Banana Coconut Muffins are the perfect recipe for those ripe bananas sitting on your counter. They are a fun twist on classic banana muffins, with the addition of coconut and chocolate chips to make them more delicious and exciting.
These muffins are the perfect combination of moist, fluffy, and slightly tropical, making them an instant favorite in my household. And adding chocolate chips ensures my kids will eat them in no time.
When you have a bunch of overripe bananas sitting on the counter, and you don’t want to throw them away and waste food, banana muffins or banana bread are the answer! And few things are more comforting than the smell of freshly baked muffins wafting through your kitchen.
These are perfect as a side dish for dinner, breakfast, or just because you bought too many bananas last week. In this article, we’ll go through the simple steps of making these divine Banana Coconut Muffins, and I’ll share some tips and tricks, serving ideas, and how to store any leftover muffins.
Looking for more muffin recipes? Try blackberry muffins, air fryer blueberry muffins or fresh cherry muffins for more delicious treats.
🍌Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Ripe bananas: The secret to the best banana muffins is using ripe bananas. Or, even better, overripe bananas. They should be soft and have some brown spots on the skin for the perfect sweetness and moist texture.
- Sweetened coconut: Feel free to use unsweetened coconut flakes if you want a less sweet muffin.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Oil
- White and brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Chocolate chips (optional) – Mini chocolate chips are the best choice if you are using a mini-muffin tin. You can also leave the chocolate chips out if you like. But personally, I love these with chocolate chips!
🥣How to Make Banana Coconut Muffins
- Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mash the bananas: In a medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until you have a chunky puree.
- Wet ingredients: Add oil, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the mashed bananas. Stir until well combined.
- Dry ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix: Pour the wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter, which can result in tough muffins.
- Add coconut and chocolate chips: Gently fold in the flaked coconut and chocolate chips. Reserve a small amount of each to use on top of the muffins.
- Fill the muffin cups: Evenly divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the reserved coconut and chocolate chips on top.
- Bake: Bake the muffins for 18 to 22 minutes. They are done when they are lightly brown on the edges or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
🍴Serving Ideas
These Banana Coconut Muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or snacks. I love to serve them alongside a cup of coffee or tea or even as a grab-and-go breakfast option for my family on busy mornings. Here are a few more serving ideas to inspire you:
- Spread a little butter or cream cheese on a warm muffin for an extra indulgent treat.
- Serve with a side of fresh fruit for a well-rounded breakfast.
- Pack them in lunchboxes for a school-day snack.
- Enjoy them as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
🥥Variations on Banana Coconut Muffins
Sometimes it’s fun to switch things up a bit! Here are some tasty variations to try:
- Change the Chocolate Chips: Try dark or white chocolate chips for a different, sweet taste.
- Nuts: Adding ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans will give your muffins a delightful crunch.
- Tropical Twist: Add ½ cup of drained, crushed pineapple to the batter for a more tropical pina colada vibe.
💭How to Store and Freeze
This recipe makes a big batch of muffins, so unless you are feeding a crowd you will probably have leftovers. Here is how to store them:
- Room Temperature: Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, simply microwave them for 30 seconds to 1 minute or let them thaw at room temperature.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Use overripe bananas for the best flavor and texture. Brown and spotty is perfect.
- If you want to add more coconut flavor, use coconut oil in the recipe.
- Either a mini-muffin tin or a full-sized muffin tin works well for baking the muffins.
- Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together. Overmixing can result in tough muffins.
- Don’t overfill the muffin cups.
- Test for doneness with a toothpick. Your muffins are ready if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
📝FAQ
If you’re not a fan of coconut or have an allergy, try using rolled oats as a substitute.
Frozen bananas will work fine if you thaw them first and drain any excess liquid.
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Banana Coconut Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas mashed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray.
- Put the bananas in a bowl and mash them with a fork until they are pureed, but still chunky.3 large bananas
- Add the vegetable oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to the bowl of mashed bananas and mix.1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add the wet banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips and the coconut flakes, reserving a small amount to sprinkle on top of the muffins.1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- Spoon the mixture into each baking cup until the cup is 2/3 full. Sprinkle extra coconut and chocolate chips over each muffin, if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes for full-sized muffins or 12 to 15 minutes for mini muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes
- Use overripe bananas for the best flavor and texture. Brown and spotty is perfect.
- If you want to add more coconut flavor, use coconut oil as the vegetable oil in the recipe.
- Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together. Overmixing can result in tough muffins.
- Don’t overfill the muffin cups.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
These were a delight to make and bake. The whole family enjoyed these. Can’t wait to bake these again
Wow I love the slightly tropical taste of the coconut in these muffins. So good!