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Lemon Coconut Muffins

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Wonderfully tender and moist with a double dose of lemon flavor and the subtle hint of coconut, these Lemon Coconut Muffins are sure to win you over!ย  Enjoy them for breakfast, as a late morning or mid-afternoon snack, or dessert!

For more delicious citrusy muffins be sure to try our Pink Grapefruit Muffins!

lemon coconut muffins recipe zest moist tender breakfast dessert

Lemon has always been one of my favorite flavors, whether it’s lemon sorbet, lemon mousse, lemon candies, and lemon cakes and pastries.ย  I love them all.ย  Lemon has a way of bringing carbs to life, which is probably why lemon zest is such a central component of baking in Germany, where I’m from.

So we’re making some fabulous lemon-flavored muffins that are getting a double dose of lemon in the form of both fresh lemon zest and an extra boost of lemon extract.ย  And the lemon flavor is also going to be complemented by some coconut flavor in the form of coconut oil.ย  The coconut oil serves a dual purpose, not only infusing the muffins with a natural coconut flavor but also making the muffins wonderfully moist and tender.ย  ย Add to that some buttermilk which also contributes to that moist and delicate crumb along with a fresh and tangy flavor, and you have these fabulous Lemon Coconut Muffins with an incredible flavor and perfect texture!

lemon coconut muffins recipe zest moist tender breakfast dessert

Lemon Coconut Muffins Recipe

Let’s get started!

Place the sugar, butter and coconut oil in a large mixing bowl.

Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.

creaming butter oil and sugar

Add the zest, lemon extract, eggs and buttermilk.

Optional:ย  I personally prefer the dominant flavor to be lemon and I’m not a huge fan of artificial coconut flavoring, but if you really want even more coconut flavor, you can add a teaspoon of coconut extract as well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

adding buttermilk and eggs and combining dry ingredients

Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture.

Beat just until combined.ย  Be careful not to over-beat.ย  Some lumps of flour will remain and that’s okay.

combining wet and dry ingredients to make a batter

Grease 6 jumbo muffin tins and scoop the batter in, about 3/4 full.

Optional:ย  Add some extra zest to some sugar and sprinkle over the top.

Another option:ย  Sprinkle some flaked coconut on top.

Bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean but moist.ย  Be careful not to over-bake or the muffins will be dry.ย  Let the muffins cool in the muffin tins for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

adding batter to muffin pan and baking

Enjoy!

lemon coconut muffins recipe zest moist tender breakfast dessert

For more delicious muffin recipes be sure to try our:

lemon coconut muffins recipe zest moist tender breakfast dessert

Lemon Coconut Muffins

Wonderfully tender and moist with a double dose of lemon flavor and the subtle hint of coconut, these Lemon Coconut Muffins are sure to win you over!
5 from 44 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 6 Jumbo Muffins
Calories 468 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil , at room temperature
  • zest of one large lemon
  • 1 tablespoon quality pure lemon extract , see note
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 6 cavity jumbo muffin pan.
    In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, coconut oil and sugar until fluffy. Add the zest, extract, eggs, and buttermilk and beat just until combined.
    In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat just until combined, being careful not to over-beat. A few small lumps is okay.
    Scoop the batter into the jumbo muffin pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full.
    Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean but moist.ย  Be careful not to over-bake or the muffins will be dry.ย  Let the muffins cool in the muffin tins for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Low quality lemon extract smells strong out of the bottle, but when its baked it loses its flavor.ย 
Optional: Combine some extract lemon zest with some sugar and sprinkle over the filled muffin tins before baking. You can also sprinkle with some flaked coconut.
Optional: I personally prefer the dominant flavor to be lemon, but if you really want even more coconut flavor, you can add a teaspoon of coconut extract as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 468kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 8gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 350mgPotassium: 155mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 382IUCalcium: 78mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Lemon Coconut Muffins
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 12, 2013

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




5 from 44 votes (41 ratings without comment)

25 Comments

  1. What a wonderful flavor combination. Do these freeze well? I would like to make a bigger batch for a special brunch. Thank you for the recipe.

  2. Hi. Just stumbled on to your site and am going thru your recipe file. I spotted the lemon coconut muffins and would love to try them as I LOVE lemon but my hubby is sensitive to almost all nuts, coconut, oatmeal and a few other things so am wondering if I could sub the coconut oil for another. Should it be liquid like canola or solid like crisco?

  3. Wonderful. I often see extra virgin coconut oil in stores but never quite thought of purchasing as I am not quite into healthy eating. I’ve been browsing ur blog this whole weekend and It seriously made me think! I’m up to purchasing that oil on Monday and will try a few priorities for the time. Your granola and those muffins.

    1. That’s awesome, Chamila! :) I’m not a fanatic when it comes to either healthy either, but there are some things where I draw a hard line, like oils. Coconut oil also just adds a really nice flavor to baked goods. Happy baking! :)

  4. Hello. Since they dont sell buttermilk here,can I use homemade one? I often find the homemade one less thick than the store bought ones(or may be I am using a wrong recipe with quantities of milk sitting in lemon juice for a little while). Will this make a difference to the muffin?

    1. Hi Chamila, making it yourself using the milk/vinegar or lemon juice method isn’t the same as store-bought in terms of thickness or flavor, but it does accomplish the same purpose in adding acid to the batter and that’s what we’re after here. So yes, you can use the homemade buttermilk and your muffins will turn out delightful :) Happy baking!

    1. Hi Ayesha, yes it can but you’ll need to make a couple of additional changes: 1) Honey is sweeter than sugar so use 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup honey. 2) Reduce the buttermilk to 3/4 cup. 3) Increase the baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon. 4) Reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees (baked goods with honey tend to brown more quickly). Happy baking!

  5. I made these this morning, they were divine. I made half a batch as it’s just me and my husband. As I don’t use all purpose flour, I used 1/3 cup organic potato starch, 1/3 cup of barley flour and 1/3 cup of spelt flour instead. I only put 1/4 cup of sugar. I added lemon juice instead of lemon extract.
    Funny fact, while they rose beautifully, they rose straight up so I ended up with 6 nice flat-top muffins. This was a first in my baking carriere. Nonetheless, they tasted wonderful. My husband requested I add poppy seeds next time as he always associated lemon cakes with poppy seeds.

    1. Hi Sybil, that’s sounds like an excellent healthier adaptation. I don’t think I’ve ever seen muffins rise up flat either. It must have something to do with the potato starch. But who cares about the shape as long as they taste great, right? :)

    1. Hi Kylena! No, you can’t substitute it with coconut cream, it needs to be the oil. You can find coconut oil in most grocery stores, in virtually ever supplement store (like Super Supplements), and online. I’ve just added a link to the recipe box where you can find a highly reputable brand online. It’s bulk quantity and is one of the best bangs for your buck. Coconut oil is extremely versatile so you don’t have to worry about it going to waste. You can use it in any baking recipe that calls for oil and can use it in place of vegetable oil for making stir-fry’s, just for example. It’s also fantastic for your skin!

  6. I just made these and they are totally yummy! I added some shredded coconut and did the extract plus an extra teaspoon, for extra lemony flavor.

    1. Hi Jeanie, I’m so happy to hear that! I love really lemony things, too, so I often like to add lots of zest and fresh lemon juice to things. These muffins will stay nice and moist too because of the coconut oil. Thanks for making them and for your feedback!

      1. My daughters had fun with your recipe this morning. They used lime and chocolate chips! They were delicious and we will use the recipe again and again! Nice one! Thanks

        1. Hi Nicole, that’s fantastic! That flavor combination sounds yummy and that’s wonderful to hear that your daughters made it! Thanks so much for your feedback!

  7. I made these tonight and they are yummy. They looked a little funny because they were lumpy due to my fear of over mixing from your warnings in the recipe, but they are just fine! So moist! Thanks to you, I am now buying buttermilk in the quart size instead of the little pints. And now I think as I pick it up, “What kind of crazy person DOESN’T buy the bigger size? Geez!” I am a converted buttermilk fan.

    1. Hi, Susan! Yay!!! You know, I maybe I do go a bit overboard in instilling the fear factor about over-mixing! It sounds like you can safely mix it a little more next time :) I know, isn’t buttermilk great?? It’s one of my #1 go-to ingredients for baking. So happy you’ve been converted and thank you so much for your feedback!