Moist Bran Muffins Recipe High Fiber in 45 Min

Instructions:

1. Start by mixing your 1 ½ cups wheat bran with the 1 cup buttermilk in a large bowl. Let this mixture sit for at least 10 minutes. Note: This is the most important step for ensuring your moist bran muffins don't turn out dry or gritty. While that's soaking, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease your muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
2. Into your soaked bran mixture, stir in the 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce, the beaten egg, the 1/4 cup dark molasses, and the 1/4 cup melted coconut oil. Use a whisk to make sure the molasses is fully incorporated and there are no streaks. This technique is similar to the wet mix method in my [OneBowl Greek Yogurt recipe](https://timesofrecipe.com/recipes/onebowl-yogurt-blueberry-muffins/), where keeping the wet base emulsified is key to a consistent crumb.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flax seed meal, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Note: Whisking the dry ingredients separately prevents clumps of baking soda, which can leave a bitter taste.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet bran mixture. Use your spatula to gently fold everything together until just combined. Do not overmix! You want to stop as soon as you see no more dry flour streaks. Overmixing at this stage will lead to tough, rubbery muffins because it over activates the wheat gluten.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. They should be about ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched. You can also insert a toothpick; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
6. Let the muffins sit in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Note: Leaving them in the hot tin too long can cause the bottoms to become soggy from steam buildup.