Coconut Muffins
intro
Light, fluffy, lightly sweet muffins brimming with nutty coconut flavor, with a tender crumb and crisp toasty top for a portable tropical treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and tin
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack positioned in the middle slot. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper baking liners, or lightly grease each cup with a thin smear of softened butter to prevent sticking. Measure 12 grams (2 tablespoons) of shredded coconut and set it aside in a small dish to use as topping.
Mix dry ingredients
In a medium 2L mixing bowl, whisk together 190 grams all-purpose flour, 8 grams baking powder, 1 gram fine table salt, and the remaining 88 grams of unsweetened shredded coconut for 30 seconds, until ingredients are fully combined and no clumps of baking powder remain.
Whisk wet ingredients
In a separate large 3L mixing bowl, whisk 2 room-temperature large eggs until lightly beaten, about 20 seconds. Add 100 grams granulated sugar, 57 grams cooled melted unsalted butter, 180 ml shaken full-fat canned coconut milk, and 5 ml pure vanilla extract, then whisk for 45 seconds until the mixture is smooth with no visible streaks of egg.
Fold batter gently
Pour the full dry ingredient mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients. Use a flexible silicone spatula to fold the components together in 10-12 broad, gentle strokes, stopping as soon as no dry flour streaks remain. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy; overmixing will create tough, dense muffins.
Portion batter into tin
Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin cups, filling each cup exactly 2/3 full (roughly 45ml / 3 tablespoons of batter per cup) to leave space for rising. Sprinkle the reserved 12 grams of shredded coconut evenly over the top of each batter mound for a crisp, toasty topping.
Bake until golden
Slide the muffin tin onto the preheated middle oven rack and bake for 18-20 minutes at 190°C (375°F). Test for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of a middle muffin: it should come out with 2-3 small moist crumbs attached, not coated in wet batter.
Cool before serving
Remove the tin from the oven and let muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes at room temperature, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool for an additional 10 minutes before serving; this prevents soggy muffin bottoms from trapped steam.
Tips
2.Use full-fat canned coconut milk (not refrigerated carton coconut drinking milk) for the richest coconut flavor and softest crumb; shake the can vigorously for 10 seconds before measuring to blend separated coconut cream and water.
3.For extra nutty depth, toast the shredded coconut (both for the batter and topping) in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until pale golden before using; watch closely to avoid burning, as coconut toasts very quickly.
OMG these fluffy coconut muffins are a GAME CHANGER for my weekday school morning rush! I tossed in a handful of white chocolate chips because my boys are obsessed, and they ate every single one before I could even grab a bite for myself. So easy to throw together too, no fancy equipment needed. Will be making these every Sunday for meal prep from now on!
I was so nervous these wouldn’t turn out since I swapped the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking blend, but they came out SO fluffy and coconutty! My husband who swears he “hates gluten free baked goods” ate three straight out of the tin. Only note is I added a tiny extra splash of coconut milk to make up for the drier GF flour, worked like a charm.
Made these in my dorm’s tiny toaster oven last night because I was craving something sweet and had a can of coconut milk in my care package. 10/10, so easy even someone who burns toast half the time can pull it off! I didn’t have shredded coconut so I used coconut extract instead, still slapped. My roommate stole two before they even cooled.
Served these at my weekend brunch with a little coconut butter spread and a side of fresh mango, and every single guest asked for the recipe! They’re so light, not cloyingly sweet like a lot of store-bought muffins, and the coconut flavor is perfect without being overpowering. 10/10, will be a permanent brunch rotation item.
Made these with my 7 year old daughter for her class snack day, and she was so proud to pass them out to her friends. We topped them with a little extra toasted coconut before baking for crunch, and the teacher even sent me a message saying they were the best class snack all semester. Super easy recipe for little kids to help with, no tricky steps!
Made these vegan by swapping the egg for a flax egg and using canned full fat coconut milk, they came out so fluffy I couldn’t believe it! No weird dense vegan baked good texture here, these taste just like the ones I used to get at my favorite bakery back home.
I’ve been baking muffins for over 40 years, and this recipe is hands down one of the best coconut muffin recipes I’ve ever tried. The crumb is so tender, the coconut flavor is well balanced, and they stay moist for days stored in an airtight container. My only tweak was adding a pinch of nutmeg, which paired beautifully.
These are perfect for meal prep! I baked a batch on Sunday, popped them in the freezer, and just microwave one for 30 seconds each morning for breakfast. They taste just as fresh as the day I baked them, no freezer burn at all. Way better than the sad frozen muffins from the grocery store.
Had one of these warm with my iced latte this morning and I’m convinced this is the perfect breakfast. They’re not too sweet, so they don’t give me that mid-morning sugar crash, and the coconut flavor pairs so well with coffee. 10/10, will be making these weekly.
I was a little worried these wouldn’t rise enough because I forgot to let my butter come to room temp first, but they still got so tall and fluffy! The recipe is way more forgiving than most muffin recipes I’ve tried, which is a huge win for someone who is always rushing through prep.
I don’t bake a lot, usually I’m manning the smoker for weekend cookouts, but my wife asked me to make something sweet for our neighbor’s potluck and these were a total hit. Everyone thought I bought them from a fancy bakery, I didn’t even tell them how easy they were to make. Win for me!
I added a lime glaze to these (powdered sugar + fresh lime juice + a little coconut milk) and it took them to a whole new level! Tasted like a tropical vacation in muffin form, my whole roommates were raving. Will absolutely be making these again, probably with the lime glaze every time.
As someone who puts coconut on literally everything, these muffins were made for me. I used extra shredded coconut (the sweetened kind, don’t judge) and topped them with coconut flakes before baking, and every bite is pure coconut heaven. They’re so fluffy I could eat the whole batch in one sitting.
These are the perfect trail snack! I packed two for my hike up Mount Baldy last weekend and they gave me exactly the energy boost I needed to make it to the summit. Not crumbly at all, so they didn’t make a mess in my pack, and they tasted great even after being jostled around for a few hours.
First time baking muffins ever and these came out perfect! I was so sure I’d mess them up, but the instructions are super clear and the cook time was spot on for my oven. My roommate said they’re better than the muffins from the coffee shop down the street, which feels like a huge win.
Made these for our weekly bake club meetup and everyone loved them! We did a little taste test with different mix-ins: macadamia nuts, dried pineapple, and dark chocolate chunks were all fan favorites. The base recipe is so versatile, you can add almost anything to it.
I keep a batch of these in my desk drawer for busy school days when I don’t have time to run to the lounge for lunch. They’re filling, tasty, and don’t make a mess when I’m eating them between grading papers and helping students. Total teacher lifesaver.
I accidentally used lite coconut milk instead of full fat because I grabbed the wrong can at the grocery store, and they still came out great! A tiny bit less rich, but still super fluffy and coconutty. Next time I’ll grab the full fat, but it was a happy accident that they still worked.
Brought these to my neighborhood block party last weekend and they were gone in 10 minutes flat. I had three people knock on my door the next day asking for the recipe, which is always the sign of a winner. So easy to make a double batch too, which is perfect for big crowds.