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How could a healthy double chocolate bran muffin recipe be so good? Find out how easy it is to make these muffins in just a few easy steps. There’s no complicated recipe here — just pure goodness and CHOCOLATE!
Easy Chocolate Bran Muffins
Old to me but new to you! I have made these easy chocolate bran muffins for years and I have learned one thing. They NEVER fail to impress me. You won’t get used to the moist and crumbly deliciousness of these healthy chocolate muffins. Try this bran muffin recipe for breakfast and see how it’ll be your favorite part of the day.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Aside from this being the easiest bran muffin recipe, these double chocolate muffins are moist and have the perfect amount of sweetness to them. I love a good balance of not too sweet but still sweet enough to satisfy.
These deliciously rich and chocolatey muffins are moist and full of fiber, and protein. Plus these chocolate bran muffins are kid friendly!
Ingredients in Double Chocolate Bran Muffins
- Bran: I’m using Original All Bran Cereal for this muffin recipe, this is an important ingredient and doesn’t have a substitution, unless you find a generic equivalent.
- Milk: You can use any kind of milk, regular or nondairy, any fat content.
- Applesauce: This helps the muffins be nice and moist without a ton of added oil.
- Vegetable oil: I prefer oil in my muffin recipes for a neutral flavor and moist recipe.
- Cocoa powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder makes it nice and chocolatey (not Dutch process).
How to make Chocolate Bran Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place bran cereal and milk in a medium bowl. Make sure all the bran is underneath the milk; set aside to soak at least 10 minutes while mixing the remaining ingredients.
- Place sugar, applesauce, oil, egg, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Stir or use a hand mixer to mix until smooth. Stir in cocoa powder.
- Add the bran cereal mixture to the sugar mixture along with the flour and stir or mix until combined.
- Fill muffin cups then bake for about 20 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing the wrappers.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Expert Tips + Diet Variations
- Any kind of milk is okay to use–any fat content, regular milk, or nondairy.
- You can substitute sugar-free sweetener for the sugar to make these sugar free muffins. (I use equal amounts Swerve Granulated but amount used will differ for other brands)
- For a more traditional mouth feel, omit applesauce and increase oil to ¼ cup.
- For a lower-fat muffin, omit the oil and increase applesauce to ¼ cup (will change the texture slightly.)
- For lower cholesterol, use 2 egg whites in place of the 1 large egg (will slightly change the texture).
- You can use half and half all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour or substitute all the AP flour with 1:1 Gluten Free flour to make gluten-free muffins.
FAQs
Yes! I love adding some mini chocolate chips to the mix.
Should be thick, lumpy, and have no bubbles. It’s ok if your muffin batter is a little dry and you see some flour in there.
Poke a toothpick in the muffin and it should come out clean, free of any crumbs or batter.
Yes. You can freeze these bran muffins for up to 3 months.
Chocolate Bran Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (123g) All Bran Cereal
- 1 ¼ cups milk nondairy, nonfat, or 2%
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (33g) unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- ¾ cup (93g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place bran cereal and milk in a medium bowl. Make sure all the bran is underneath the milk; set aside to soak while mixing remaining ingredients.
- Place sugar, applesauce, oil, egg, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Stir or use a hand mixer to mix until smooth. Stir in coco powder.
- Add bran cereal mixture to the sugar mixture along with the flour and stir or mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips if using.
- Fill muffin cups ¾ full. Bake 18-24 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before removing wrappers or they’ll pull off some of the muffin.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
- Any kind of milk is okay to use – any fat content, regular milk or nondairy.
- You can substitute sugar-free sweetener for the sugar (I use equal amounts Swerve
- Granulated amount used will differ for other brands)
- For a fluffier muffin, omit applesauce and increase oil to ¼ cup.
- For a lower-fat muffin, omit oil and increase applesauce to ¼ cup (will change the texture slightly.)
- For lower cholesterol, use 2 egg whites in place of the 1 large egg (will slightly change the texture).
- You can use half and half all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour or substitute all the AP flour with 1:1 Gluten Free flour to make gluten-free muffins.
good for you and the trainer, Dorothy! That’s amazing and a good step in the right direction. I need to try that interval. I just wrote it down and am going to try it out this week. I’m excited to SWEAT! I, too, need to eat more protein. I love reading about your healthier recipes and I can’t believe these only have about 100 cals. Amazing. Thanks for linking up to my muffins!
You’re welcome! Thanks Sally! 🙂
I’ve been looking for some healthy recipes to get over my post-easter sugar binge, so I’m really excited to see healthy, skinny, and chocolate all in one! And yay for exercise! I’d bee way to scared to tell the truth to a personal trainer OR doctor so kudos to you! Would Chocolate Soy Milk work in place of the Almond milk? I drink soy milk more regularly so I usually have some around my house more than almond milk.
I’m sure it would! I’ve never used soy milk, but I think you can sub it out good. Let me know if you try it! (Depending on the amount of sugar in the soy, you may want to add more – they aren’t super sweet, but the chocolate almond milk has significant sugar!)
Working with a training! That is awesome, good for you! These muffins look killer, I can not wait to make them. I need some lighter dessert!
Thanks Tieghan!
My perfect breakfast is two warm hard boiled eggs and a big biscuit. I eat that and don’t even think about food the rest of the morning! Also, sometimes quick Quaker Oats with raisins keeps me full for a while too.
I wish I liked eggs more. I force down scrambled, but that’s it. Ditto oatmeal. Ha, all the stuff that’s good for you gives me texture issues. The irony is not lost on me… 🙂 Thanks Erin!
I recently started eating 3 egg whites with 1 egg yolk scrambled with veggies.
I’ve been feeling a lot more awake during the day.
These muffins are awesome! My boyfriend would love them!
I need to try mixing a yolk with a couple whites. Just making whites skeeves me out, lol. 🙂 Thanks Karissa!
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