Healthy Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

These are some of my all-time favorite bran muffins! They’re really tender and full of cozy spices, and the sweet pops of flavor from the raisins are absolutely irresistible. It’s almost like eating carrot cake for breakfast! Leftover muffins will keep for at least a week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

1 ½ cups (180g) oat bran (measured like this and gluten-free if necessary)
½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
¾ cup (180mL) nonfat milk, divided
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large egg whites, room temperature
¼ cup (60mL) molasses, room temperature
¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
1 ½ cups (160g) freshly grated carrots (peeled first!)
¼ cup (40g) raisins (see Notes!)

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together the oat bran, Greek yogurt, ½ cup of milk, and vanilla extract. Let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a third bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and egg whites. Stir in the molasses and maple syrup. Add the oat bran mixture, stirring until fully incorporated. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and remaining ¼ cup of milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Fold in the carrots and raisins.
Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes or until the tops feel firm to the touch. Cool in the muffin cups for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack.

Notes: Other readers have had success substituting wheat bran for the oat bran. I have not tried that myself and cannot personally vouch for that substitution. If you decide to try substituting wheat bran, measure by volume (cups) not weight (grams).

For the gluten-free flour, use the following blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought blends (like this one!) should also work, as long as they are measured like this.

White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the regular whole wheat flour.

Remember to measure the oat bran and flour correctly with this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of any of these ingredients will make your muffins dry (especially the oat bran; it acts like a sponge and soaks up so much liquid!).

Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

Honey or agave may be substituted for the maple syrup. Do not substitute pancake syrup because it will not produce the same taste or texture.

I don’t recommend substituting anything for the molasses; it’s required to produce the iconic bran muffin flavor. Use regular molasses (like this), not blackstrap molasses.

Do not substitute store-bought pre-shredded carrots! (They’re also called “matchstick” carrots.) They’re too thick and dry, and they don’t soften properly while baking. You should need about 3 medium carrots, but measure by volume (cups) or grams—not by number of carrots!

If your raisins are older, drier, and not very plump or juicy… Add them to a microwave-safe bowl, and pour water on top until they’re completely covered. Seal plastic wrap over the top, and microwave the bowl on high for 1 minute. If you let the raisins sit while mixing together the muffin batter, this little trick hydrates them so they’re really soft and juicy!

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2018/04/05/carrot-raisin-bran-muffins/