Bran 'N Molasses Muffins

There’s a reason bran muffins have been a breakfast staple for generations, and this recipe nails the classic formula.

All-bran cereal soaks in milk and molasses until soft, then melted butter and egg bring everything together into a thick batter dotted with raisins.

Twenty minutes in a hot oven and you’ve got a dozen golden-topped muffins with a tender crumb and that deep, bittersweet molasses flavor that makes the whole house smell like home.

Serve them hot from the pan with a pat of butter melting into the top. That’s breakfast done right.

Kitchen Tips

• Let the cereal soak until it’s absorbed most of the milk. This is the foundation of a moist, tender muffin. Skip it and you’ll taste raw bran.
• Stir the wet into the dry just until combined. You should still see a few floury streaks. Overmixing is the number one reason muffins turn out tough.
• Fill the cups three-quarters full for muffins with proud, rounded tops. Go higher and they’ll mushroom out and stick to each other.
• These are best straight from the oven but reheat well. Wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds to bring back that just-baked softness.