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Scrumptious & healthy coconut-lime chickpea flour muffins! They are vegan, grain-free, oil-free, nut-free, & all-around wonderful!
I am a sucker for just about anything that combines the flavors of coconut and lime. So, with the arrival of warmer temperatures this week, I decided it was the perfect time to celebrate the combination by making a batch of Coconut-Lime Chickpea Flour Muffins.
They are equally simple and sensational.
Recipe Benefits
I made the coconut lime muffins with one of my favorite flours, chickpea flour, which means they are naturally grain-free, but the muffins are also:
- Vegan
- Oil-free
- Nut-free
- Seed-free
- Gluten-free
- High-protein
- High-fiber
Sorry, over-priced coffee store muffins, you cannot even begin to compete!
Yes, these muffins will nourish and fortify you for the most demanding mornings. Yet the reason you’ll want to make them (many times!) comes down to great flavor and texture.
Ingredients for the Muffins
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- full-fat coconut milk
- juice and zest of limes
- chickpea flour
- coconut sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- vanilla extract
It is astonishing how the texture of chickpea flour breads and muffins can resemble wheat flour baked goods, and that is certainly the case here. But the tenderness is owed to the very ingredients that deliver the signature flavors: canned, full-fat coconut milk and lime.
Coconut milk is both oil and milk in one, and when combined with lime juice, it becomes a rich, dairy-free version of buttermilk, which is one of the best ingredients for creating a tender texture in quick breads of all kinds.
Step by Step Directions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Other than stirring up the coconut milk and lime juice in a separate cup, this recipe is a one-bowl, quick whisk and bake affair.
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 9 cups of a standard muffin tinn with foil or paper liners.
- In a small cup or bowl, combine the coconut milk and lime juice. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the milk mixture, lime zest and vanilla; stir until blended and smooth.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared cups (do not overfill; cups should be no more than 1/2-way full).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until risen, golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.
- Cool 5 minutes in the muffin tin. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely on cooling rack.
Important Baking Tip
The only critical step in the process is this: fill the muffin cups no more than halfway.
I mean it when I say it’s a critical step. If the cups are filled too full, the muffins will rise, then droop, and eventually finish with flat or slightly sunken tops.
But so long as the batter is kept to the halfway point or lower, your muffins will rise and shine!
Variations
These muffins have plenty of room for variation, too. For example, use lemon (juice and zest) instead of lime. stir-in some nuts, seeds, or fruit (fresh or dried), or, perhaps, spice things up with some ginger or cardamom.
Do keep in mind that, if you swap the coconut milk for a low fat or nonfat dairy-free milk, you will need to add some fat. Yes, the muffins will still look like muffins without the added fat, but they will be tough and dry. See my tips in the recipes for how much oil to add in such a circumstance.
I hope that you enjoy these as much as I do! They taste like a mini tropical vacation with each bite.
Happy baking!
Related Recipes
Coconut Lime Chickpea Flour Muffins (Vegan, Grain-Free, OIl-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, stir well before measuring
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 and 1/4 cups, 150 g chickpea flour
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 9 cups of a standard muffin pan with foil or paper liners.
- In a small cup or bowl, combine the coconut milk and lime juice. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Ina medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the milk mixture, lime zest and vanilla; stir until blended and smooth. Divide batter evenly between prepared cups (do not overfill; cups should be no more than 1/2-way full).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until risen, golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.
- Cool 5 minutes in muffin pan. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely on cooling rack.
Would this recipe work in a bread loaf?
Hi Natalia,
I am not sure, it would be risky. The centers tend to collapse with larger, grain-free vegan loaves unless there is some added structure (e.g., psyllium husks). Small loaf pans are a better bet.
I have husks or powder and it I was feeling risky, how much of either would you suggest?
And thank you for always responding to any questions I have!!!
Hi Natalia! Sorry for the delay. Hmm, maybe start with a 1.5 tablespoons husks (or 1.5 teaspoons powder), and add another 1 to 3 tablespoons liquid to the batter, as needed. I would love to know how it goes if you try it!
I have recently been put on an extremely strict diet: no dairy, no grains (gluten free or not), no fruit, no potatoes, no corn, no sugar. I made these, but substituted the coconut sugar with monks fruit sugar replacement. It worked great and these were super delicious. Very filling too!
Wonderful, Allison! Im so glad they fit your needs and that you enjoyed them so much 🙂
Do you use a standard size muffin pan? I did and made 12 muffins because 9 seemed more than 1/2 way full. Still had flat tops but very good.
Yes, I used standard. It’s been awhile since I have made these…I am glad you adapted and went with 12!
Could I used whole chickpeas blended instead of chickpea flour?
Alas, no— sorry Eden. The cooked chickpeas work very differently from the chickpea flour (made from raw dried chickpeas). So it’s like using cooked eggs instead of raw eggs in a baking recipe.
Really easy and yummy! As per your notes I used maple syrup + 1 tsp of honey instead of sugar. Added 1/3 cup shredded coconut, along with some cardamom powder and turmeric. The extra volume left me with 12 muffins instead of 9, yay 🙂 Thanks
You are so welcome, Alison!
Can I use coconut cream rather than coconut milk?
Hi Karen,
Yes, but with some modifications. Coconut cream is the thickest part of coconut milk, so to replace the coconut milk, I suggest using about 1/3 to 1/2 coconut cream and the rest water.
Made the muffins today. I added about two tbsp of shredded coconut in the batter and a bit extra on the top of each muffin. So airy and fluffy! 🙂 Another great recipe!!
YUM! Love some shredded coconut, sounds so good, Hungry Turtle!
Camilla, your nutrition data used to list carbohydrates, but now only includes “sugar” and ‘fibre’. It is helpful for those of us watching CHO intake to know the grams of CHO in a serving. LOVE your recipes!!
Thanks so much for catching, Kim! Don’t worry it is not a trend, just an oversight on this recipe. I’ve added it ! So glad to hear you are enjoying the recipes 🙂
I may try these with a little bit of shredded coconut mixed in! These sound yummy! Thanks for the fun recipe!
You are so welcome, Mindy! I am all for more coconut 🙂