single gram."
These Honey-Glazed Blueberry Bran Muffins, on the other hand, have just 272 calories per BIG muffin, 6 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein. They're also moist, tender-crumbed, loaded with healthy blueberries and oh-so-delicious. So you see, they really are the best of both worlds.
The recipe is a take-off on our One-Bowl Buttermilk Bran Muffins that many of you have enjoyed. I tweaked the recipe just a bit and went with 12 larger muffins rather than 16 smaller portions in the original recipe.
What kind of blueberries should I use in this recipe?
I went with the tiny wild frozen blueberries that are widely available these days at just about any grocery store. They're sweet and juicy and much higher in fiber and healthy antioxidants than cultivated blueberries. The Wild Blueberries website says that wild blueberries "have 2x the antioxidants and 72% more fiber" than cultivated blueberries.
I found the reason for this higher level of healthy nutrients to be so interesting. Wild Blueberries says that the higher concentration developed as the berries adapted to the cold temperatures and harsh climate of Maine and Canada, where they grow abundantly. The hardiness needed to survive and protect themselves from the forces of nature makes them naturally richer in healthy nutrients than cultivated berries, which generally grow in milder and less rugged climates.
What is wheat bran?
This recipe calls for 2 cups of wheat bran. What is wheat bran? Healthline. com explains it pretty clearly: "A wheat kernel is made up of three parts: the bran, endosperm and germ. The bran is the hard outer layer of the wheat kernel, which is jam-packed with various nutrients and fiber. During the milling process, the bran is stripped away from the wheat kernel and becomes a byproduct." That's the part we're using in these delicious and nutritious Blueberry Bran Muffins!
Wheat bran has a nutty flavor with a touch of sweetness. It adds great texture and a full-bodied taste to these muffins. Wheat bran is really reasonable (I pay $2.18/bag) and is available at most larger grocery stores. Sometimes it's a little tricky to find though, as different grocers stock it in different areas.
At the local store where I usually shop for groceries, it's stocked in the cereal aisle, right around the oatmeal. Other stores carry it in the baking aisle and sometimes it's in a section where the natural foods are found. You can also find it online. Bob's Red Mill and Hodgson Mills are two of the major companies that produce wheat bran.
Everyone LOVES these muffins!
I brought a plate of these muffins to our son, Nick's house last night when we went to have dinner with them. As I was finishing up this post today (perfect timing!), I got a couple of text messages from them:
Lindsay: Everyone loves the muffins!
Nick: They are excellent!
Me: Yay!
Lindsay: Hayes (our 5-year old grandson) said they are dangerous 😂😂😂
Haha! A little foodie in the making! I'm not sure if it's the delicious honey glaze, the tender, moist crumb or the abundance of tiny sweet blueberries, but everyone does seem to love these muffins!
I think you'll enjoy them too! Check out the Café Tips below for some extra info that may be helpful when making a batch of these delicious Blueberry Bran Muffins. ENJOY!
Cafe Tips for these Honey-Glazed Blueberry Bran Muffins
- I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour. It has the same nutritional benefits as regular whole wheat flour, but it's not quite as coarse.
- If you don't have whole wheat flour, this recipe also works well with 100% all-purpose flour.
- Don't over mix the batter. Once you add the flour, stir just until it's mixed in. Over mixing muffins can make them tough.
- Keep the blueberries in the freezer until the last minute. You don't want them to thaw or the batter will be a big blue mess.
- You can also use fresh blueberries in this recipe, however, I really like the way the tiny wild frozen berries get so nicely distributed throughout the muffins. Another great thing about frozen, wild berries is that they're available all year long.
- Don't skip the honey-butter glaze. It only adds 27 calories per muffin but, in addition to being delicious, it seals in the moisture and gives the muffins a beautiful shiny presentation.
- This recipe calls for wheat bran. See the tips and facts about wheat bran above in the post.
- No buttermilk? No worries! To make your own buttermilk, place 2 tablespoons of vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add milk (I like to use whole milk, but use whatever you have) to measure 1½ cups. Stir the mixture and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then add to the batter in lieu of buttermilk.
- These bran muffins freeze well. Allow the muffins to cool completely, then freeze on a sheet pan, uncovered, for 1 hour. Once frozen, place muffins in a ziplock bag or airtight freezer container. Pull out as many as you want and allow them to thaw before serving.
- This is a somewhat unusual muffin recipe in that you fill the muffin tins full rather than ⅔ or ¾ full as most muffin recipes recommend.
- You can make this batter the night before, store it in the fridge then bake up the muffins in the morning. Just wait to add the frozen blueberries until right before baking.
Thought for the day:
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Psalm 90:1-2
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
These delicious one-bowl, no-mixer Blueberry Bran Muffins are high-fiber, super moist, studded with juicy blueberries and lower in refined sugar than most muffins!
- ½ cup mild-flavored oil sunflower, safflower, avocado, canola, vegetable etc.
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups wheat bran
- 1 cup whole wheat flour I use King Arthur white wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups frozen wild blueberries (or fresh) plus a few extra, for garnish
- 1½ tablespoon butter
- 1½ tablespoons honey
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin generously with non-stick spray, taking care to spray the areas around the top of each cup as well, so when the muffins rise up, they won’t stick to the pan
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Whisk together oil, sugar and eggs in medium-large bowl until smooth. Add molasses, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
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Sprinkle baking powder, baking soda and salt over the top of the egg mixture and stir to combine.
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Add the flour and wheat bran and stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated, don’t over mix.
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Fold in the blueberries. Don’t stir too much or you’ll have swirls of blue rather than distinct blueberries.
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Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin cups, filling almost to the top. Sprinkle a few extra blueberries over the top of each and press them just slightly into the batter.
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Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375˚F and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the tops are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Allow to sit in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove to a cool rack.
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While the muffins are cooling, combine butter and honey in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 30-40 seconds until the butter is melted. Stir until nice and smooth.
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Brush the butter mixture lightly over the tops and sides of the warm muffins.
Peggy Schmidt says
I couldn't find any wheat bran flour at my Whole Foods or Publix, so I used bran flake cereal (put through a food processor until fine). I decreased the brown sugar to 1/3 cup to make up for any sweetener in the cereal. I also let the batter sit for 15 minutes to let soak into cereal. The muffins came out perfect! Thank you for all of your tips.
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you for letting us know, Peggy!
Sandy says
When I printed this recipe in metric, it converted the wheat bran to 473.18 g. This is WAAAAAAAY more than the 2 cups the imperial measurement calls for. I caught this error before I added the wheat bran, but could someone please check the conversion for accuracy? In the end they turned out beautifully. Thank you for such a tasty healthy recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sandy, thanks for bringing this to our attention. I have a metric converter as part of my recipe plugin and it does the conversions. I went back and rechecked this and it came up with the same results. I checked online for the correct weight in grams and have manually added that to the recipe. You were right, the conversion was way too much!
Karen says
These are delicious. I used all whole wheat flour and golden monk fruit sugar instead of brown. Love your recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Karen!
Pat Cartwright says
These taste even better than your original bran muffin recipe!
Thanks for tweaking it! I did my own tweaking accidentally. I forgot the 2/3 c white flour and was worried. Thank goodness they still turned out delicious and normal. Yes I can be “dangerous” at times in the kitchen but this one still had a great result!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome, thanks, Pat!
Tommie says
OMG these are so delicious!! Light and tender with a nutty texture. I did not have any molasses so I used date syrup. I also used oat flour in place of the AP flour because I didn't have any. I knew I would be brushing on a little of that honey butter mixture on the cut sides so I took the brown sugar down to 1/3 cup. Glad I'm home alone right now so I don't have to share! 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for letting us know, Tommie!
Virginia Allen says
OH MY GOSH! These muffins are so delicious! I wasn't sure if I'd like them because I'm not a big fan of molasses, but I blush to admit, I ATE TWO after making them. I plan to freeze a few so we'll have them later. Thanks so much!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Virginia!💕
Linda says
Hi! Cannot find wheat bran. Only Oat bran. You said in comments too heavy, would not work.
Are you suggesting bran flakes and place in food processor or blender?
If not what is a substitution?
What brand is wheat bran?
Also. Can one use olive oil instead?
Thanks, really trying to make these.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Linda, you could definitely use olive oil although olive oil has a stronger flavor and you may taste it in the muffins. But that's not a bad thing if you like olive oil.
Regarding the wheat bran, I usually buy Bob's Red Mill (Hodgson Mill is another popular brand). Grocery stores often have a section with different varieties of Bob's Red Mill products. If you have a Whole Foods near you, they also carry it: https://amzn.to/2NYcr26
You can also get wheat bran online: https://amzn.to/36BYYTZ
I haven't tested this recipe with anything other than wheat bran so I can't guarantee success with a substitution.
Kathy says
I made these muffins but used ap flour with 3/4c ground oatmeal.
Tmuffins hese are the best bran muffins I have ever made!
Everybody really liked them too.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Kathy.
Carol Tieman says
Loved these muffins better than the original one bowl bran muffin! They are so so moist even after being frozen. I also used regular blueberries and they were delicious! LOve your website.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks, Carol!
Janet C says
I went searching for wheat bran just to make these...it took 4 stores before I had success! I haven’t had one yet, but wanted to mention I sprayed my muffin tin as directed, but really wish I’d used liners...virtually every muffin broke as I had to pry them out of the pan...so they aren’t pretty like yours! I’m sure they’ll be good though!
Chris Scheuer says
I'm sorry you had trouble, Janet. Sometimes you need more baking spray than you think!
Rachel says
Do you think I could substitute flax meal for the bran flakes? Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Rachel, I haven't tested this recipe with flax meal but it is similar in texture to bran flakes so it might work. You might have to change the name of the muffins though 🙂
Lori says
Looking forward to making these, but Inwant to make sure that you use both the whole wheat and all purpose flour.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lori, yes, it's a combination of WW and AP flour. I have made them with 100% AP flour with great results also. Enjoy!
Amy says
I made these this morning and just finished eating one for breakfast. They are wonderful! I’ve made lots of “healthy” muffins and they usually are flavorless and dry. These are so tender, moist and delicious!
I really enjoy your blog. The recipes are great, I love reading your wonderful stories and product recommendations and the photography is beautiful! Thank you for making me a baking rock star in my family!
P.S. FYI, I think where to add the salt is missing from the instructions.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, for sharing your results, Amy! I'm so happy you enjoyed them. We ate the last of ours this morning and I'm already missing them!
I appreciate your kind words about the blog too! That's my job, to make you a kitchen rock star! 🥰
Thanks for the heads-up about the salt. I have corrected that.
Lynda says
These look so good! I can’t wait to get to the store for blueberries! I also would love to know where you found the blueberry paper liners. They are so cute!! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes, and easy to follow directions.
Chris Scheuer says
HI Lynda, hope you enjoy these muffins. I actually found the cupcake liners at Homegoods. But I just did an online search and found them here.
sunnysewsit says
I can't wait to try these muffins! Years ago and in another life I worked for a tech company that sent many of us for training to Massachusetts, and I fell in love with the sugary, high-calorie muffins at the little shops there. Have not eaten them for years, and this recipe sounds far more healthy. I inadvertently purchased a Bobs Red Mill package of bran and when home I realized it was oat bran - what do you think about using that instead of wheat bran? Chris, your dessert and cake recipes are far too tempting - I'm sure I have gained weight through this pandemic just cooking and baking more! Those croissants made with the flaky pastry flour are another must try. I have made your morning glory muffins many times and as gifts - the recipients always ask for the recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sunny, yes, I think these muffins will be much healthier but just as delicious!
Regarding your question, I think that oat bran is a lot heavier than wheat bran and the texture of the cupcakes would not be the same.
So glad you've enjoyed the Morning Glory muffins! 💕
Patricia says
Hello Chris,
• I’m reducing this recipe by half....Do you suggest using 1 or 2 eggs, or would either amount work?
• Also, what size egg for this recipe?
Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Patricia, sorry I somehow missed a few comments this week. If you halve the recipe, I would probably go with 1 egg and 1 egg yolk. I always use large eggs so you could also go with 2 smaller eggs.
Cabot Mama says
When a baked goods recipe calls for oil, I frequently substitute unsweetened applesauce plus a couple of tablespoons of oil - with great success. Do you think it will work in this recipe?
We love blueberries and can't wait to try this recipe as soon as I find some frozen wild ones!
Chris Scheuer says
You could definitely try that although if you use a healthy oil like sunflower or grape seed or avocado oil, you're adding a small amount (per muffin) of really good fat into your diet.