I love being a blogger. People just send you great ideas! This one came from Krista S. She sent a muffin recipe she found online and adapated. I, of course, changed it slightly to use what I had on hand and make the toddler happy. He declared "I don't like raisins in my muffins!" So we skipped them and the pecans and stuck with a simple apple muffin.
I love how they came out. REAL most and sweet. Almost too sweet, so you may want to reduce the honey by a tablespoon if you don't like a sweeter muffin. The toddler? well... the toddler took a bite and declared he "loved them!" Then he took another bite and said he didn't. Ahhh how I LOVE 3 year olds! All in all he liked the flavor but the apple chunks got him. As soon as he hit one he made a face. I think he gets it from me, I never liked chunks in things when I was a kid either. If it wasn't chocolate chips then I didn't want it in my cookies. Raisins, nuts, whatever. My mom used to grind them up so I wouldn't complain. 🙂
Anyway, this is how I made them and I'll put Krista's original ingredients in [brackets].
Ingredients
- ¾ c whole wheat flour (90g)
- ½ c wheat bran (30g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (61g)
- 2 tablespoon molasses (41g) [¼ c brown sugar]
- ¼ cup non-fat yogurt + ¼ cup water [½ c nonfat milk]
- 1 teaspoon vanilla [¾ t vanilla]
- 3 tablespoon honey (63g)
- 1 medium apple, cored, & diced (I left the skin on)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin cups by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon) in a bowl. Set aside.
Whisk the wet ingredients (applesauce, molasses, yogurt, water, vanilla, honey) together in another bowl.
Mix the dry and wet ingredients together with the diced apple. [Krista also added raisins and pecans]
Spoon into muffin sprayed muffin tins (9-10). Bake about 20 minutes. Cool in muffin tin for a minute and then remove to cool on wire rack.
Here's a little before and after baking...
And here's my measurer. 🙂 I really LOVE baking with him. Notice the mess.
As for the nutritional information. This is based on how I made them. I got 10 but they were small. 9 would probably be better.
📖 Recipe
Apple Bran Muffins
Ingredients
- ¾ c whole wheat flour 90g
- ½ c wheat bran 30g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce 61g
- 2 tablespoon molasses 41g [¼ c brown sugar]
- ¼ cup non-fat yogurt + ¼ cup water [½ c nonfat milk]
- 1 teaspoon vanilla [¾ t vanilla]
- 3 tablespoon honey 63g
- 1 medium apple cored, & diced (I left the skin on)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin cups by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon) in a bowl. Set aside.¾ c whole wheat flour, ½ c wheat bran, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Whisk the wet ingredients (applesauce, molasses, yogurt, water, vanilla, honey) together in another bowl.¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, 2 tablespoon molasses, ¼ cup non-fat yogurt + ¼ cup water [½ c nonfat milk], 1 teaspoon vanilla [¾ t vanilla], 3 tablespoon honey
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients together with the diced apple. (Krista also added raisins and pecans)1 medium apple
- Spoon into muffin sprayed muffin tins (9-10). Bake about 20 minutes. Cool in muffin tin for a minute and then remove to cool on wire rack.
Mj
What would happen if I added an egg to the batter?
roni
I've never done it but I've heard you can sub them pretty easily. Totally worth a try!
Chelsea
Could I use wheat germ instead of bran? I have a big bag to use up!
roni
I haven't but it could be worth a try. They just may be denser.
Maria
hi, anybody tried using oat bran insted of wheat bran?? pls let me know? tks!
roni
Sarah,
Wheat bran is just that, The bran of the wheat. This may help. http://www.wheatfoods.org/AboutWheat-what-is-wheat/Index.htm
As for the molasses... I like to experiment and try to reduce the amount of sugar in my recipes. It's just a personal preference.
Hope that helps!
-Roni
sarah
what is wheat bran? ive never used it before- could i possibly use ground up fiber one original cereal instead? also- i'm curious as to why you used the molasses instead of brown sugar?
thanks!
Lisa
Anyone tried grating the apple to avoid the chunks? My toddler loves some sweetrolls that I make, and they have grated apple. You keep the moisture and taste w/out the "chunky surprise". I may try and get back to you... Roni, I've only looked at your recipes for about 20 minutes, but I love the look of them so far and have noted 4 I want to try right away. Thanks!!!
Rebecca
I made these the other day and I really liked them. I put the extra in the fridge and have been heating them up in the microwave.
Jessica Levine
I just made these and they were delicious! I added 1 cup of blueberries which made the muffins extremely moist! I look forward to experimenting with some other additions. And it was not necessary to peel the apple, which make the prep work much easier.
-Jessica, HartleyConfections.com
Diane
Another great recipe, Roni (& Krista). I made these this morning and added some raisins...they came out fantastic! Toddler & Husband approved on this end. 😉 Thank you so much.
Laura
I tried this over the weekend. it is my new permanent bran muffin. Really moist. And the applies help it a lot too.
Liesl Hypki
Fabulous!! I found this recipe the other day, and since it's Saturday (sleep in) morning, I decided to make them! Absolutely delicious!!
Emily
These look great. (and only 1 point!) I just discovered your blog about a month ago and I've been cooking up a storm. Thanks so much for all the great recipe ideas.
I had one thought: (might be hard to do, but I just thought I'd throw it out there) I would love to be able to save the recipes that I want to make (or made and loved.) Anyway to have a sign-in section and an ability to save a "favorites" page?
Off to the grocery store for wheat bran 🙂
roni
Maria - Interesting idea! I think they might work! If you try it let us know!
Marie
What do you think about using Grape-Nuts instead of wheat bran?
Rebecca
I will have to try these. I so love that you use wt measurements in your recipes. Thanks so much for posting this way. This reminds me that I have not made your banana muffins for a while.
Rebecca
Emily
I may have to try these, but I like enormous (bakery sized) muffins. lol So I'd probably end up getting only 5 or 6. 😛
Do you have low fat/low cal recipes for chocolate muffins? Preferably without banana.. 🙂
roni
Well I just had another and still good the next day! Thanks so much for sharing them with me! 🙂
-Roni
Krista S.
Glad you guys liked them! I thought they were too sweet with 3 T honey, too, so I think I'll cut it down to 2 next time and see how it goes. I love the change out of brown sugar to molasses. I wanted to do that, too, but wasn't sure of the measurement! My kids didn't like the raisins (1/4 c) in mine or the apples, so the Other Half and I were the sole recipients of the muffins. I really like how they stay moist even after a couple of days.
roni
I used a regular sized pan! But now that I looked at the pics they do look small! LOL
barbara
Is this a regular sized muffin or mini? I ALWAYS make and have on hand your mini blueberry bran muffins. I make a batch or two and freeze them. They are great for breakfast or a snack because they are truly filling!
roni
I'm not one for chunks either, still and I liked these. The apple got real soft. So you may want to try it.
If not have you seen this one.. https://greenlitebites.com/2007/11/10/100-whole-wheat-banana-nut-muffins/
It's still my go to for muffins. 🙂
Hallie
I've been wanting to make a healthy muffin I could have for breakfast...so thank you! But since I'm kinda with the toddler on the fruit chunks, do you think I could sub banana? Or maybe I could just be a grown up and try it as directed 🙂
ttfn300
hehe, he looks cleaner than when i'm baking 🙂
roni
Yup! Replace the yogurt and water with 1/2 cup soy milk! 🙂
melissa (fitnessnyc)
look great!
Laura
Sounds yummy! Any ideas on what the yogurt could be replaced with to make these vegan?