Perhaps the first one below is what you're remembering. Both recipes are from Cook's Illustrated, and both are very good. The first one uses Kellogg's All-Bran Original cereal (the sticks & twigs), and the second one uses actual wheat bran. I've copied my notes too. I make bran muffins weekly, alternating between these two recipes. Better Bran Muffins Cooks Illustrated 5/2007 The test kitchen prefers Kellogg's All-Bran Original cereal in this recipe. Dried cranberries or dried cherries may be substituted for raisins. Low-fat or nonfat yogurt can be substituted for whole milk yogurt, though the muffins will be slightly less flavorful. Notes: I use oil instead of melted butter, sometimes toasted walnut oil. Makes 12 small muffins or 6 jumbo muffins 1 cup raisins 1 teaspoon water 2 1/4 cups All-Bran Original cereal (5 ounces) 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces) 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (2 1/2 ounces) 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon table salt (I omit) 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (4 2/3 ounces) 3 tablespoons mild molasses (or light) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), melted and cooled 1 3/4 cups plain whole-milk yogurt 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray standard-sized muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine raisins and water in small microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand, covered, until raisins are softened and plump, about 5 minutes. Transfer raisins to paper towel-lined plate to cool. 2. Process half of bran cereal in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute. Whisk flours, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to combine; set aside. Whisk egg and yolk together in medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar, molasses, and vanilla; whisk until mixture is thick, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter and whisk to combine; add yogurt and whisk to combine. Stir in processed cereal and unprocessed cereal; let mixture sit until cereal is evenly moistened (there will still be some small lumps), about 5 minutes. (My note: Do not let sit longer than 5 minutes) 3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently mix with rubber spatula until batter is combined and evenly moistened. Do not overmix. Gently fold raisins into batter. Using 1/3-cup measure or ice cream scoop, divide batter evenly among muffin cups, dropping batter to form mounds. Do not level or flatten surfaces of mounds. 4. Bake until muffins are dark golden and toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out with a few crumbs attached, 16 to 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving. Big Bran Muffins with Raisins and Dates CookÂs Illustrated 9/1993 You can substitute one cup oat bran for the wheat germ for a wholesome but slightly more dense muffin. My Notes: This was the best recipe so far that used wheat bran. It makes a dark, moist, flavorful bakery style muffin. ItÂs a little bit oily as is, so I make it with ½ cup oil & ¼ cup applesauce. The biggest problem was getting the time & temperature right. 20 mins. at 400 is NOT enough time to cook the insides. The first time I made them, I had to re-bake the first batch after the tops came off revealing a batter filled center. I've never use wheat germ; either I use all wheat bran or half wheat & half oat bran. Makes about 20 muffins 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons (I use 1½ cups AP flour & 1 cup + 2 tbsp. white whole wheat) 4 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon table salt (I omit) 3/4 cup vegetable oil (I use ½ cup oil & ¼ cup applesauce) 2 teaspoons honey 1/4 cup molasses 1 cup light brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons, packed firm (I omit the extra 2 tbsp.) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 teaspoon maple extract 1 1/2 teaspoons butter extract (I omit) 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups buttermilk 1 cup toasted wheat germ (I use another cup of wheat bran or oat bran) 1 cup wheat bran (not the cereal) 1/2 cup whole dates, plumped with scalding water, drained, and coarsely chopped (I pour boiling water over dried, sweetened blueberries several times, to plump & to remove excess sugar) 1 cup dark raisins, plumped with scalding water and drained (I use dried cranberries or cherries and pour boiling water over them just like the blueberries) 1. Whisk first five ingredients together in a bowl; set aside. 2. In a large bowl, whisk next 7 ingredients together. Whisk in eggs, then buttermilk, wheat germ, and bran. Let batter rest 10 minutes. 3. Whisk dry ingredients into wet mixture to partially blend. Continue mixing batter with a rubber spatula, making sure that ingredients at the bottom are incorporated into the batter. Fold in raisins and dates. 4. Cover batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight (I leave it in overnight). 5. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat over to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the top surface of 2, 12-cup muffin pans, use liners if necessary. Using an ice cream scoop, place a portion of the batter into each cup, filling to the brim (Fill them to the top). Fill empty muffin ups with water to ensure even baking. Bake until muffin tops brown, about 20 minutes. If muffins are not done after 20 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake until muffins test done. (This baking method works for me: Bake 10 minutes at 400 and then 15-20 minutes at 350. Check with pick; make sure center of muffins are completely done.) Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cindy's Cafe Bran Muffins Makes 3 dozen 2-inch muffins. from Cindy's Cafe and Catering, Mt Vernon, Ill. (from Ford Motor Travel Magazine) 1 cup boiling water 1 cup All-Bran Cereal 1 cup raisins 1/3 cup sugar + (¼ cup molasses - ¼ cup honey) ½ cup Crisco 2 eggs 2½ cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 2½ cups baking soda 2 cups buttermilk 2 cups 40% Bran Flakes Cereal 1 cup pecan pieces Mix water, All-Bran and Raisins in a bowl and let stand. Cream suger and Crisco in large mixer bowl. Add Eggs one at a time. Sift Flour and Baking Soda together. Add alternately with Buttermilk. Mix well. Add Bran Flakes and Pecan Pieces. Stir in the Bran and Raisin mixture. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 400o oven for approximately 20 minutes. Note: For muffins to rise properly, they must be baked in a thoroughly heated 400o oven. For Cake (12 x 9 pan) start at 400, then reduce to 350. Bake for 55 to 60 min., or until center of cake test indicates. Personal Note: When I make this recipe I use 3 cups of All-Bran (instead of the 1 cup) and eliminate the 2 cups Bran Flakes entirely.

Here's one healthy diet recipe which I've posted before which uses oat bran as well as All-Bran and applesauce. This is part of a Glycemic Index weight-loss diet. They're in the green light - go ahead zone of Rick Gallops' glycemic index list of breakfast or snack foods for those who are trying to keep their sugar and insulin levels down. I made these for many months last year and ate them in place of bread, and will be making them again in the next days. They're delicious! I also freeze them, 3 to a small ziplok bag and take them out of the freezer the night before I need, leaving them in the fridge to defost until the morning. Light & diet friendly Ingredients: 3/4 cup All-Bran cereal 1 cup skim milk 2/3 cup whole wheat flour Sweetener - equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar 2 teasp baking powder 1/2 teasp baking soda 1/4 teasp salt 1 teasp allspice 1/2 teasp cloves 1 1/2 cups 2/3 cup raisins 1 large apple peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes 1 low-cholesterol (omega-3) egg, lightly beaten 2 teasp vegetable oil 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1. Mix the All-Bran and skim milk in a bowl and let stand for a few minutes. 2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sweetener, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Stir in the oat bran, raisins and apple. 3. In a small bowl, combine the egg, vegetable oil and applesauce. Stir, along with the All-Bran mixture, into the dry ingredients. 4. Spoon the mixture into an oil-sprayed 12-muffin tray. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Source: The Glycemic Index Diet Rick Gallop ©2002 Random House Canada My Notes: You may have to find the oat bran in a diet or health food store I used fructose for the sweetener but for anyone on a strict no-sugar diet use the artificial sweetener of your choice. Otherwise non-dieters use granulated white sugar. The mixture is thick and dry-ish. Keep stirring until all is well mixed and don't think you made a mistake in the amount of milk. SharonCb

You can add bran to just about any batter. Bran, as it is, is not really something that has much flavor and it has more value as fiber than it does culinary value. For many, many years I have been making what I call "toasted grains' that we use on cereals and that I use in baking any kind of muffins or breads and also waffle batters. I use 1 part of both sunflower and sesame seeds, 3 parts of wheat germ, and 2 parts of bran. Each of them is sepertely toasted in a hot iron skillet and then mixed in a big bowl and I keep a jar of this in the fridge as a stock item. When toasting each of these in the skillet, the bran is the one that takes a while to toast up. I buy bran at the co op in bulk. It is inexpensive. I love this mix of toasty goodness and will add some into so many things. My go to waffle batter is a combo of whole wheat flour and a generous dose of toasted grains, and molasses and is very much just the same batter as would be a muffin, just baked in a waffle iron instead of an oven. It is the only way I would ever choose to have waffles. Any other waffle I can happily leave behind. I also add it any cooked cereal . it does not have to be cooked, so add it at the end of the cooking. This has been a kitchen staple for many, many years. Yes, it seems that a box of bran based cereal was used because it was more readily available thatn was just real, ordinary bran. It is not expensive, but it can be when purchased in an average grocery store. I buy at the co op. The same with wheat germ. That little jar at the grocery store is way expensive, compared to other sources. My mix would require the entire jar of it!