Maple-Glazed Cranberry Pecan Bran Muffins

https://thecafesucrefarine.com/maple-glazed-cranberry-pecan-bran-muffins/These Maple-Glazed Cranberry Pecan Bran Muffins are not only healthy and filling, they’re SO delicious, you’ll find yourself making them again and again! And it doesn’t hurt that they come together quickly with one bowl and no mixer needed!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a sucker for a good bran muffin. The problem is that bran muffins are often dry and boring. A few years ago I found a fabulous recipe that yields beautiful high-domed bran muffins that are light, moist and tender. I’ve been running with it ever since and these Maple-Glazed Cranberry Pecan Bran Muffins are the latest variation in our bran muffin collection.

Same recipe, a new outfit

If you’ve been following The Café for any length of time, you’ve probably encountered some of the recipes in this collection. We started out with a fairly basic (but super delicious) buttermilk bran muffin (pictured below).

Our readers loved the muffins so much (and so did we) that we adapted the recipe to create a blueberry version.

And when fall rolled around a recipe that included diced apples found its way into our hearts.

We even came up with a tropical rendition with pineapple and coconut to keep breakfasts interesting.

Although each recipe in this collection is uniquely different they also have a lot of similarities. All of the recipes can be stirred together in one bowl with no mixer necessary in right around 10 minutes. They all also call for wheat bran, whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour as their main ingredients along with a generous portion of buttermilk.

Up until now, all of the bran muffin recipes have had an easy honey/butter glaze that’s brushed on as the muffins emerge from the oven. The glaze seals in the moisture and dries to a crisp, shiny surface. These Maple-Glazed Cranberry Pecan Bran Muffins also have a pretty glaze but we switched out the honey for a drizzle of maple syrup that pairs deliciously with the sweet cranberries and crunchy pecans.

What is wheat bran?

This recipe calls for 2 cups of wheat bran. What is wheat bran? Healthline. com explains it pretty clearly: “A wheat kernel is made up of three parts: the bran, endosperm and germ. The bran is the hard outer layer of the wheat kernel, which is jam-packed with various nutrients and fiber. During the milling process, the bran is stripped away from the wheat kernel and becomes a byproduct.” That’s the part we’re using in these delicious and nutritious Blueberry Bran Muffins!

Wheat bran has a nutty flavor with a touch of sweetness. It adds great texture and a full-bodied taste to these muffins. Wheat bran is really reasonable (I pay $2.18/bag) and is available at most larger grocery stores. Sometimes it’s a little tricky to find though, as different grocers stock it in different areas.

At the local store where I usually shop for groceries, it’s stocked in the cereal aisle, right around the oatmeal. Other stores carry it in the baking aisle and sometimes it’s in a section where the natural foods are found. You can also find it online. Bob’s Red Mill and Hodgson Mills are two of the major companies that produce wheat bran.

Breakfast, brunch, snacks…

So if you’re looking for a hearty, healthy breakfast option that will keep you satiated all morning, put this Cranberry Pecan Bran Muffins recipe on your must-make soon list.

These muffins freeze well and it’s wonderful to be able to pull out one (or more) on busy days. They also make a lovely offering for a brunch and, if you have kids, family members or friends that get the afternoon munchies, these fabulous muffins will satisfy everyone!

Café Tips for making these Maple-Glazed Cranberry Pecan Bran Muffins

• This recipe calls for whole wheat flour. I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour. It has the same nutritional benefits as regular whole wheat flour, but it’s not quite as coarse.
• If you don’t have whole wheat flour, this recipe also works well with 100% all-purpose flour.
• Don’t over-mix the batter. Once you add the flour, stir just until it’s mixed in. Over-mixing muffins can make them tough.
• Dried cranberries can get really dried out. I like to plump for 5-10 minutes before adding them to the batter. It makes the muffins extra moist.
• Don’t skip the honey-butter glaze. In addition to being delicious, it seals in moisture and gives the muffins a beautiful shiny presentation.
• The glaze recipe, as written, is enough for the top of the muffins. I like to also brush the glaze on the sides so I usually double the recipe.
• This recipe calls for wheat bran. See the tips and facts about wheat bran above in the post.
• No buttermilk? No worries! To make your own buttermilk, place 2 tablespoons of vinegar into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add milk (I like to use whole milk, but use whatever you have) to measure 1½ cups. Stir the mixture and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then add to the batter in lieu of buttermilk.
• These bran muffins freeze well. Allow the muffins to cool completely, then freeze on a sheet pan, uncovered, for 1 hour. Once frozen, place muffins in a ziplock bag or airtight freezer container. Pull out as many as you want and allow them to thaw before serving.
• This is a somewhat unusual muffin recipe in that you fill the muffin tins almost completely full rather than ⅔ or ¾ full as most muffin recipes recommend.
• You can make this batter the night before, store it in the fridge then bake up the muffins in the morning.

 

Thought for the day:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, 
neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

What we’re listening to for inspiration:

No Height, No Depth

 

If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.