Entertaining

Wake ’n’ bake with these refrigerator bran muffins

Mix up this muffin batter during the week, and take it to the cabin in a cooler. When you’re ready for fresh muffins, spoon the batter into the muffin pan, and 20 minutes later you look like a total genius.

A batch of bran and blueberry muffins scattered on a table.

Wake 'n' bake refrigerator bran muffins

Evelyn Raab
Mix up this bran muffin batter during the week, and take it to the cabin in a cooler. When you’re ready for fresh muffins, spoon the batter into the muffin pan, and 20 minutes later you look like a total genius.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Bake Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Servings 24 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups natural bran
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups plain yogurt
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar light or dark
  • ½ cup raisins, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, or a combination of these optional
  • fresh or frozen berries, or diced apple optional

Instructions
 

  • Measure bran into mixing bowl. Stir in boiling water. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. (Boiling water softens the bran so it mixes in better.)
  • In another bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set the bowl aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine yogurt, eggs, oil, honey, and brown sugar. Beat until smooth.
  • Add the soaked bran and the flour mixture, and stir just until well mixed, but don’t over-beat. If you want to add raisins, dried cranberries, or nuts, stir them gently into the batter at this point.
  • Transfer to a covered container, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. The batter will keep for up to a week.
  • Grease a 12-cup muffin pan, or line compartments with paper liners. Spoon batter into muffin pan, filling to just below the top. If you’re adding fresh or frozen berries or diced apple, press fruit into the batter.
  • Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 18–20 minutes or until the muffins are nicely domed and lightly browned on top.

Notes

Batter will keep for up to a week in the fridge, if you choose not to bake right away.
Keyword bran, bran muffins, breakfast, make ahead, muffins, trail snack
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

This recipe was originally published in the Winter 2017 issue of Cottage Life magazine.

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