Blackberry Bran Muffins

So I know that bran really isn’t the most popular or crave-able ingredient.  I mean when someone is craving a baked good, I just can’t imagine that many are thinking – “wow, what I’m really craving is a fiber filled nugget of bowel-regulating pastry.” (Lol sorry… but, we all knew the nursing fecal humor would rear its ugly head one of these days).

But hear me out when I say that these bran muffins not only will make you feel morally superior and well-regulated for days, but they will actually be amazingly tasty.  You will likely reconsidered your previous bran assumptions.For a crave-ably delicious bran muffin, my criteria includes: moist, fluffy, flavorful, and did I say moist?   And what is my criteria for what to avoid in a bran muffin?  Hard, dense, crumbly, dry, bland… Blech!!

So here we are folks- I believe I’ve discovered one of the best bran muffin recipes out there and I took it over the top by slipping in some juicy and tart blackberries.  But if you don’t have access to blackberries right now, definitely feel free to substitute with any other fruit of your choice.  Raspberries would be a natural alternative, but I also imagine blueberries, diced apple, or cranberries would be amazing.  You could even throw in some dried fruits, nuts, or seeds. These blackberry bran muffins would also be an excellent snack that one could slip into one’s purse and eat on the way to one’s new job.  (Not that I would know or anything….) 😉The new job, which is going swimmingly by the way!  Thanks for asking!  I wish I could say more, but I’ll just content your curiosity by saying that I’m really really happy and I think I’ve finally found a place in the world where I can do meaningful work that fits my psychiatric care philosophy AND where I can also have a great work-life balance.   (One day I’m going to write out an essay about healthcare providers and work-life balance/culture, but I won’t bore you with that today).Let’s just gaze at these muffins and bask in the glow of the honeymoon period of a new job that is 15 minutes from my house!!!!

Did you make today’s recipe?  I love to see what my Gourmet Gourmandians’  are cooking up!  Hashtag #TheGourmetGourmand on instagram for free instalove.  (And, Uhm.. You rock 🙂 )

Blackberry Bran Muffins

Adapted from Wanna Come With

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups wheat bran
• 1 cup oat bran
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 12 oz fresh blackberries divided into 8 oz and 4 oz portions

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners and lightly grease the top of the muffin tin.
• In a large bowl combine flour, brans, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to combine dry ingredients.
• In a medium bowl combine eggs, half and half, sour cream, molasses, honey, and vegetable oil. With a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until wet ingredients are thoroughly combined. You may need to scrape the bottom of the bowl a bit with a spatula as the molasses and honey tend to settle.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Gently fold in 8 oz of fresh blackberries.
• Using a spoon or scoop, evenly distribute batter between muffins molds. Don't worry if they mound up higher than the muffin tin. These will be exra-large muffins.
• Press remaining 4 oz of blackberries into the tops of the muffins.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool in the baking tin and remove when muffins are cool to the touch.

Notes

When combining wet ingredients- pour oil in first, and then use the same measuring cup to measure the honey and the molasses. They will slide out of the measuring cup much more easily because of the oily barrier.