Healthy Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins
These are some of my 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 four days (if not closer to a week or more!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 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 flour 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!)
Instructions
- 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
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either will will make your muffins dry (especially the oat bran; it acts like a sponge and soaks up so much liquid!).
OAT BRAN NOTE: 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).
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the regular whole wheat flour.
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
EGG WHITES NOTE: These muffins require 2 full egg whites. The whites contain the majority of the protein in eggs, and that protein is required to ensure the muffins maintain their shape and texture while cooling. If you prefer to use whole eggs, use 2 whole eggs AND reduce the milk by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the added liquid volume from the yolks.
PURE MAPLE SYRUP ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the maple syrup. Do not substitute pancake syrup or sugar free syrup; these change the texture of your muffins.
MOLASSES NOTE + ALTERNATIVES: If at all possible, 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.
In a pinch, pure maple syrup, honey, or agave may be substituted for the molasses to produce the same muffin texture — but their flavor will be different and lack that classic "bran muffin" taste!
CARROTS NOTE: 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!
RAISIN NOTE + SPECIAL TRICK: I highly recommend hydrating your raisins first. It makes them really plump and juicy! To do so, add the raisins to a microwave-safe bowl, cover them with water, and cover the top of the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Let the raisins sit for 10-15 minutes (or while you measure and mix together the rest of the ingredients). Thoroughly drain the excess liquid before folding them into the batter.
GLUTEN FREE OPTION: 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 (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) should also work, as long as they are measured like this.
HOW TO STORE: Store the fully cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least 4 days (if not closer to a week or more!).
{gluten free, clean eating, low fat}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.