Grandma’s Classic Buttermilk Rusks with a Healthy All-Bran Twist

Just like grandma used to make

Remember sitting in grandma’s kitchen, sneaking bits of dough when she wasn’t looking, or biting into a warm rusk straight from the oven before it was even fully dried? This classic buttermilk All-Bran rusk recipe brings that exact nostalgia to life. It’s hearty, simple, and oh-so-satisfying.

Perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself)

These rusks are ideal for large batches, making them perfect for family gatherings, lunchboxes, or simply filling up the biscuit tin for the week ahead. They store incredibly well, so you can always have a crunchy, comforting bite on hand when needed.

Ingredients

• 2kg self-raising flour or glutenfree-flour
• 1 packet All-Bran Flakes medium size, crushed
• 1000ml buttermilk (2x 500ml)
• 5 large eggs room temperature
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 2 cups brown or white sugar adjust to taste or subsitute with honey to taste
• 750g butter or margarine

🥣 All-Bran Rusks – Quick Instruction

1.  Prep Dry Ingredients
   Sift flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Add crushed All-Bran flakes and mix well.
2. Melt Butter & Sugar
   Gently melt butter and sugar in a saucepan, stirring until thickened. Let cool slightly.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients
   Whisk eggs, add buttermilk, and stir to combine.
4.  Make Dough
   Add wet mixture to dry ingredients. Mix to a soft dough. Add a splash of milk if needed.
5. Shape & Bake
   Preheat oven to 70°C. Shape dough into balls, place in greased pans, and let rise for 20 mins.
   Increase heat to 170°C and bake for 15 mins. Lower to 150°C and bake another 30 mins.
6. Check Doneness
   Insert a skewer—if it comes out clean, they’re done. If not, bake a few more minutes.
7. Cool & Dry
   Cool slightly, break into pieces, and dry in oven at 70°C for 4–6 hours or overnight.
8. Store
   Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Perfect for dunking!

Ouma Irene’s Recipe

The Best All-Bran Buttermilk Rusks You’ll Ever Make

Easy to bake, hard to share—these rusks are everything you want in a homemade treat.

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: South African

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 2kg self-raising flour
• 1 packet All-Bran flakes medium size, crushed
• 1000ml buttermilk 2 x 500ml
• 5 large eggs room temperature
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 2 cups brown or white sugar adjust to taste or substitute with honey
• 750g butter or margarine

Equipment

• 1 Rusk Pan or 2 x Bread Pan

Method

 

Prepare dry ingredients

1. In a large bowl, sift together the self-raising flour and baking powder. Add the crushed All-Bran flakes and mix thoroughly.
   

Melt butter and sugar

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter and sugar over very low heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture thickens and the sugar is nearly dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly

Combine wet ingredients

1. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the buttermilk and mix well.

Form the dough

1. Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients and mix to a soft, workable dough. If it feels too dry, add a splash of milk until all the flour is incorporated.

Shape and bake

1. Preheat the oven to 70°C (158°F). Shape the dough into small or medium balls and place in greased oven pans. Allow to rise for 20 minutes in the warm oven. Then increase the heat to 170°C (338°F) and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 150°C (302°F) and continue baking for another 30 minutes.

Test for doneness

1. Insert a skewer or small knife—if it comes out clean, they’re ready. If not, bake for a few more minutes and check again.

Cool and dry out

1. Remove from oven, cool slightly, and break into pieces while still warm. Dry out the rusks in a cool oven at around 70°C for 4–6 hours or overnight until crisp.