These Coconut Muffins are moist, fluffy, perfectly sweet, and infused with just the right amount of coconut flavor. Just 10 simple ingredients and 15 minutes of prep to the perfect coconutty snack!
Easy Coconut Muffin Recipe
I love having muffins on-hand. They’re perfect for an on-the-go breakfast, a light snack, or even a dessert!
These coconut muffins are one of my favorites. They’re so quick to make, so moist, and have a delicious, but not overpowering, coconut flavor thanks to the coconut milk, shredded coconut, and coconut extract.
Just 15 minutes to prep!
How to Make Coconut Muffins with Coconut Milk
This recipe really does come together so quickly! Just mix the batter up in a few minutes, portion it out, and bake!
See the recipe card below for the ingredient amounts and full instructions.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the coconut milk, oil, egg, and coconut extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and mix until just combined.
- Spoon the batter into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners so that each cup is ½ to ⅔ full. Optionally, top each muffin off with additional coconut.
- Bake the muffins first at 400ºF for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake for another 15 to 18 minutes.
- Remove the muffins from the oven, let them cool completely, then serve.
Tips and Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter. Over-mixing the batter can overwork the gluten in the flour, which results in a gummy, dense texture. Mix everything up only until just combined for the perfect light and fluffy texture!
- Line the muffin tin. This prevents the muffins from sticking or burning on the bottom.
- Fill the liners evenly with batter. We want all of the muffins to be finished baking at the same time.
- Check for doneness. To check that your muffins are finished baking, insert a toothpick into the center of a couple of them. If it comes out clean each time, then they’re good to go!
- Don’t over-bake. I recommend checking the muffins after 15 minutes, then adding little bits of time only as needed. Overbaked muffins can become dry very quickly.
Variations
- Add fruit. Try mixing in a handful of blueberries, raspberries, or chopped pineapple pieces for a tropical twist.
- Make them nutty. Toss in a handful of chopped walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts for a nutty, crunchy bite.
- Top them off. Make them a little sweeter by drizzling the top with a simple icing.
- Add some citrus. Add a little bit of bright citrus flavor with a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest.
- Make them chocolatey. Make chocolate coconut muffins by adding a scoop of your favorite chocolate chips.
What to Serve with Coconut Muffins
These muffins make an excellent snack on their own or in the morning with a cup of your favorite coffee, but you can totally serve them up as part of a bigger breakfast or brunch. Here are a few pairing ideas:
Storage and Reheating
Room Temperature: Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. I find this is the best way to store them so they stay nice and moist.
Refrigerator: These muffins can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Keep in mind that the longer they sit in the fridge, the more their texture will be compromised.
Freezer: To freeze your muffins, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer bag, and store them for up to 2 months. To serve again, thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
How Do You Make Muffins Rise Higher?
There are a couple of things we’re doing to create the fluffiest muffins we possibly can!
- Two leavening agents. We’re using both baking soda and baking powder to help the batter rise in the oven.
- Two baking temperatures. We start the muffins at 400ºF for 5 minutes which kickstarts the batter rising. After 5 minutes, we decrease the temperature to 350ºF to let the muffins finish baking all the way through.
How do you make muffins moist and not dry?
The best way to make moist muffins is to use oil or butter instead of using a hard fat like shortening. Adding eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, or in this case coconut milk helps keep the texture of the muffin moist.
Can you use milk in place of coconut milk?
Yes, milk works well in place coconut milk. The coconut flavor won't be quite as pronounced but milk works great!
More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love
Recipe Card with Ingredient Amounts and Instructions
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup(s) sweetened coconut flakes, plus more for topping the muffins
- ¾ cup(s) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup(s) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon(s) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon(s) salt
- 1 cup(s) lite coconut milk
- ¼ cup(s) vegetable oil, or other neutral tasting oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon(s) coconut extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.2 cup(s) all-purpose flour1 cup(s) sweetened coconut flakes¼ cup(s) light brown sugar1 teaspoon(s) baking powder¾ teaspoon(s) baking soda½ teaspoon(s) salt¾ cup(s) granulated sugar
- In a separate bowl, combine the coconut milk, vegetable oil, egg and coconut extract.1 cup(s) lite coconut milk¼ cup(s) vegetable oil1 large egg1 teaspoon(s) coconut extract
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about ½ to ⅔ full.
- Optional: sprinkle more shredded coconut on top of each muffin.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Scroll up and see the post for tips, FAQs, and storage options.
Catherine says
Can I switch the flour with gluten-free flour & would the measurement be the same
John says
Good Morning Catherine, that's a good question. Yes, you can switch out the flour for gluten-free flour. The measurement would be the same. If the batter seems dry, you can always add a little more oil (1-2 tablespoons) and a little more coconut milk (3-4 tablespoons) to correct the issue. It's been my experience that gluten-free flours tend to need more fat to keep the finished product moist. I hope this information helps, have a lovely day 🙂