Janet’s Yogurt Bran Muffins are light, moist, full of flavor, and quick to make. Try the many easy variations. Healthy and delicious, they will be a new favourite!
They Really ARE the Best
Yes, I stand by my promise that Janet’s Yogurt Bran Muffins will be the best you’ll ever taste. I think this recipe has been shared nearly 40,000 times, so perhaps these will become THE way to make them. One can only hope – dry, hard “high fiber” muffins are awful.
In my cookbook, I mention that any recipes with someone’s name on them are a mark of excellence, my guarantee of a great recipe you’ll make over and over again.
I worked with Janet for several years and she essentially taught me how to cook, so there are many things that remind me of her.
These muffins, though.
What is in Janet’s Yogurt Bran Muffins?
Yogurt – this is the secret ingredient that makes these muffins so moist and tangy. You can use any kind of yogurt you have on hand, even if it’s past its prime. Plain or flavored, low-fat or full-fat, it all works.
Baking soda – this reacts with the yogurt to create bubbles of carbon dioxide that help the muffins rise and stay light.
Oil – a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil is best for these muffins, as it adds moisture without affecting the flavor. If you only have olive oil, make sure it’s a mild one. With that said, I’ve definitely made it with melted and cooled lard, and I didn’t get complaints. Your mileage may vary on that if your family isn’t already used to eating lard.
Brown sugar – this adds sweetness and a hint of caramel to the muffins. You can make your own by mixing white sugar with molasses, or use store-bought.
Egg – this binds the ingredients together and adds some protein and richness.
All-bran cereal – these are little nuggets of wheat bran that add fiber and texture to the muffins. They soften as they soak in the liquid ingredients, but still retain some crunch. Don’t confuse them with bran flakes or oat bran, which have a different consistency.
Flour – you can use all-purpose flour or a mix of white and whole wheat flour for these muffins. Either way, they will be tender and fluffy. I don’t recommend all whole wheat, but if someone does attempt this, please let me know if they remain light.
Baking powder – this gives an extra boost of leavening to the muffins, along with the baking soda.
Salt – this enhances the flavor of the other ingredients and balances out the sweetness, and it is an essential ingredient.
Berries, raisins, or chopped fruit – this is where you can get creative and add some color and flavor to your muffins. You can use fresh or frozen berries, dried or fresh fruit, or even chocolate chips if you’re feeling indulgent.
You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry or fridge already, except maybe for the cereal. I’ve always found it easily in any grocery store, but some of my readers tell me they have to hunt for it. It’s worth the effort, though, because it gives these muffins their distinctive texture and flavor.
You’ll notice that there’s no butter in this recipe, and that’s deliberate. Butter may be delicious, but it also makes muffins heavy, dry, and prone to staling. Oil, on the other hand, keeps them moist and light for days.
One way to save some money on this recipe is to make your own Greek yogurt. It’s not hard at all, and you’ll end up with a thick and creamy yogurt that you can use for many things. I like to strain it until it’s as thick as cream cheese and spread it on toast or crackers. It’s much healthier than the store-bought kind, and cheaper too.
What Kind of Cereal Can I Use?
This can get very confusing. There are three types of All-Bran cereal as far as I can tell, and they are NOT interchangeable. Each has a different shape, texture, and nutritional profile. This means that they also have different amounts of liquid absorption, sweetness, and leavening power.
In order to substitute one type for another, you will need to adjust the amount of cereal, liquid, sugar, and baking powder, as well as the baking time and temperature. In other words, it would be a completely different recipe.
All-Bran Original is the classic version, and it’s made from 86% wheat bran. It consists of small, crunchy cylinders that look like rabbit pellets. A serving (2/3 cup) has 12 grams of fiber, 160 calories, 4 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 18 grams of net carbs. This is the type that Janet’s Bran Muffins use and it’s the only one that I’ve tried.
All-Bran Buds is a newer version, made from 78% wheat bran. It consists of tiny, dense nuggets that look like granola. A serving (1/2 cup) has 17 grams of fiber, 150 calories, 5 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 24 grams of net carbs. In order to use this in the bran muffins, you would need to crush them and soak them in more liquid, which would then upset the balance of liquid and dry ingredients. More baking powder would be needed to counterbalance the acidity and sweetness, and they would dry out or burn at the baking time and temperature listed. I haven’t tested any of these.
All-Bran Flakes is another version, with 58% whole wheat and 18% wheat bran. It consists of thin, crispy flakes that look like corn flakes. A serving (3/4 cup) has only 5 grams of fiber, 110 calories, 4 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 22 grams of net carbs. In order to use this instead of the All-Bran Original, you would need to increase the cereal and liquid to get the same texture and moisture. With less sweetness and a lot more cereal, you’d need more sugar and more baking powder, and they would take longer to cook.
What cookbook?
You may be curious about the cookbook I mentioned earlier. It’s called A Cabin Full of Food, and it’s a treasure trove of ‘Grandma recipes’ – those timeless, from-scratch dishes that your mom always raves about, but never learned how to make from Grandma.
But that’s not all. It also teaches you how to preserve and store your own food, whether you grow it yourself or buy it from a farmer. And it shows you how to use it in delicious meals all year round. I wrote this book in 2014, and since then it has traveled far and wide – from my cabin in the woods to kitchens in the South of France and beyond. It’s a book for anyone who loves good food and wants to make it at home.
- Beausoleil, Marie (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 294 Pages – 06/18/2018 (Publication Date) -…
They Can’t Really Be “The Best”
I actually agree, 99% of the time, when I hear people bashing recipes called “the best” because they rarely are. I’m pretty sure this is the only recipe on my site that I call “the best” because … it is.
These muffins are moist, tender, and full of flavor. They have a secret ingredient that makes them so: yogurt. Yogurt adds tang and richness to these muffins, and helps them stay fresh for longer.
I learned this recipe from my first boss Janet, who taught me how to cook at the Atlantic School of Theology many years ago. We used to make these muffins in huge batches – 96 at a time – and serve them to the students and staff. We always used whatever yogurt and fruit we had on hand, and tried to match them for extra flavor. Peach yogurt with diced peaches, blueberry yogurt with fresh or frozen blueberries, and so on.
But don’t worry if you can’t do that. These muffins are delicious with any kind of yogurt and fruit you have. I once used canned fruit cocktail when I ran out of blueberries, and they turned out great. And if you have some yogurt that’s a bit sour but still good, use it in these muffins. It will make them even better.
I can honestly say that these are the best yogurt bran muffins I’ve ever had, and I think you’ll agree with me once you taste them. These are not the kind of bran muffins that you eat out of duty or guilt. These are the kind you enjoy and savor.
They may not look very impressive, as they don’t rise much in the oven. But don’t let that fool you. They are soft and cake-like inside, with bits of fruit and bran adding texture and sweetness. My husband EJ said they tasted more like cake than a bran muffin when he tried one. He ate three more before I could stop him. The whole pan was gone in minutes.
You might notice that I don’t use vanilla extract. It’s not a mistake – you won’t
Can I eat this on my diet?
Well, that depends on what kind of diet you’re following. These muffins are high in fiber, because of the All-bran, and they have some protein from the egg and yogurt.
But they’re still muffins, after all.
They have a good deal of fiber, which your body can’t digest. In general, you can ignore fiber calories since they pass right through. They’re also not too high in calories, about 200 each, if you count calories.
But if you’re avoiding carbs altogether, these muffins are not for you.
They have 27-32 grams of net carbs each (depending on the ingredients used), which is a lot if you’re on a keto or low-carb diet. However, if you have some room for carbs in your diet, these muffins are a great way to use them. They will keep you satisfied and energized for hours. Pair them with some eggs and bacon, and you have a hearty breakfast that will fuel your day. I’ve heard that it’s better to eat your carbs in the morning, so these muffins are perfect for that.
I’m sorry to say that I don’t have a gluten-free version of these muffins. All-bran is made from wheat bran, so it contains gluten. If you can’t have gluten, you can’t have these muffins. Maybe someday I’ll find a way to make them gluten-free, but for now, I can’t. I also haven’t tested them with a gluten-free flour because … well, there’s no way to make them gluten-free!
If you’re counting WW points, you can make some easy swaps to lower the points without sacrificing the taste. Use fat-free Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt. Use mashed banana instead of oil, half the amount. And use a zero-point sweetener like Golden Monk fruit instead of brown sugar.
And if you’re looking to lower the carb count – again, use Golden monk fruit instead of the brown sugar. That will drop about 11 grams of carb per muffin. And look carefully at your yogurt – choose one with high fat and low carbs (I use Danone’s Two Good 1g Sugar)
What sort of oil?
Whatever kind you usually bake with. I usually use light olive oil, but yes, you can use a half cup vegetable oil, if that’s what you usually use.
What kind of salt?
Like most of my recipes, this is again one of those “whatever you usually use”. We don’t have regular table salt at our house – I use sea salt (which is what I use in baking), Celtic gray salt (for trace elements), and Pink/Purple Himalayan salt (because it’s pretty), depending on mood and food. There’s only 1/2 tsp salt in this, so use the kind you have or the kind you like best.
Can I use honey or maple syrup?
Simple answer is that I don’t know.
Can I add cinnamon or vanilla extract or coconut flakes or …?
You can, but you probably won’t taste it unless you use a lot. Check the comments to see what variations readers have made.
Let’s make some delicious Yogurt Bran Muffins!
This mixes together quickly, so you should have everything together before you start. Start preheating your oven to 350F.
Combine yogurt and soda in large bowl. Sometimes the reaction makes it puff up a lot.
Mix oil, sugar, egg, and bran in second small bowl. Let it set for a moment to soften the bran. This is a VERY important step and it only adds a minute or two to the prep time.
I know that some people must eat this as cereal, but I just can never get past how these little rabbit pellets look. So for me, their only real use is in these muffins.
Add yogurt to bran mixture. The yogurt should be rather fluffy by now from reacting to the soda.
Add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in fruit.
Truly – if you had all the ingredients together, that took you only a few minutes.
Divide batter between 12 lightly greased muffin cups.
Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes or until firm and golden brown.
One thing you need to know about these muffins is that they’re very delicate when they come out of the oven. You need to let them cool down a bit in the muffin tins on a wire rack, or they’ll crumble when you try to take them out.
I know it’s hard to wait, but trust me, it’s worth it. These muffins are so good when they’re slightly warm and moist. You don’t want to ruin them by being impatient.
Some people use paper muffin liners to make it easier to remove the muffins, but I don’t like them. They’re wasteful and they stick to the muffins and take away some of the crust. I’d rather have a few crumbs than a paper wrapper.
I’ve also tried silicone muffin liners, but they’re not much better. They’re hard to clean and they make the muffins look weird. I prefer to use a good non-stick muffin pan and grease it lightly.
But hey, if you don’t mind paper or silicone liners, go ahead and use them. Whatever works for you. Just make sure you let the muffins cool down before you enjoy them.
PrintJanet’s Yogurt Bran Muffins – The Best You’ll Ever Taste
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
Description
Janet’s Yogurt Bran Muffins perfectly combine healthy and delicious. They’re packed with fiber and protein while still being delicious and soft.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup All-bran ORIGINAL
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup berries, raisins, or chopped fruit
Instructions
In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and baking soda. It will get foamy and fluffy as they react.
In another bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, and egg until well combined. Stir in the bran cereal and let it sit for a few minutes to soften.
Pour the yogurt mixture into the bran mixture and mix well.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and gently fold them in with a spatula or wooden spoon. Don’t overmix or your muffins will be tough. Fold in your choice of berries, raisins, or chopped fruit.
Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups that have been lightly greased or lined with paper liners. Fill them almost to the top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool slightly in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack or enjoying them warm.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Quickbread
- Method: Oven
Jan says
These are absolutely the best. However I use bran flakes, cut the sugar to half cup and use half oil, half applesauce. So good! Make them all the time! Thank you.
Sue says
Used a banana instead of oil, low-fat Greek yogurt, egg whites and half the amount of sugar. Turned out great and very tasty.
Mrs. Mona Blaker says
I made these this morning, and they are delicious!
Here’s my substitutions:
I used lemon yogurt,
I used 1/4 cup oil + 1/4 cup berry applesauce,
I cut the sugar in half + added a mashed banana,
I used about 1/4 cup of bran and the rest Fibre One cereal (ran out of bran)
I used frozen mixed berries
I shaved the zest of one lemon into and on top of the muffin batter.
I’ll be making this again, it’s a great way to use up almost-expired yogurt !
Marie Beausoleil says
I love the changes. Lemon yogurt with berries is a great combo. I’ll add a note in the recipe that Fibre One works. I definitely agree with lowering the sugar if you use Fibre One – it’s sweeter and has a milder bran taste.
Jacquie says
Loved these muffins! I made them vegan by replacing the egg with apple sauce and using oat milk yogurt. I also added chopped dates, golden raisins and walnuts.
SHELLEY CLEMENTS says
Hi! I just wanted to know how much applesauce did you use to replace the egg in the recipe? TIA 😊
Marie Beausoleil says
Hi, Shelley. The general rule for muffins (and it works here, too), is 1/4 cup applesauce = 1 egg. Hope that helps. 🙂
Sadie says
used half oil and half applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar and a 1/4 cup honey
whole wheat flour
all the warm spices on hand
chopped apricots for the fruit
my husband, 4 year old daughter, and I ate them in two days
Marie Beausoleil says
Love it! I love seeing the changes people make.
Rita says
These are almost EXACTLY. the changes I made using unsweetened applesauce, almond milk and a half cup of sunflower seeds since I had no pecans.
Doris says
These muffins are the absolute best bran muffins I ever made. I used Greek yogurt. And I let the bran mixture sit a bit in the yogurt mixture do ths bran would be a little softer. The best !!!
Marie Beausoleil says
I know, right?! 🙂
Linda says
Bake these muffin this afternoon. It’s yummy and moist. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
Brenda Fisher says
I haven’t made these yet because I am wondering if I can use buttermilk instead of the yogurt. Please, let me know your thoughts on this!
Marie Beausoleil says
Do you mean the thick, creamy cultured buttermilk? If so, I haven’t used it myself but there is no reason NOT to. I’ve found that most “sour” dairy products are pretty interchangeable – sour cream, plain yogurt, cultured buttermilk, clabber. Buttermilk is actually the only one I have NOT used in this yet! Please report back and tell me how it tastes. (Now I’m interested in trying – just added buttermilk to my grocery list.)
Cathy says
Delicious, I only had oikos vanilla yogurt, used half applesauce half oil,and half whole wheat flour, turned out great, I also soak my raisins in hot water, finally found the old fashioned flavor that I remember, in a healthier version
Heather Hepting says
I must have used the wrong cereal because my muffins were not dark,they were a very light colour. I used Kellogg All Bran Original. Please advise
marie says
All Bran Original is what I’ve always used. Did you use brown sugar? Despite the color, did they taste good?
Janet says
Awesome. Best bran muffin recipe I have ever made. I used lemon yogurt and blueberries.
Cheryl says
Did you use All Bran cereal or All Bran Buds? Looks like regular All Bran cereal in your pics but in description it says
All Bran Buds?
Marie Beausoleil says
I have always made it with All Bran Original, and I did make a mistake in how I edited, trying to make it more clear. I’ve fixed that and included photos to make sure it’s clear. I also explained why they aren’t really interchangeable. Thank you for asking. 🙂
Judy Wood says
A wonderful classic bran muffin. I remembered what my mother did decades ago, which was to soak the raisins in boiling water (or tea) to soften and plump them before draining and adding to the muffin mixture. Makes a good recipe even better. Aside from that, I make them exactly as in the recipe.
Marie Beausoleil says
Absolutely! I do that with Jumbo Hermits, so I don’t know why I’ve never done it with these.
Karen says
These are good, but I prefer to add a bit of molasses to the recipe
Marie Beausoleil says
Brown sugar is white sugar + molasses. Since I don’t generally keep brown sugar on hand, I’ll usually use 3/4 cup white sugar and 1-2 Tablespoons molasses. 1 Tablespoon is similar to light brown sugar while 2 Tablespoon will make it more like dark brown sugar, and the muffins will be darker. Absolutely adjust the amount of molasses you use to personal taste. 🙂
Emily says
Very easy and tasty muffins!
LK says
I made these today, followed the recipe exactly, with fresh cranberries and they tasted good and had a nice texture. They all sunk a little in the middle though. Any idea why that would happen?
Marie Beausoleil says
It might have been that there was a too much moisture in the fresh cranberries. Personally, as long as it still tastes good, I don’t worry, but yes, I think when I’ve used fresh fruit, they sink a little. Try craisins and you shouldn’t have the same problem.
Janet Fryer says
I have made these for quite some time. Absolutely amazing. I always make a double batch. Today I made 2 double batches. I use lemon yogurt and make them as written. I’ve tried blueberries and another time craissons. My husband of 56 years prefers them just plain.
I bake a lot and these are the best and only muffin recipe I make anymore.
You deserve 20 stars
Marie Beausoleil says
You are so sweet. Thank you. That made my day. 🙂
Rosiebunny says
If you use parchment paper muffin liners, nothing sticks to them! Easy cleanup!
Marie Beausoleil says
Absolutely! I like the parchment ones better than regular paper, when I use them.
Mary E. says
I made these today; they truly are so incredibly moist and delicious! Below are the modifications I made.
1. I didn’t have yogurt, so I made buttermilk by mixing 1 T Vinegar into 1 cup of milk. (I used 2%.)
2. I added 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
3. I added 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
4. I used 1 cup King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat Flour, and 1 cup of Kellogg’s All Bran cereal. *
* After putting all wet ingredients (plus sugar and baking soda) into one bowl, then I added the 1 cup of All Bran. After letting the All Bran soak for 10 minutes, I used an immersion blender to thoroughly incorporate the All Bran into the wet ingredients. Finally I stirred in the dry ingredients, then folded in 1/2 cup softened raisins and 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts.
Marie Beausoleil says
That sounds great! Did you use any fruit?
I’m really curious about the immersion blender. Please don’t think I’m criticizing – I’ve learned a lot of great ideas from readers who do things differently than I do. 🙂 Was there a reason you used it? I’ve never found a problem with the wet ingredients mixing together, and the All Bran disappears into the batter.
Yogurt, cultured buttermilk (that you buy from the store), sour milk (ie., raw milk allowed to sour), soured milk (what you used) – every one of these should work well with this recipe.
Beverly klinzing says
My muffins sunk allot to and I followed the recipe exact and I put no fruit in mine like the lady who used cranberry’s I have a picture no place to post. I did measure my flour and sometimes u need to use the old fashion way and measure the flour with a cup instead of a scale makes a big difference.
Marie Beausoleil says
They won’t ever rise a lot, not with all of that All Bran, but they shouldn’t sink. I’m sorry. I hope they still tasted good.
Please correct me if I’m misunderstanding you about the measuring. This recipe definitely doesn’t require a scale. There’s only a cup of flour in it, and I’ve used both a measuring cup and a half-pint canning jar, so it’s pretty forgiving. It should work with both fruit and no fruit. My son even made it once with white sugar and no molasses. It’s a pretty flexible recipe.
Could you check your oven temperature? The main reason for muffins to sink is that the oven isn’t the right temperature, so the inside doesn’t cook quickly enough. A lot of people have ovens that aren’t exactly the temperature the dial says. And maybe, because the world and micro-climates are a weird thing, you might need to increase the temperature a little. With that said, I’ve made these in several different electric ovens, including convection ovens, a gas oven, and a wood-burning oven, so it’s pretty forgiving when it comes to slight temperature differences.
Another thing to check is your baking soda and baking powder. Is it still good?
The last thing that I can think of is – did you overmix? When you put the mixtures together to form the batter, it really should be gently. Muffins should always be “just barely” mixed. I know one lady in the comments used an immersion blender but that was just with the wet ingredients.
Rachel says
Best bran muffin recipe and now the only one I use. I interchange raisins for dried apricot or cranberries for variety. Thank you for sharing.
Lisa says
I love these muffins and so does my family! I always make a double batch because they go fast lol. I use a low fat vanilla yogurt and All Bran Buds. I don’t crush the buds, I use them as they are and it works out great!
These are super easy to make and it’s the only recipe I use 😊
Sharon Albanese says
I made the mistake of using light olive oil since it was all I had- I wish I had read some of these comments before because I would have substituted half the oil for grated apple or something else. They turned out beautifully in appearance and texture but have a heavy oil aftertaste- totally my fault. I’ll try again with less oil and next time I’ll also add some cinnamon since they were a bit bland (again, probably because the oil overpowered everything else). It just shows what happens when you don’t read the comments first!!
Lynn says
I like to add grated carrots and unsweetened coconut flakes to the recipe along with dried cranberries.
Kalai Moodley says
I love this recipe but tried a new twist by adding an extra egg, 1 tsps cinnamon powder, 1/4 cup dessicated coconut and 1/4 cup chopped pecan nuts. They were delicious and my family gobbled them up before they could even cool down. Thank you for such a flexible and foolproof recipe.
Marie Beausoleil says
That sounds great! What inspired you to add the extra egg?
Christine says
How do you substitute molasses?
Marie Beausoleil says
I have never tried making it with just molasses (or honey or any other liquid sweetener). If that’s what you want to do, I’d try adding a little bit more flour to offset the liquid. Brown sugar can be substituted with white sugar + molasses, which is what I usually do. The formula is simply 1-2 Tablespoons molasses to every 1 cup white sugar. You can mix them together ahead of time or just add the molasses to the wet ingredients and the sugar to the dry.
Sheryl says
I made these EXACTLY as stated and they were delicious. I’ll make them again today!
Tamara says
These are so delicious, thank you! Can’t wait to try different flavored yogurts and fruits. If I want to make several dozen at a time I assume they will be good if I refrigerate them, but what about freezing them? Have you done that?
Again, thank you!!!
Marie Beausoleil says
They freeze beautifully just like most muffins. 🙂 And they scale well, too. We used to make them in batches of 48 jumbo muffins.
Janet says
I found this recipe about a year ago. I make them all the time I always make a double batch. When I can get it I always use lemon yogurt and I add Craisins to it. They are awesome. Don’t make anything else anymore. By adding the craziness to it when I make two dozen, I get 2 1/2 dozens.
Marie A says
I don’t buy packaged cereal b/c of all the “stuff” (sodium, preservatives, etc.) in them. Also I eat organic or at least non gmo. Could I use a lesser amount of oat or wheat bran or wheat germ (not a processed cereal) instead?
Marie Beausoleil says
The ingredients in All-Bran Original are quite simple: Wheat bran (86%), sugar, barley malt extract, salt, niacin, iron, vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamin, folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin B12. So – it’s wheat bran, a natural flavor, sugar, and vitamins/minerals. That’s pretty minimally processed, and most of the processing is actually milling the wheat bran.
If I had to make a substitute, I’d choose wheat bran, BUT I’m not convinced it would work. Wheat bran wouldn’t have the acidity of the malt extract, nor would it retain moisture the way the All-Bran does. You’d end up with a heavier, denser muffin, not the light and fluffy one that this recipe gives.
Cris says
This recipe is something I make weekly for us. I use a jumbo muffin pan (6 muffins) I always add coconut flakes instead chopped nuts. Frozen blueberries are a must! I replace the oil with apple sauce and bake at 425 degrees for the first 10 mins. 350 for the remaining time. Absolutely love these.
Shannon says
I made these today with bananas instead of sugar, coconut oil, wheat bran, vanilla paste and cinnamon.
With fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
Baked in ramekins. Wonderful breakfast