Raisin Bran Muffins
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A favorite cereal in a breakfast muffin? As Ina Garten might say, “How great is that?”
Now you all know I don’t claim to be a health nut (in fact, far from it), but for some reason Raisin Bran has always been a favorite cereal of mine. Something about those slightly sweetened flakes and sugary raisins is just perfect breakfast deliciousness. Nevermind that the word bran is actually in the name of the cereal, it has never deterred me from enjoying it. So a bran muffin that gets its bran from Raisin Bran? It might be the only bran muffin you’ll ever find me endorsing. So you know these must be faaaaabulous for me to be sharing them. And they are. How fun, right? Cereal in a muffin. Love it.
One of the best things about these muffins is that they get even better the longer you let the batter sit before baking. Now, I need to give a head nod to my Chief Culinary Consultant on this because we have differing opinions about the best way to eat cereal. Me? I use just enough milk and eat it immediately so that the cereal is still crunchy. I loathe soggy cereal. But he, on the other hand, covers the cereal with milk and lets it sit on the counter for a good 15 minutes so that it gets nice and soggy. Well, in this recipe, he definitely has the winning technique. The longer you let the batter sit, the softer the cereal in it becomes, and thus, more integrated into the muffins it is. Which increases the yum factor. If you bake the muffins right away, make sure to let the batter sit out on the counter for about 45 minutes before baking. If you want to wait, you can store the batter in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and it will get even better as it sits.
Score: Soggy Cereal – 1, Michelle – 0
P.S. I think this would be fantastic to try with something like Cinnamon Toast Crunch as well!
Two years ago: Cheesecake Truffles[/donotprint]
Raisin Bran Muffins
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2½ cups (147.5 g) Raisin Bran cereal
- ⅓ cup (72.67 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and sugars. Stir in the cereal; set aside.
- 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract.
- 4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, and stir until completely combined. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for at least 45 minutes (this allows the cereal to soften in the batter). If you don't want to use immediately, you can refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.
- 5. When ready to bake, divide the batter between the 12 muffin tins. Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar.
- 6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, and then in refrigerator for up to another week.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I looove this recipe so moist I did use 6 large muffin tin instead of the 12 size. Thank you for the recipe. I was scrolling and looking at recipes but didn’t have any type of bran flour and yours did not call for it and I love recipes that do not require stuff that you would not normally have on hand. Thanks again
I love this recipe and have been making it for years. The kids have eaten these since they were little and I’ve had so many people ask me for the recipe. I tried the original recipe and let the ingredients sit for 45 min, but I enjoy it more when I mix it up and bake it right away. I follow the recipe, but I add a 1/2 cup raisins- it makes a big difference.
Made them for the first time today. Love them as is. 12 perfect muffins.
Why does the first step say to preheat the oven when the batter has to sit at least 45 minutes prior to baking? If you’re going to post a recipe then details like this should not be overlooked.
These are excellent! I’ve been making these a lot lately. I add extra raisins and added walnuts in my last batch. I freeze them and zap them for a quick breakfast with some yogurt. So good!
I made these 40 years ago when my children were young. I’m happy to have found the recipe and I will be making them again now.
This is the absolute best raisin bran muffin recipe! I mentee let the cereal sit after all was mixed! Loved it!
I added one ripe banana. Omitted buttermilk just used 2% milk. I also added a sprinkle of cinnamon and omitted the sugar on top.
These are excellent! I didn’t have any buttermilk, so I used regular milk and it turned out fine. I keep them in the freezer and zap them for 15 seconds. So yummy!
Delicious. Will make again. Thank you to the commenter who suggested mixing the buttermilk and cereal at the beginning.
They are really really good, and I added cinnamon to them😊
Made these for a bunch of seniors. Nobody could get enough. Didn’t have vanilla so I used almond extract. Good recipe, highly recommend others to try.
This is a really excellent recipe that I have made dozens of times. Over the years I have tried to eliminate fats from my diet, so I substitute unsweetened applesauce for the oil…they still turn out great. I have also substituted plain kefir for buttermilk with great success. I always make a double recipe and they are gone waaaay too fast.
Absolutely wonderful made exactly as recipe measured did not have buttermilk (so used whole milk/vinegar-1 Tb plus couple drops more let set for 5 min) let batter set covered, used large muffins cups yielded 6 beautiful muffins
Ate 1 hot with melted butter and OMG so good
Yum. I added more raisins, used milk, and baking powder because I didn’t use buttermilk (acid). Next time I will add nuts. Yum. Don’t know how to post a pic. They are lovely.
I’ve made these muffins at least ten times. This is an awesome recipe. I always make a double recipe and get 24 decent sized muffins. I’m making some right now!
These are good but next time I’ll make a 1.5x batch because I barely got 11 normal sized muffins. Also will add cinnamon.
I have made hundreds of muffins over the years and without a doubt, these are the worst muffins ever. They looked unappetizing when I took them out of the oven and tasted even worse. The whole batch went directly into the garbage.
Since these appear to be, quantitatively, a 5-star recipe, you must be doing something wrong.
Making these muffins today for the second batch. I used a 6 count muffin pan for first ones, saved rest of the batter in fridge and made more a few nights later. Had enough batter left for a breakfast threat for the 2 of us. I used Raisin Bran Crunch cereal both times. Next time I am going to try the RaisinBran Cranberry . Hubby loves them! Me too! Count ended up at 16.
These muffins are delicious. When I added it to my recipe builder on My Fitness Pal they came up as 120 calories per muffin! Definitely a keeper!
I have made these muffins several times…….love them. Here are my modifications
– increased white sugar to 2/3 cup
– used 1 cup milk & 1/4 cup plain yogurt
– used Raisin Bran Crunch
– only let batter sit for 25min
– cinnamon sugar on top
Ps – took a photo but not familiar w how to use instagram. Is there an email address i can send the photo?
Hi Lillian! Thanks for sharing your modifications! You’re welcome to send a photo to michelle@browneyedbaker.com
I absolutely love your recipe for Raisin Bran Muffins… Nothing like the standard Bran Muffins. They are so delicious, tender and moist. Thank you ❤️😊…- Stephanie
Yummy! I added cinnamon and blueberries.
They’re very tasty!
Raisin Bran Muffins .. So Good . Thanks for the base
Added:
– 1/2 cup shredded Coconut
-1/2 cup shredded Carrots
-1/2 cup chopped dried Dates
-1/2 cup cooked Sweet Potato
Made these this morning to warm up the kitchen. Turned out perfect & delicious and turned out just as pictured. Only change I made was I used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose white. May use all brown sugar next time instead of white and do away with the 3 extra tablespoons. NOT overly sweet as is but I like to cut down sugar as much as possible without having to use artificial sweetener.
I followed the recipe, then added an extra 1/2 cup raisins. I folded in 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries and the zest of one orange just before baking. I only baked half the batter. These muffins are super delicious. I would use less sugar next time as a personal preference.
My mother had this recipe and they are addicting. I remember they were moist and delish. Can’t wait to make them again.
I made the muffins according to the recipe except I added pecans and coconut. They turned out great.
I baked the muffins this morning after sitting 3 days in the fridge. The batter was nice and thick. I did not have buttermilk and was not going to the store – unnecessary exposure because of the virus. I used milk and soured it with 1 T of lemon. Had it sit for an hour, or so. I used an ice cream scoop and got 16 muffins. They tasted good. Would make them again.
Best easiest muffins ever. I love this recipe. Everyone I make these for adores them. Perfect recipe.
I would give these a 3 star. Bland…tasted faintly like raisin bran (I did add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and sprinkled a bit of leftover brown sugar/cinnamon struesal on top.) I would make again, but.maybe add more raisins, or possibly craisins…and definitely some orange zest. Not bad, but if I were at a bakery I.would never buy it again.
I had a recipe for raisin bran muffins from the 70’s. It had a 1/2 cup of oil that I tried again this year. They were okay. So, was looking for a lower fat recipe and came across yours. Made them this morning. They are awesome. My old recipe soaked the cereal only 5 mins. so the raisens were not plumped up as yours are which made a big difference in flavor.
Will be nice having a different muffin besides the usual. Thank you,
I believe the 45 minutes of “rest time” should be stated in the prep time. It says the total time involved is 35 minutes. It isn’t because of the 45 minutes “rest time.” The muffins do taste good though.
So delicious! Made the recipe exactly as-is and I’m a FAN. I’ll make again and try with a little less sugar so I’ll have a little less guilt giving to my toddler lol
These are so incredibly delicious!! I make them all the time for my family and they hardly last 3 days. I add cinnamon (I’m addicted) and it makes the muffins taste even better. Even if you don’t like Raisin Bran cereal, I would definitely still try it. My kids hate the cereal but absolutely love the muffins.
looking for a recipe for raisen bran muffins
Not sure why, but the batter as written was EXTREMELY dry… I tried to fix it by adding some yogurt, but then they were too moist. What went wrong?
Hi Emily, Did you allow the batter to sit for 45 minutes as directed? That helps to break down the cereal and adds to the moisture.
I don’t actually like raisin bran but this is the second time, and not the last, that I’ll make these muffins. I use yogurt for the buttermilk and they are wonderful.
Hmmm…I have not made these before and I am considering making these. How about using (melted) butter instead of veggie oil? What changes will need to be made? Also, can I mix the batter and store in the fridge or counter over night and bake in the morning? Do I need to let the dough get to room temp before baking? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi John, I would not recommend substituting melted butter for the vegetable oil, as it will change the texture of the muffins. I have not tried refrigerating the batter overnight and then baking, so I can’t guarantee how they would turn out, but if you try it, I would refrigerate the batter, not leave it out.
Mixed a batch as prescribed in the recipe tonight and am leaving in the fridge for about 8 hours. The plan is to bake them in the morning for breakfast. Prep time was a little less than 15 min, used the muffin method so minimum mixing by hand, about 14 seconds, let it sit for 15 min on the counter then into the fridge. Will let you know how it turns out. How are the Penguins looking this year?
Flashes of awesomeness, but riddled with injuries. We played our game tonight with a ton of call-ups. Hopefully we can get healthy after the holidays!
Did not turn out as well as I expected but they were delishious. Well worth the effort. Problems were due to bakers errors in technique not the recipe. Did not get much rise out of the muffins, or at least not as much as I had expected, and I expected a deeper browning. Getting a newer batch of baking soda next time I try this and I will not refriderate. I figure it will be best to make sure I have the technique down first before trying the extended rest. Still early in the hockey season, I’m sure the ‘guins will finish strong. Dispite the Sykora name, I’m a Wings fan.
You can avoid the waiting period if you put all your liquids on top of your cereal first and then start your dry ingredients in another bowl. The cereal gets sufficiently soggy pretty quick this way.
My husband loves raisin bran cereal. We both love these muffins. I added extra raisins. Sinfully healthy.
I’ve made this recipe with reg bran flakes and then this morning with banana nut crunch cereal. I added cinnamon to both. DIVINE. my four, two and one year olds gobbled them up. thanks for the recipe!
This is lucky to come across this. I was trying to find a recipe for raisin bran muffins where I had everything and this meets the bill.
I am looking for a raisin bran (crunch!) type muffin recipe to try out tomorrow and I kind of like the look of this one. However, I have only brown sugar and regular milk. What do you think? Do you think this would still taste good?
Thanks and I think I’ve just tried to give it a whirl, so thanks again!
Hi Rachel, Great! Would love to know what you did to adapt and how you liked them! Enjoy!
Made the batter for these last night and baked them in a mini muffin tin this morning for breakfast. Delicious! Kept coming back for “just one more” several times =). Thanks for the easy, tasty recipe.
I made these muffins last night, and gave them to my daughter and husband to try. They don’t like Raisin Bran at all, so I didn’t tell them what was in them (or the name of them, of course!). My daughter loved them and thought they were apple muffins. My husband also loved them and thought they were cinnamon muffins. Only after they tasted them and confessed their love for them, did I let them in on the main ingredient. Great recipe, great muffin!!
I had raisin bran for breakfast this morning (and love plenty of milk in my cereal)! It’s my turn for Friday Breakfast at work this week, and I think I’ll be giving these muffins a try. Thanks for sharing!
These muffins are delicious. My daughter says it is her favorite. Will be part of my weekly muffin rotation.
I made these muffins this weekend — they were delicious!
I have become addicted to the honey bran raisin muffin at Dunkin Donuts. It is becoming a spendy addiction. I was just thinking the other day that I need to find out how to make something similar.
And behold—I found this linked to Mom Advice’s blog. Yay!
:)
Oooooooooooh! This looks fantastic! I am putting Raisin Bran on my grocery list to make these muffins.
Whenever I go to this bakery counter, there are tons of lovely muffins to choose. Which do I decide on? The brown, boring bran one that I love. But if I can make my own from a rockin’ cereal, even better. Thanks so much for sharing! *bookmarks*.
id love to see what these are like with cinnamon toast crunch!
I LOVE raisin bran. It is my favorite. I can’t wait to try these.
These look awesome! You and I totally agree on the proper way to eat cereal.
This is such a good idea!!!
I was just thinking what I was going to do with all the cereal in my cupboard. Maybe I’ll try this :)
Yum!!! Raisin bran is one of my favorite cereals too, especially with added banana!!!! These look so good :)
Not to bad considering I don’t care for raisins. I did add more raisins though. It’s a keeper!
I love Raisin Bran – this looks delicious! Want one for breakfast.
Wish I had these muffins for breakfast! xo
You totally grabbed my attention with the Cinnamon Toast Crunch idea. I’m totally a 6 year old when it comes to cereal preferences!
I do like things with bran in it and for some reason, I love bran muffins. This idea with the cereal seems genius to me.
YUMMY!! Great sounding muffin :0)
What a great idea! My family loves Raisin Bran, so I will have to try this muffin.
I just read Joy’s recipe the other day and I was thinking I need to get my box of bran flakes out and make some. Delicious!
I had raisin bran for breakfast this morning (and love plenty of milk in my cereal)! It’s my turn for Friday Breakfast at work this week, and I think I’ll be giving these muffins a try. Thanks for sharing!
I love a nice healthy muffin for breakfast! I’ve never tried making them with Raisin Bran so I’m definitely going to try this recipe.
What a creative recipe! Raisin Bran is one of my favorite cereals. I would probably love these muffins!
Mmm, these look great! I’m definitely a Raisin Bran fan. :-)
Looks good!! I have come across this recipe several times and have been curious,I need to give it a go!
P.S. I’m with you on the soggy cereal…BLECK!!!
I know these as Semester Muffins…
http://kitchentimes.blogspot.com/2009/09/semester-muffins.html
And these are my husband’s favorite muffins too. I should make him some!
Great muffin recipe. I am a raisin fan:)
Loving these muffins. I am trying to eat better..sort of on a healthy kick. Not sure how long it will last. Thanks for the recipe. I agree with you, though, soggy cereal sounds great in the muffins but not in the bowl..LOL.
Ohhh yum, yum, yum! I love muffins! Especially when they’re easy :)
Oh this is simply genius!! I’m going to try this with my favorite cereals!
one of my fav!
The muffins look super good! Great photos!
I am going to try this soon! Thanks for the recipe:D