Tropical Muffins with Macadamia-Coconut Topping

Tropical flavored muffins full of bananas, pineapple, and coconut. Topped with a sweet crunchy macadamia-coconut topping for the perfect brunch muffin!

Less than a week until Mother’s Day! Aren’t you glad I reminded you? Hopefully you have something special planned for mom, I mean she did after all go through hours of painful labor with you, change your diapers, wipe your nose, feed you, bathe you, clean up your messes, and the list goes on and on. Somehow with all the messes and mistakes we’ve made she still loves us unconditionally. The woman deserves a medal, a gold star, a parade, she deserves one day out of the year to truly be honored for putting up with us all these years. If medals and parades aren’t doable, making her a delicious breakfast or brunch instead!

Since my mom and I live in different states I can’t treat her to a delicious brunch which is a real bummer because I LOVE making brunch! If she was living nearby my Mother’s Day brunch for her would definitely include these Tropical Muffins with Macadamia-Coconut Topping.

Not only are these muffins ultra moist and delicious, but they are also butter and refined sugar free. The muffins get their sweetness from bananas and coconut sugar. This was my first time using coconut sugar and I have to say, I’m hooked. Surprisingly coconut sugar doesn’t really taste like coconut at all. It has a wonderful caramel color and is similar in flavor to brown sugar. Since these muffins were already using so many coconut ingredients (unsweetened coconut flakes and coconut oil) I figured why not stick with the theme and use coconut sugar too!

My favorite part of these muffins is the topping. That’s usually true of all muffins, but especially these. The topping is a combination of unsweetened coconut flakes, chopped macadamia nuts, and coconut sugar. It makes for a deliciously sweet, nutty, toasted flavor on top and adds a nice crunch to go along with the moist muffins. If you are planning a brunch or special breakfast this year for that sweet woman who has done so much for you, skip the box of grocery store doughnuts, and make her a batch of these Tropical Muffins with Macadamia-Coconut Topping!

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Tropical Muffins with Macadamia-Coconut Topping

Yield: 12-14 muffins

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

Tropical Muffins

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy are fine)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (granulated or brown sugar may be used instead)
• 1/3 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional, replace with more vanilla extract if you aren't using it)

Macadamia-Coconut Topping

• 1/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

Instructions

1. In a small skillet over medium heat toast 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes then remove from the heat and let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cooled toasted coconut flakes.
4. In a separate bowl mash the bananas then whisk in the milk, melted coconut oil, Greek yogurt, egg white, coconut sugar, pineapple, and extracts.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix together with a rubber spatula just until combined.
6. Scoop the muffin batter into the muffin liners filling them about 3/4 of the way full.
7. In a small bowl combine the chopped macadamia nuts, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, and 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes.
8. Sprinkle the topping evenly over all of the muffins.
9. Bake the muffins on the middle rack of the oven for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Cool the muffins on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

More Muffin Recipes:

Banana Graham Cracker Muffins

Hazelnut Coffee Muffins Stuffed with Nutella

Brown Butter Cherry Almond Muffins 

Hummingbird Muffins Stuffed with Cinnamon Cream Cheese