Ever had a Mimi’s Honey Bran Muffin? I haven’t been to Mimi’s in awhile – but I remember those bran muffins and this recipe is a beautiful copycat version! Soft, a little chewy, packed with amazing flavor and gooeyness and oh you might say that they are on the healthy-ish side! WIN!
If you are into copycat recipes, you might try my Flour’s Famous Banana Bread, Panera’s Broccoli Cheese Soup or Chipotle Chicken! Both spot on!
You know me, I had to tweak the recipe slightly; the original recipe called for 4 tsp dry milk powder, I looked at the grocery store (truly), but honestly I couldn’t be bothered, especially for just 4 teaspoons.
So, I did a little math conversion and came up with replacing said milk powder with cream or 1/2 & 1/2 and a little less water and wow did they turn out yummy!
How To Make Copycat Bran Muffins
I’m gonna get right to the recipe and steps, because it’s been one of those weeks and I am literally typing this hours before my deadline! Sigh! You all have weeks like that, right?
Preheat oven to 350° and spray muffin tin (12 cup) with spray oil.
Making the Honey Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk your glaze ingredients together and set aside. If using all natural cane sugar, whisk for a bit to break down the larger granules.
- In a separate bowl add dry ingredients; flour, wheat bran, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk to combine, set aside.
NOTE: Can’t find wheat bran, use oat bran instead!
- In a bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix brown sugar, honey, molasses, and oil and mix on medium speed until smooth.
- Add egg, water, cream (or half & half) and (optional) orange zest and mix until incorporated, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
- Slowly add your dry ingredients with mixer on low speed until mixed.
- Stir glaze and using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop about 2/3 of a tablespoon of glaze into bottom of each muffin cup, spreading it around and up the sides, this will ensure that distribution of the glaze is even and gets all over that muffin!
- Using a medium or large cookie scoop, scoop batter into muffin cups, about 2/3 full, careful to not overfill them, they do overflow a bit, but you don’t want them overflowing onto the bottom of your oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
- As soon as they are done, line a cooling rack with a piece of parchment paper and carefully flip the muffin tin over, allowing those beautiful bran muffins to escape.
- They don’t look like much, but once you invert them — watch out baby!!
Eat immediately (especially yummy with a pat of butter) or cool and reheat (also with a pat of butter and maybe a drizzle of honey!).
Or cool completely and store in an airtight container on the counter up to 5 days, may be frozen up to 6 months.
Please enjoy bran responsibly! —————– I crack myself up!!
What’s your favorite go-to muffin recipe? I don’t bake many muffins, I tend to do more scones and quick breads, why?
Probably because muffins feel more complicated, but they really aren’t. And I love a good, tender, moist muffin as much as the next girl!! I’d love to hear your comments if you try this, just scroll down below the recipe!
Recipe lightly adapted from Lou Lou Girls.
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️star rating in the recipe below!
Honey Bran Muffin {Mimi's Copycat}
Soft, a little chewy, packed with amazing flavor and gooeyness these copycat Mimi's Honey Bran Muffins are are perfect and you might say that they are on the healthy-ish side! WIN!
Ingredients
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons all-natural cane sugar (regular sugar is fine)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons water
- pinch of salt
Muffins
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons molasses, unsulphured
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I like avocado or grapeseed oils)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half & half
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest (optional for a little extra to sprinkle on top)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup wheat bran
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° and spray muffin tin (12 cup) with spray oil.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk your glaze ingredients together and set aside. If using all natural cane sugar, whisk for a bit to break down the larger granules.
MUFFINS
- In a separate bowl add dry ingredients; flour, wheat bran, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk to combine, set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix brown sugar, honey, molasses, and oil and mix on medium speed until smooth.
- Add egg, water, cream (or half & half) and orange zest and mix until incorporated, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Slowly add your dry ingredients with mixer on low speed until mixed.
- Stir glaze and using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop about 2/3 of a tablespoon of glaze into bottom of each muffin cup, spreading it around and up the sides, this will ensure that distribution of the glaze is even and gets all over that muffin!
- Using a medium or large cookie scoop, scoop muffin batter into muffin cups, about 2/3 full, careful not to overfill them, they do overflow a bit, but you don't want them overflowing onto the bottom of your oven. Bake for 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
- As soon as they are done, line a cooling rack with a piece of parchment paper and carefully flip the muffin tin over, allowing those beautiful bran muffins to escape. Eat immediately (especially yummy with a pat of butter) or cool and reheat (also with a pat of butter and maybe drizzle of honey!)
- Please enjoy bran responsibly! ------------- I crack myself up!!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 muffinAmount Per Serving: Calories: 214Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 3g
The nutritional information is estimated and may not be entirely accurate, at times it pulls information for suggestions and options which may increase calories, etc. Nutritional information will change based on used ingredients, quantities used, etc.
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ABOUT KATHLEEN
I enjoy sharing easy recipes that are wholesome and delicious. I am fed by my faith, family, friends & food! Welcome to my kitchen! Read more...
Mary
Thursday 24th of June 2021
Thanks for this amazing recipe they turned out perfect I added raisins to mine
Kathleen
Friday 25th of June 2021
Thank you so much Mary, love that you made it your own by adding raisins!! Yum! Happy baking, Kathleen
Shelley
Sunday 18th of April 2021
I made this recipe today and they tasted great, but they didn’t look great. After flipping them onto the parchment paper they sunk in the middle and ended up looking like blobs. I didn’t have wheat bran so I substituted wheat germ. My baking powder and soda were brand new. I’m not sure what I did wrong. They are very tasty and won’t go to waste, but I would like them to look as good as they taste.
Kathleen
Sunday 18th of April 2021
Hi Shelley, thanks for reaching out. I read up a little on wheat germ and wheat bran, found that you can typically substitute them 1:1, so my only thought if they sunk is that you didn’t bake them quite long enough. Or it could be your oven temp, have you checked your oven temp recently, the temp could have made a difference too, many ovens run hot or cold by 25-50 degrees (mine tends to run cool). Bake them until a toothpick comes out clean, hopefully that will help you trouble shoot!
Marie
Monday 16th of November 2020
Theses tasted good but wondering why the recipe only made 1/2 a muffin tin (6 muffins). My muffins were not that big either and didn’t spill over the top. I live in Canada so I’m wondering if it’s because we have different flour.
Kathleen
Monday 16th of November 2020
Good Morning Marie,
That’s so strange, my recipe makes twelve, filling a standard sized muffin tin?? I would think even though your flour may be different that you should still get the same quantity. As far as your muffins not spilling over the top, I am wondering if your baking soda and or baking powder might have lost their oomph? I am also assuming you put in a full cup of wheat bran and a cup of flour? Just double checking as this has me stumped for sure, of all the times I’ve made them as well as others, this is the first I’ve heard of it not filling a full tin?
Would love to help you figure this out, if you are willing! Thanks for reaching out! Kathleen
Maeve
Monday 17th of August 2020
These are so delicious! I eliminated the 1/3 cup of brown sugar from the muffin mix because the orange blossom honey I had is really sweet and this still came out sticky, sweet and fully craveable! Also, I didn’t have a muffin pan so I used an 8x8 square pan with zero issues. Thank you so much for this new family favorite.
Kathleen
Tuesday 18th of August 2020
Love it Maeve! Sounds delicious and so great to know you can make it in an 8x8, makes portion control a little easier that way too! Happy Baking! Be well, Kathleen
Diane
Saturday 15th of August 2020
These are perfect! Crusty exterior, creamy interior, with a bit of chew. No need to look further for a Mimi Bran Muffin. Nailed it!
Kathleen
Monday 17th of August 2020
Why thank you so much Diane, makes my day when I hear from readers who've tried recipes and love them! Happy baking, be well! Kathleen