Pumpkin Bran Muffins

I love a good bran muffin. In fact, bran muffins are probably one of my favorite muffins... as long as it is baked right. Nothing is worse than a dry bran muffin! :) These bran muffins have the wonderful addition of pumpkin, craisins, and mini chocolate chips. They were moist and so delicious!

Pumpkin Bran Muffins
Recipe from All Day I Dream About Food

1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp light molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375F and generously grease 24 mini-muffin tins and 6 regular muffin tins. Or use just the 12 larger muffin tins.

In a large bowl, stir buttermilk and bran together and let sit for 5-10 minutes. If you are using buttermilk powder, simply add 5 tbsp to the bran and then stir in 1 1/4 cups of water. Whisk in pumpkin, raisins, chocolate chips, brown sugar, egg, melted butter, molasses and vanilla.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Gently fold flour mixture into the bran mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined.

Spoon batter into prepared tins, to just the top of each tin. Bake until tops are set and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 14-18 minutes for mini-muffins, and 20-24 minutes for larger muffins.