Name: Vegan Coconut Pandan Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup (360ml) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used soymilk); 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour; 2½ teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup (60g) dessicated shredded coconut (unsweetened), divided; ½ cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 5 tbsp melted coconut oil; 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk; 1/2 tsp pandan extract*

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Fluffy vegan muffins with the fragrant flavors of pandan and coconut milk; moist and not too sweet, with a cake-like crumb.

Pandan is a tropical plant whose leaves are commonly used for flavoring in South Asian dishes and desserts. The extract of pandan has been called “Asian vanilla,” which is an apt description; I’ve seen it used in desserts ranging from pandan jelly, pandan bread buns, pandan waffles, pandan chiffon cake, to even pandan ice cream. The aroma of pandan is distinctive, almost nutty, with a floral undertone— really like nothing else. It’s intoxicating, wafting from a batch of freshly baked goods.

For these muffins, I decided to pair pandan extract and coconut milk— two flavors that just seemed made for each other. I also added shredded coconut to the batter, and later sprinkled more atop the buns to toast in the oven.

I don’t like my desserts too sweet, and I think these are perfect; the crumb is rich and fluffy in texture and more cake-like than your typical muffin. Not sickeningly sweet or greasy like cupcakes, though– these are wholesome enough to enjoy for breakfast. I packed a dozen for a road trip with friends to the Oregon coast, and between the three of us we ate them ALL in one day, they were so good.

Ingredients for Coconut Pandan Muffins:

Unsweetened non-dairy milk. I recommend using soy milk; the higher protein content results in a fluffier crumb. You can also use unsweetened almond milk or hemp milk.
Apple cider vinegar. You’ll be adding this to the milk to curdle it; the chemical reaction mimics the effect of buttermilk.
All-purpose flour. I haven’t tried any gluten-free flours yet but if you do, let me know in the comments. I’d recommend trying rice flour + oat flour.
Baking powder and baking soda, to help the muffins rise.
Unsweetened shredded coconut. Some of the shredded coconut will be going into the batter, and the rest to top the muffins before baking.
Granulated sugar. I used organic cane sugar, but feel free to sub turbinado or coconut sugar.
Melted coconut oil. I like to use unrefined coconut oil for a rich coconutty taste. Melted vegan butter could also work.
Full-fat coconut milk. This is coconut milk from a can, not a carton.
Pandan extract. I used store-bought pandan extract, which comes in a little bottle, sold in Asian grocery stores. It’s very concentrated and will tint the muffins with a distinctive light green color. If you don’t want to use the extract you can also use pandan leaves to flavor the muffins; see my notes below the recipe for instructions.

How to Make Coconut Pandan Muffins:

Preheat the oven to 375F and line/grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside (the milk will begin to curdle).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ½ cup shredded coconut.

In a separate bowl, cream together sugar, melted coconut oil, coconut milk, and pandan extract. Pour in the milk/vinegar mixture to the dry ingredients, then add the pandan-sugar mixture.

Fold until well incorporated (be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are fine). Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, then sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup shredded coconut.

Bake in pre-heated oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Allow muffins to cool before removing from pan and transferring to a rack.

more vegan holiday dessert recipes:

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