These vegan bran muffins on the inside are light and buttery, fluffy and chocolatey, whilst hearty and elegantly golden brown on the outside. Moreover, they’re oil-free and made completely with wholesome whole-wheat flour, and an excellent source of dietary fiber (without feeling like you’re eating something that’s high in fiber). To put it simply, they're like hearty homemade chocolate chip cookies...but in muffin form!
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine together the wheat bran, oat milk and apple cider vinegar. Let that sit for about 5 minutes or so. Then, add the brown sugar, maple syrup, apple sauce, ground flaxseed and vanilla extract.
Once the oven is preheated, add the whole-wheat flour, baking soda and powder, salt and chocolate chips to the large mixing bowl with the wet ingredients in it. Fold this together well until cohesive and no dry ingredients remain. Spoon the dough into lightly greased muffin tin wells (greased with cooking spray or a little bit of vegan butter) until it fills about ¾ of the way full. This'll fill anywhere from 10 - 12 of the wells. Bake for 16 - 19 minutes, until the tops are firm to touch and spring back a little when poked with a finger.