Several times a week my daughter asks to make muffins. We whipped up these Pumpkin Coconut Muffins in an afternoon to my daughter’s delight. I like how they are healthier than cookies but still enticing as a treat. If you have a little baker in your home, these muffins are definitely worth checking out!
My daughter loves helping — with baking, painting, cleaning; whatever I’m doing she wants to help. Even if the project takes a bit longer with her “help”, I enjoy including her and helping her develop her motor skills and personal interests. Most hands-on, creativity-encouraging activities that don’t involve a “screen” are encouraged in our house. (Although we did use my phone to search for recipe ideas.)
To make these muffins, we found a standard Pumpkin Muffin recipe and swapped out some of the ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup sugar (or skip the sugar and use 2/3 cup honey or agave nectar instead)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Directions
Mix together the wet ingredients in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Distribute the muffin batter into greased muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
My three-year-old had lots of fun measuring out ingredients and mixing the batter. I’m excited that she’s already very eager to learn how to cook and bake.
We scooped our muffin batter into mini muffin tins (with varying levels of success). I don’t mind helping with clean up control.
This cute little apron was made by one of our very crafty friends; it’s become a must-have for wearing in the kitchen.
We baked our mini Coconut Pumpkin Muffins for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees. They came out of the oven moist and delicious! Be careful not to burn them; it’s such a bummer to make your delicious muffins not-so-delicious by over cooking them (we’ve done that before!)
Mini muffins make a yummy treat for a tea party or afternoon snack! I like that they are fairly low in sugar, and look super cute as an appetizer or party treat.
Do your kids like to bake with you? I look forward to many more afternoons of baking with my daughter. Soon I’ll probably be helping her make her own delicious recipes!
Benefits of Baking with Your Kids
1. Baking is a great way to spend quality time with your child!
2. Reading and explaining recipes and allowing your child to help mix in the ingredients can help develop cognitive and motor skills.
3. Baking helps a child develop life skills, teaches them how to follow directions, and can be considered practical chemistry!
We hope you enjoy baking with your kids. Try out our pumpkin muffins with a coconut twist! We’d love to hear your own recipes shared in the comments.
Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 3 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, taking photos and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!