Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins

These are not your typical bran muffins, people. They aren’t going to taste like a mouthful of cardboard and sawdust. Instead, on the inside these vegan bran muffins are light and buttery, fluffy and chocolatey, and on the outside hearty and elegantly golden brown. Moreover, they’re oil-free and made completely with wholesome wheat bran and whole-wheat flour, and therefore are naturally an excellent source of dietary fiber (without feeling like you’re eating something that’s high in fiber). So even though they have a sweeter side, they’re not entirely unhealthy either. To put it another way, they’re like your favorite hearty homemade chocolate chip cookies…but in muffin form!

“We did not domesticate wheat; wheat domesticated us.”

– Yuval Noah Harari

Why Eat Wheat Bran and Why Not To

Wheat bran is the outside casing of the wheat kernel. It has a somewhat sweet and nutty flavor, but also unfortunately a texture similar to a discarded pile of lumberyard residue.

If you can disregard the unexciting appearance, the wonders of wheat bran will unfold before you. A single cup is equivalent to about 24 grams of fiber, which is about 99% of one’s daily recommended fiber intake. It’s also full of beneficial nutrients, short-chain omega-3s and protein¹.

And while I didn’t aim for these vegan bran muffins to be extraordinarily healthy, because of the high bran content they do possess some nutritional qualities that other baked goods often lack.

So if you’re looking for some vegan bran muffins that are mildly sweet and enjoyable, yet still have a high fiber approach, packed with wheat bran as they are, then these are the ones for you.

On the other hand, even despite the benefits of wheat bran, it isn’t an ingredient suited for people who have wheat intolerance, an allergy to wheat, or Celiac’s disease; since it’s the outer shell of the wheat stalk itself, it will contain some gluten.

Moreover, if your body is not used to processing high amounts of fiber, try not to eat all these vegan bran muffins on the same day. In other words, go easy on your body, especially if you’re in the process of introducing more high fiber foods to your system than would otherwise be normal.

“You feel almost a part of the wheat when you’re sitting in a combine.”

– Cynthia Kadohata

Brown Sugar & Potential Replacements

Brown versions of commonly white foods (whole-wheat flour, brown rice, ect.) have a reputation for being less processed and healthier than their blanched counterparts. For the most part this is probably true, but not when it comes to brown sugar.

Brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses, a kind of toastier, maltier version of it. It tends to have more moisture, and so produce bakes that are softer than an equal amount of white sugar would produce.

Because brown sugar is basically just a disguised white sugar, you may wonder what alternatives there are to it. Well, I don’t really know if there is a great substitute, one that’s healthier I mean, but you can always use coconut sugar. It too is brown and malt-y and moist, and is usually a 1:1 replacement. I don’t know if it’s that much better for you, however.

Likewise, you can also use more maple syrup, but it tends to add quite a significant quantity of moisture to the batter, which can change the final outcome of the muffin. It also mellows in flavor as it bakes, so it might not be as sweet and balanced going in as it is coming out. If you do want to substitute in this way, add 2 additional tablespoons of maple syrup, and use only 1/4 cup brown sugar – that ought to work, but know that it’s an experiment yet untested by me.

“Replacing white flour with whole wheat generally makes baked goods denser, drier, and more crumbly because the germ and bran in whole wheat absorbs more water.”

– Claire Saffitz

More Muffin Recipes

Double Dark Chocolate Muffins

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Cornbread Muffins

“Reason clears and plants the wilderness of the imagination to harvest the wheat of art.”

– Austin O’Malley

Vegan Bran Muffins with Chocolate Chips

I enjoyed making and eating these vegan bran muffins, and I think that you will too. They were the perfect balance between sweet and hearty, fluffy and formidable, and an excellent snack when one’s feeling peckish.

There are healthier recipes, of course, but these vegan bran muffins are not totally without some nutritional merit.

So if you’re looking for a bit of a sweet thing with some upside, then these tasty vegan bran muffins are a good option. They’re super simple, great for sharing, and a wonderful, fiber-packed bake that ought not go unmade!

“What did the carrot say to the wheat? Lettuce rest, I’m feeling beet.” 

– Shel Silverstein

Did you enjoy these vegan bran muffins? Consider leaving a comment or recipe rating before you go!

May you have good food in good company,

That Vegan Nephew