Studded with coconut flakes and chopped pecans, these banana bread muffins are a quick and easy breakfast treat that come together in just 30 minutes!
Toasted Coconut Banana Bread Muffins
I spend a lot of time looking at recipes. I read cookbooks like most read from books from the NY Times bestseller list. My bedside is littered with layers upon layers of food magazines from across the world. And man, of course I look at a lot (a lot!) of food blogs for crazy good inspiration.
But one of the biggest traps I find myself getting into when I’m creating a weeknight dinner or Sunday breakfast, is I end up cooking to create content for this blog, instead of for fun or frivolity.
Yes, cooking is creative and yes, I love it. But sometimes, I don’t want to think about composing photos of ingredients or taking photos of the finished product or swatting hungry hands away from the hot goods before they can dig in.
Sometimes I just want to recreate something delicious I see from a food blogger online. To be inspired by someone else’s recipe. To take it for a spin and give it a go. Just because it looks so. dang. good. rather than having to work for it.
And this, THIS banana bread muffin recipe, is a prime example…
Naomi’s recipe for Toasted Pecan and Coconut Banana Bread from Bakers Royale inspired me just. like. that.
Now, I already have a favorite banana bread recipe that’s pretty hard to beat. I mean, how can you go wrong when adding chocolate chips?
But with three overly ripe bananas (as in, verging on the edge of finding my husband chucking them into the garbage can) sitting on my counter, and an eager little girl asking for muffins for breakfast and my eager eyes perusing the bounty of gorgeous food blogs in my RSS feed, it’s obvious why Naomi’s recipe spoke to me.
Or maybe it was simply the combination of banana bread, pecans and coconut that spoke to me?!??!! (one of my favorite flavor combinations—Taylor Swift style—like, ever). Either which way, I signed right on.
Smudge wanted muffins so we got out the muffin tins, the muffin liners, and got to work while working on her fractions as we measured along. Cooking is the best form of math so far as I can tell, because 4th grade math is HARD for this old mama, and baking is the best reward.
She wanted to add spices (because isn’t that the funnest part when you’re a 9-year-old?) and so we added a few new ingredients to Naomi’s original recipe.
Then I forgot to toast the pecans. Naomi toasts hers for extra flavor, we added them in plain. We remembered to toast the coconut. Sampled a few bites. And tossed it in.
So many banana breads call for oil in the recipe, but this one had nary a drop in sight. The extra ripe bananas and a shot of buttermilk were all we needed for a moist and perfectly textured crumb and a muffin that made a perfectly raised dome.
Add a swipe, or four, of softened, salted butter and oh my, oh my. Pure heaven.
So how in the heck did this whole escape from cooking for the fun of it instead of for the blog come about?
I caved. I couldn’t resist. I started taking pictures. This tribute to Naomi’s original recipe was just too pretty, and too good, not to share.
And that, my friends, is the perfect reminder that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated or ‘overthunk’. It just has to be fun, and fun happens when you make it yours. And a 9-year-old co-chef in the kitchen doesn’t hurt much either.
What’s in These Banana Bread Muffins?
These easy banana muffins don’t require any special ingredients, making them a good recipe to have up your sleeve when a muffin craving hits. Here’s what you’ll need to make toasted coconut banana bread muffins:
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Chopped pecans
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ripe bananas
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Buttermilk
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Banana Bread Muffins
This recipe for banana bread muffins comes together in about 30 minutes. First, you’ll whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Then, beat the eggs and bananas together until combined. Add in the remaining wet ingredients, followed by the dry.
Scoop the muffin batter into a prepared muffin pan and bake the banana bread muffins until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Can I Freeze Banana Bread Muffins?
Very easily! Let them cool to room temp before sealing them inside a freezer bag. To reheat, either set them on your counter to thaw or gently reheat in the microwave.
Can I Add Other Mix-Ins?
I’m sure you can. Think: chocolate chips, dried fruit, various nuts, and so forth. You can 1 1/2 cups mix-ins total (otherwise you’ll have more mix-ins than muffin!).
Tips for Making Banana Bread Muffins
You’ll want to use very ripe, almost black bananas for these easy banana muffins. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough yet, roast them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then let them cool completely before adding them to the batter.
I used sweetened coconut in this recipe, but I’m sure you could use unsweetened if that’s what you prefer.
If you don’t have pecans on hand, you could also use walnuts or another nut that’s mild in flavor.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes to Make
- Gwenyth’s Blueberry Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Classic Banana Bread
- Blueberry Oatmeal Quick Bread
- German Chocolate Banana Bread
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Banana Bread Muffins with Toasted Coconut
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut , toasted and cooled
- 1 cup pecans , chopped
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 bananas , peeled and smashed (should be very ripe)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners or spray with cooking spray.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a medium size bowl. Add the toasted coconut and pecans and whisk to combine.
- Place smashed bananas and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on low until combined. Add the egg, vanilla and buttermilk and beat until combined.
- Fold in flour mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. Using a 1 ounce scooper, fill the muffin tins 2/3 of the way full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Bakers Royale
Nutrition
More Banana Breakfast Recipes We Love
- The Best Banana Bread Pancakes
- Cherry Berry and Banana Overnight Oats
- Banana Chocolate Chip French Toast
- Slow Cooker Baked Oatmeal with Bananas & Nuts
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