Since Spring is just about here, even though it’s hard to tell from all the snow on the ground, I thought it would be a perfect time to share these tropical muffins. Even though I am enjoying the snow and last of the season (hopefully) snowshoe excursions, I feel that it never hurts to have a reminder that brighter/warmer days do exist. Mangos are one of my favorite tropical fruits, but I don’t buy them very often. Like pears, they are so hard to get perfectly ripe. By the time I remember them either in the back of the fridge or on the counter, they have either gone bad before getting ripe, or gone bad by being overripe. Or, I slice into them too soon because I am overly excited to eat it. Talk about disappointing when you cut into it and realize that it wasn’t time yet. I totally do that with avocados too.
Anyway, these muffins are excellent. They are moist with surprising bursts of mango and waves of mango. They don’t even need butter. I ended up making a double batch and freezing what we didn’t eat after a few days. I love having a bright and cheery muffin or two at a moment’s notice. If you are in desperate need of a reminder that warm temperatures do indeed exist, then make these immediately. You will be instantly transported to a warm, tropical beach with palm trees gently blowing in the wind and the sand between your toes. If you are already enjoying warm spring temperatures, or the snow and cold weather doesn’t bother you, you still need to make these. Bake, eat and be happy.
Recipe adapted from Love and Lemons
Coconut Mango Muffins
These moist and tender muffins are bursting with bright and cheery flavors such as fresh mango and toasted coconut. Slather with butter when they are fresh out of the oven and serve with a steaming cup of coffee or tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar plus 2 Tablespoons, divided*
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup coconut milk, or whole milk , at room temperature
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely diced ripe mango
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners, or grease.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and 1/2 cup of sugar. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the egg, coconut milk, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until combined. Fold in the mango.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with coconut flakes. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven. If desired, sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the muffins to a cooling rack to let cool completely. Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
Notes
*If you don't have coconut sugar, you can substitute granulated sugar instead.
