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Carrot Bran Muffins with Cream Cheese Spread

One of my sisters loves herself a good bran muffin, which makes me laugh because I typically don’t view them as something to get too excited about.

But I was recently craving something different than baked oatmeal, that still had oat-y flavor, and the idea of bran muffins came into my head. And since as we approach Easter I feel like all the carrot cake-esque recipes start popping up, I decided to add in carrots + a sweetened cream cheese spread for a carrot cake-inspired, bran muffin fusion.

My biggest issue with making muffins at home is the size muffins come out when using a traditional 12-count muffin tin. The muffins I buy at coffee shops are a good size for my hunger level, while my muffin tin pops out small, little cute muffins that mean I need a couple to get full. Which is fine, but I think I’d prefer the option for making some bigger muffins. Anyone own a jumbo muffin tin they love? I’m in the market for a pretty ceramic one. Perhaps emerald green or blue.

Carrot Bran Muffins with Cream Cheese Spread

Yield: a dozen muffins

Ingredients:

carrot bran muffins
1 cup oat bran
1 cup whole milk

dry ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup loosely packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup finely grated carrots

wet ingredients 
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract

cream cheese spread
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place oat bran on a baking sheet and place in the oven, shaking a couple times, for 10 minutes to toast it a bit.

Meanwhile, prepare the rest of your muffin batter. In a bowl combine all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients (except your milk). Once the oat bran is done toasting, place in a bowl and pour in the milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Add oat bran mixture to the wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined, as you do with all muffin recipes.

Scoop batter into lined muffin tins and bake for 20-22 minutes.

While muffins bake, prepare your sweetened cream cheese spread by using an electric mixer to mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla.

Serve warm muffins with cream cheese spread and perhaps some scrambled eggs if serving for breakfast, which is what we did.

adapted from Seriously Delish Cookbook's "not-so-boring" bran muffins

17 comments

  1. These sound SO good, I love carrot baked goods and cream cheese together. I’ve even dipped baby carrots into cream cheese frosting before. Also, love your posts with a pic or two of little Jojo!

  2. Why do you toast the oat bran? Is it for added flavour or a food safety reason?

  3. I LIVE by my jumbo muffin tin because I’m like you and find that I need to eat like 2 smaller muffins to really feel satisfaction. I think my muffin tin is a classic non-stick metal pan but it does the job. A big ass muffin is a great way to start the day in my opinion!

  4. I, too, am satisfied with a larger muffin. Most times I prefer to bake in a loaf pan and the slice the size of muffin/bread I want when I’m hungry.

  5. Kylie,
    I don’t know anything about this muffin tin,but I just bought it after reading this recipe :-). It’s ceramic and blue!

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072JGDM92/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

  6. The recipe sounds so good but MY GOSH that last pic of Jo reaching for the muffin. HOW CUTE! 

  7. Agreed! That is THE CUTEST PICTURE!!!

  8. Oo I’m putting these on my to-make list right now.

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