Pumpkin Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins
These healthy Pumpkin Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with pumpkin puree, coconut milk, coconut sugar, white whole wheat flour, and quinoa but you'll never know they're good for you!
You knew it wouldn't be long before my first pumpkin post, right?! I mean, we ARE six days into September, so you should actually be impressed I waited this long.
Even though I've been mourning the passing of summer because I feel like it JUST started, I am slowly becoming more and more excited for fall. Especially now with a toddler who's actually soaking in everything around him. I can't wait to take him to an apple orchard, carve a pumpkin with him, see him jump in a pile of leaves, and share my pumpkin pie with him.
But anyways! Back to the muffins.
While I've waited this long to post a pumpkin recipe, I definitely haven't held out baking and cooking with pumpkin and squash in my kitchen. Truth is, I made these a couple of weeks ago. Not only that, but I've made them multiple times. They are that good!
So here's the gist of these muffins. There's lots of pumpkin and lots of coconut going on. Coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and shredded coconut. I do love me some coconut. Combine that with pumpkin puree and all of the glorious spices that usually accompany it.
And THENNNN I went and threw in some chocolate chips. Because I can't not.
The kicker? These little guys are full of whole wheat flour AND quinoa for whole grains and a boost of protein.
This is a great recipe for when you make quinoa for dinner and don't eat it all. Or just a fun new way to use it. And if you're thinking it sounds like a weird thing to put in a muffin, I promise - you can't even tell it's in there.
And while my first pumpkin recipe might be more on the virtuous side, don't worry. I have a more indulgent recipe coming up later this week! Hint: it involves pumpkin and salted caramel. Cue: heart eyed emoji.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup coconut oil measured in melted state
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray 12 muffin pan with cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, coconut milk, melted coconut oil, egg, vanilla, and coconut sugar. Whisk well to combine.
- In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
- Pour in pumpkin mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined.
- Fold in quinoa, chocolate chips, and coconut until just combined.
- Evenly distribute batter, filling each muffin about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until middle no longer feels like batter and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs, not batter.
- Cool and enjoy!
I need to pick myself up some pumpkin! I haven't started using it yet (although am fully onto apples and butternut squash!). These muffins sound delicious - I wish I had one for an afternoon snack.
These look amazing!! The "spirit of fall" starts so late down here in Houston...we're still in tank tops and spending time in the swimming pool! I'm definitely saving this recipe for October though!!
Thanks Kacey!
I love a good pumpkin muffin! All the coconut in these sounds so good!