Very easy, bakery-style coconut muffins that rise wonderfully and have a soft, moist crumb. They're plain, flavorful and perfect for breakfast, Easter brunch, bake sales and as a back-to-school snack. You can use regular-sized or jumbo muffin pans. They keep well and can be frozen. This recipe has been re-tested and tweaked and is better than ever (in my opinion, of course).
Quick and easy muffins
A super simple, old-fashioned coconut muffin, where all you need are two bowls and a whisk or spatula.
Coconut muffins can be tricky trying to balance having enough coconut flavor and not turning them into cupcakes (too soft and too sweet). These I believe to be really wonderful ones that get the job done.
I retested them and tweaked the recipe a little, as some readers had issues with the texture. The ingredients are the same, with a better feel and bite. I hope you love them too.
A fantastic addition to our growing muffin recipe category, these can be frozen and are great for breakfast on the go or an afternoon snack.
The dry ingredients are stirred in one bowl, and the wet ingredients in another. You combine both, and that's it—coconut muffins ready to be baked!
Ingredient list
- Shredded coconut: make sure it's unsweetened. Though you can use sweetened coconut, I find it makes them too sweet.
- Coconut oil: it adds more coconut flavor. If unavailable, use sunflower or other neutral vegetable oil.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda: make sure they aren't expired.
- Salt.
- Egg: fresh, large.
- Vanilla extract.
- White granulated sugar.
- Milk: we use whole milk for richness, but reduced-fat milk also works.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Steps to make coconut muffins
- Why toast the coconut? It brings out and deepens the flavor, and the muffins taste better because of it.
- The wet ingredients are added to the sifted dry ingredients all at once. Stir or fold to combine with a rubber spatula or whisk but don't overdo it. The flour mixture needs to be integrated *just* until no streaks remain. This will help with a softer, fluffier crumb.
Baking muffins
Preparing the muffin pan
- Paper liners: also called paper cups or called muffin liners. This is the easiest way, but the muffin tops are the only part that will be crusty.
- Butter or baking spray: it's messier, and you have to wash the pan afterward, but the crust forms all around the muffins because the whole metal surface is in contact with the batter.
- Filling the muffin pans: make sure you don't exceed ¾ of their capacity. This is the easiest way to avoid overflow during baking. I use a cookie scoop, which allows me to divide the batter more evenly.
- When are they done? They will rise and be springy to the touch without feeling wobbly. A cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. As soon as this happens, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Storing muffins
- Room temperature: if the place is cool, keep them for a day or two. Cover with plastic wrap or keep them in an airtight container so they don't dry out.
- Refrigerator: after that, wrap and keep them in the fridge. Warm slightly before eating.
- Freezing: cover in plastic wrap first and then foil, or use a freezer bag. Keep them frozen for up to a month. I defrost them directly in a medium oven, but you can let them come to room temperature first, unwrapped.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Filling the muffin pans: make sure you don't pass ¾ of their capacity. It's the easiest way to avoid overflow during baking.
- Double batch: this recipe can easily be doubled if making them for a large crowd or if you want to make ahead and freeze.
- Overmixing the batter can cause the muffins to become tough and dense. Combine the ingredients; don't beat or overmix.
- Using the wrong type of flour can affect the texture of the muffins. For example, using bread flour instead of all-purpose flour can result in not-as-fluffy muffins. It is important to use the type of flour specified in the recipe.
- Using cold ingredients: they can cause the batter to not mix well and be lumpy. Using ingredients at room temperature is important unless otherwise specified in the recipe.
- Not greasing the muffin tin properly can cause the muffins to stick to the pan and be difficult to remove. If not using paper liners, use baking spray, soft butter or shortening.
- Overbaking the muffins can cause them to become dry and hard. Check the muffins a few minutes before the end of the suggested baking time with a cake tester or toothpick, and remove them from the oven as soon as they are cooked through.
- Variations: use buttermilk or almond milk instead of regular. Add about ½ cup white chocolate chips to the batter or on top of the muffins before baking. Substitute half of the all-purpose with white whole wheat flour and half of the oil with Greek or natural yogurt or coconut oil.
Related recipes you might like:
One last thing
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Coconut Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened shredded coconut, you can lightly toast it but it's not essential
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- ¾ cup milk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To lightly toast the coconut:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Spread 1 ¼ cups unsweetened shredded coconut on a clean baking sheet.
- Bake for 5-10 minutes, moving it around once or twice when the outer rim starts to color (I use a spatula or dough scraper) so it toasts more evenly. For me, they're ready at about 7-8 minutes.
- Watch it carefully as it can burn quickly. When lightly toasted remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
For the muffin batter:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC).
- Use 12 regular muffin liners in a metal muffin pan.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup sugar and the cooled toasted coconut.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 egg, ¾ cup milk, ¼ cup coconut oil and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Do not beat, but mix well until the egg whites are fully integrated.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once. Stir until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. It will fill about ¾ of each muffin. Depending on the height of your muffin tin, you'll get 10 to 12 muffins. For a crunchier topping, sprinkle a little raw coconut on top before baking.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until risen, golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Don’t overbake.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Store at room temperature for 2 days, covered in plastic or an airtight container, or freeze for a month.
Lizzie says
Very good, though it’s not as sweet. Will
Be increasing the sugar amount
Adna says
I just made these and they are delicious!
Magda says
My coconut oil is solidifying in the liquid bowl
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Magda, it might be due to a temperature difference with the rest of the wet ingredients.
Sarka Telickova says
Hi Paula, i did it yours recipe, great at all" thx
I only put fresh coconut flash from 2 coconut and swap coconut oil to butter
KK says
Hey! Thanks for this recipe, as I had everything on hand AND they were quick and delish. Will make again. Looking forward to checking out your other recipes!
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks! And I hope you like whatever you try next.
Hannah says
Tasted like pure vegetable oil. I’d substitute it for another but otherwise pretty good
Mei says
Hi. I am a bit confused; your ingredients mentioned 2 cups flour but your instructions only used 1 & 1/4 cups flour. Question: how much flour should I use? Thanks
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Mei, it's 1 1/4 cups flour.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Sarah, thanks for the feedback.
I tested them again with less baking powder and they worked just fine, so I changed the amount in the recipe card so that there is no chance of that happening again. Have a great week.
Mary Ellen says
I'm going to try this recipe because it sounds really good and I have extra unsweetened coconut that I want to use up. I was wondering if it makes a difference whether or not to toast the coconut.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Mary Ellen, toasting intensifies the flavor of the coconut and adds great depth. But the muffins are wonderful without toasting it too.