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Recipe Connection: Grain-free Coconut Muffins

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Grain Free coconut muffins

I’ve had these grain-free coconut flour (use the code STEWARDSHIP for 10% off at that site!) muffins in my freezer for the past two years straight. Not the same dried-out 2-year-old muffins, but consecutively.

As in, as soon as we run out, I make more and restock the freezer.

They’re so moist and easy to make, and they thaw in less than 30 minutes no problem, so these are my super-emergency-have-to-leave-the-house-NOW stash.

They vary in flavors, from plain to cinnamon-raisin or banana-nut, to my favorite, cranberry-walnut, or the kids’ fav, blueberry. The recipe is such a blank slate that you can pretty much make it into anything you want (and in Healthy Snacks to Go, the second edition, I did –  I took the spices from our favorite healthy pumpkin muffins and made grain-free pumpkin muffins too).

I like to surround myself with easy, versatile, flexible recipes, like those famous muffins I just mentioned, which are made in one bowl and had no problem morphing into delicious gluten-free pumpkin muffins (that were also egg-free, dairy-free, and nut-free).

During this week of a grain-free baking challenge, if you just want to try one recipe, make this the one. Share in the comments how you adapt it with fun flavors!

To learn more about baking with coconut flour check out my how-to post. (It’s really more of a how-NOT-to post.)

Mastering the Art of Baking with Coconut Flour eBook

Revamping an all-purpose flour or whole wheat recipe to use coconut flour is, I understand, possible. I’ve never been brave enough to try it, but in Baking with Coconut Flour, Starlene Stewart says to use 1/4 cup coconut flour for each full cup wheat flour and then add some eggs as well. The total number of eggs in the recipe should equal one egg for every ounce of coconut flour used.

Starlene has many more tutorials and tips about how to measure the flour, other compensations to make when revamping recipes, and even some great ideas for saving failed experiments so you don’t have to waste expensive ingredients.

You can get a copy of Starlene’s book Baking with Coconut Flour ebook 50% off by using the coupon code KSFIFTY. That code will get you half off  Mastering the Art of Baking with Coconut Flour and it will also work for Baker’s Dozen Volume 1 Sweet Quick Breads.

Recipe: Easy Grain-free Coconut Muffins

Grain Free coconut muffins

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Grain-free Coconut Muffins

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Katie Kimball
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 12
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Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • 1/4 c. unrefined coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 c. honey or maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. coconut flour (use the code STEWARDSHIP for 10% off at that site!)
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Beat or stir eggs, coconut oil, honey and salt together until smooth. Be sure to mix the oil in immediately as it will likely solidify as soon as it hits the cold eggs.
  3. Sift coconut flour into the batter and sprinkle baking soda over the top so that it mixes in evenly. Beat or whisk hard until smooth.
  4. I highly recommend using muffin cup liners for this recipe, but if you don’t mind the clean-up, you can grease 12 muffin cups with coconut oil.
  5. Divide batter evenly between 12 cups (usually about halfway full) and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes (350F if you use all honey) until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and tops are springy, not mushy.
  6. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store at room temperature 3-5 days or freeze immediately.
  7. Makes 12 muffins.

Notes

* I often use half maple syrup and half honey; I like the way the flavors balance out. I’ve also successfully used both date sugar and sucanat, so I’m pretty confident any granulated sweetener will work as well.

* This recipe was previously exclusive to my “on the go” eBooks, Healthy Snacks to Go and The Healthy Lunch Box enjoy it on the house!

* More on how to bake grain-free with coconut flour.

* And my comparison of 3 different coconut flour brands to find the best brand of coconut flour.

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I’m guessing that if I did find a 2-year-old muffin in the freezer, it would still be moist and tasty, to tell the truth.

Have fun with this one!

Katie here – gluten-free can be confusing but it doesn’t have to be hard! I’m thrilled to share a FREE gluten-free cheat sheet mini eBook to help get you started!
This is perfect if you’ve just been told you need a GF diet, if you have a friend or family member eating GF and you’d like to cook for them, or if you’re just curious what it’s all about!

Free gluten-free guide for rookies

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50 Bites of Conversation So Far

  1. Does this recipe work for a bread loaf instead of muffins? I have been trying variations of banana bread using alternative flours and sweeteners. They rise beautifully in the oven, but fall after taking out and cooling. I’ve tried various baking times, temps, letting it cool slowly in the oven, but they all fall. I should also note I am using soldium free baking soda, which has worked fine when I use regular flour.

      • Could you post the baking temp/time for the cake version. I’d love to use it for my daughter’s first birthday cake. We just made a version of the muffins with cocoa powder and cherries and they were yummy!

        • Lindsey,
          Oh dear, I’m sure I baked at the same temp as in the recipe here, but he’s 2.5 now…I can’t remember the timing! I probably just started with 5 minutes longer than the muffins and checked the center every 5 mins. It’s a forgiving cake and won’t deflate if you open the oven door! 😉 Katie

  2. I am new(ish) to the blog so sorry if you’ve answered this somewhere else, but wondering why you prefer coconut flour to almond flour, and if almond flour would be an acceptable substitute?

    • Erin,
      I prefer it for rookies especially just because it’s more cost effective since you use so little flour per recipe. Almond flour is used in proportions a lot more like wheat flour (2 c. for muffins instead of 1/2 cup) and can’t be subbed in for coconut flour without really revamping the recipe. Best to find a really good almond flour recipe – I’ve had delish almond flour muffins! 🙂 Katie

  4. I’ve been making these muffins (via Heavenly Homemakers) for a few years. I usually bake half plain for the kids, and add a few tablespoons cocoa powder, a teaspoon of instant coffee granules, and some cinnamon to the other half for us grown ups. Yummy.

  5. Just wanted to add this tip with coconut flour: Use a stick blender. Because it behaves differently than wheat flour (no gluten, I may be the reason, I think?) you can’t overmix it. It makes the batter super-smooth even without sifting.

  6. Hi,
    I’ve made these once and they were a huge hit; so thank you. I’d like to try a variation but am wondering on the measurements? I assume cinnamon raisin, for example, is just something I could just guess on – but for the others, if there a set amount I should aim for? thank you again!

    • Regina,
      I probably use about 1/2 c. walnuts for 12 muffins and a similar amount of chopped cranberries, and we actually add the blueberries into the muffins after pouring into the cups – about 4-5 per muffin. Any of the add-ins, you can really just guess and check on the batter. 🙂 Katie

  7. These were perfect! My first attempt at baking with coconut flour and I couldn’t be more pleased. Thanks so much for sharing.

    • Amber,
      Yikes, your comment got totally misplaced, sorry about that!

      I’ve seen others say that because of the nature of coconut flour, you really can’t do egg-free (which is a bummer!). Because of that, I’ve never even experimented. 🙁
      Katie

  9. This was my first time using coconut flour and was a huge success thank you so much!!
    I noticed a very eggy taste from the muffins is it possible to use less eggs? 4 or 5 maybe?

  10. My first attempt baking with coconut flour after several other times of giving up having overloaded on recipes/advice/warnings while searching for a recipe. Tastes fantastic. Thanks so much.

  11. I just wanted to say that we have these about twice a month. 🙂 I must have made 30 batches by now. 🙂 SO yummy! Today our add-ins are chocolate chips and dried cranberries. 🙂

  12. Hey guys.
    I’ve made these twice now and both times I noticed the bottoms were almost translucent and a totally different consistency to the rest. They are very oily. Its so odd! Am I the only one? Could it be the climate? – since it’s quite damp and cold here right now.

  13. Has anybody had success using Ener-G egg replacer instead of the egg or flax/chia eggs? I don’t eat egg anymore, but I sure miss these muffins!

  14. These look great and so easy! I’m curious to know if I can just add pumpkin or banana (and what quantity) without changing the end result by adding that extra moisture. I’d love to try a pumpkin version next week. Thanks!

  15. I thought these were great. A little chewy sort of like a bran muffin. I used only a tablespoon of honey and subbed lakanto sugar for the rest. Also I put in some chopped up strawberries. Very nice recipe.

  16. I just made these – Simple, delicious! Putting them in the freezer for when baby arrives. 🙂

    Here’s what I did
    – Doubled recipe
    – Subbed butter for coc oil
    – Added zest of (almost) 2 lemons, plus the juice from 1
    – Added 1 tbs extra coc flour to make up for extra liquid from lemon juice
    – Added ~1.5 cups frozen raspberries.

    Perfection!!!
    THANK YOU Katie!!
    Blessings,
    Jen

    • Oh also, I made them in a 9×13 baking dish lined with parchment paper, and because the recipe was doubled, it took about 35 minutes to bake at 375F.

  17. I just wanted to say that our family LOVES these muffins. I made a quadruple batch this morning (batch cooking day). I like to add about 1/2 tsp vanilla to ours and they get devoured. Thank you so much for this recipe!

  18. Just made these muffins this morning and they were GOOD! I had only 5 eggs, so I added 2 mashed bananas. I also used 1/3 cup of honey and muffins were way too sweet for my taste, but my kids loved them. Many-many thanks for sharing the recipe!

    ★★★★★

  19. I find that a lot of coconut flour recipes have that grainy/gritty taste of coconut.
    Will using a blender on the flour before mixing with other ingredients help?
    Other suggestions? Much appreciated.
    Also, how can you get more rise and less denseness with coconut flour muffins?

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Please remember that I’m just a gal who reads a lot and spends way too much time in her kitchen. I’m not a doctor, nurse, scientist, or even a real chef, and certainly the FDA hasn't evaluated anything on this blog. Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please talk to your health professional (or at least your spouse) before doing anything you might think is questionable. Trust your own judgment…I can’t be liable for problems that occur from bad decisions you make based on content found here.

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