Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400℉ and grease a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. NOTE: Bran muffins tend to stick to paper liners more, so avoid using them, if possible.

Step 2

Combine the bran cereal and buttermilk in a large bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the cereal to absorb the liquid and soften.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla.

Step 4

Add the wet ingredients to the cereal mixture and stir to combine.

Step 5

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a medium bowl. NOTE: Sifting the dry ingredients creates lighter muffins. If you don’t own a fine mesh sieve, whisk these ingredients together well.

Step 6

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. NOTE: The batter will be thick, but start to fluff up from the buttermilk reacting to the baking powder.

Step 7

Divide the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups. NOTE: I use a rounded #24 scoop. Because this batter is thicker, you can fill the cavities about 3/4 full.

Step 8

Bake at 400℉ for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.