Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins

I’ve tested more muffin batters than I can count, and I know exactly what makes a coconut muffin taste like coconut instead of just smelling like it. This recipe layers coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut extract, and shredded coconut, and that’s not overkill, that’s the whole point. If you want a muffin with real coconut flavor and a tall bakery style dome, this is the one to make.

Why most coconut muffins taste like nothing

Most coconut muffin recipes lean on one coconut ingredient, usually just the extract, and call it a day. That’s why so many of them barely taste like coconut once they cool. I used to think I wasn’t much of a coconut person until these coconut drop cookies changed my mind, and I’ve been chasing real coconut flavor in every recipe since. I don’t think one ingredient can carry that flavor on its own, so this recipe uses four, and each one is doing a different job.

Coconut oil adds a quiet coconut note in the background. It’s not where most of the flavor comes from, so if you need to swap it, plain vegetable oil works fine in the same amount. Coconut milk is where the real flavor lives, and it adds healthy fat to the batter too. I use canned coconut milk here, not the carton kind from the dairy aisle. They behave completely differently in a batter.

Coconut extract is small but mighty. Half a teaspoon goes a long way, and I love how it smells like summer the second you open the bottle. Shredded coconut rounds it out with texture, so you’re actually biting into coconut instead of just tasting it in theory. I use sweetened shredded coconut for this recipe, which also helps balance the batter since it isn’t loaded with sugar.

If coconut isn’t your thing, or you just want the classic version without it, my homemade chocolate chip muffins use the same dome technique with none of the coconut.

Key Ingredients

Get the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.

• Coconut oil – Adds a subtle coconut note in the background. It’s not doing the heavy lifting on flavor, so if you need to swap it, plain vegetable oil works in the same amount.
• Canned coconut milk – This is where the real coconut flavor comes from, plus it adds healthy fat to the batter. Use the canned kind, not the carton kind from the dairy aisle.
• Coconut extract – Just a teaspoon, but it makes a big difference. This is the ingredient that gives these muffins that unmistakable coconut smell.
• Sweetened shredded coconut – Adds texture and rounds out the flavor. The sugar in it also helps balance the whole batter, so don’t swap in unsweetened.
• Mini chocolate chips – Mini chips distribute more evenly through a thick batter than standard size, so you get chocolate in every bite instead of a few lucky pockets.
• Baking powder – This batter uses more than a typical muffin recipe, which is part of what gives these that tall, bakery style dome.
• Eggs – Four eggs give this batter structure and richness, which is what lets it hold up to the every other well baking method without collapsing.

How to make Coconut Muffins

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
2. Combine the eggs, coconut milk, melted coconut oil, coconut extract, and vanilla extract in a larger mixing bowl. Stir to combine.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients along with 1 cup of the chocolate chips and 1 cup of the shredded coconut. Mix just until combined. The batter will be thick, that’s normal.

4. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 425°F during this time. Line a 12 count muffin pan with liners in every other well, 6 liners total. Fill each liner with 6 to 8 heaping tablespoons of batter, then top with the remaining chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and sanding sugar. Bake for 7 minutes at 425°F, then lower the oven to 350°F without opening the door. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes more, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the pan. Bump the oven back to 425°F and repeat with the remaining batter.

How to Create Bakery Style Muffins

Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have large, domed tops!

1. The Rest Period

Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest. 

2. Fill Every Other Muffin Cup

This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.

3. Fill Them To The Top

Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.

4. Bake at High Temperature Initially

Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a dome shape.

Substitutions

• Use a 1:1 gluten free baking flour blend in place of all purpose flour. I used King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour with great results.
• To make these dairy free, use dairy free chocolate chips. If you’d rather skip the chips entirely, chopped nuts work well in their place.
• Don’t have coconut oil on hand, or need a swap for allergy reasons? Vegetable oil works in the same amount, though you’ll lose that faint coconut background note.

Storing and Freezing Muffins

Muffin Storage

If you’ll be eating the muffins within 24 hours of baking, you can leave them uncovered on the counter. The muffins will not dry out while left at room temperature for 1 day. 

In fact, muffins are so moist they can become soggy and those crunchy, sugary tops can disappear when stored in an airtight container.

But I have a trick to help that – paper towels. 

For longer storage, 2-4 days, line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels. Place the muffins in a single layer in the container then cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act like a sponge, absorbing the moisture they release while they are stored. 

If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels. 

How To Freeze Muffins

Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Then place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw, leave them at room temperature until defrosted, about 1 hour. Or unwrap them and microwave at 20 second intervals until defrosted.

FAQ

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