Key lime. Key lime. Key lime. PIE.
It’s the best pie out there. Hands down.
It’s perfectly creamy, zesty, tart, and sweet, all built upon a delicious graham cracker crust.
When I was young, my family took a vacation, road tripping all along the Southern coast, from Mississippi to the other side of Florida. Before heading up to Orlando, to end our vacation with a Disneyworld experience, we cruised down to the Florida Keys.
It was there that I fell in love with this glorious pie. Savoring a fat slice of key lime pie, while in the Keys–where the juiciest key limes call home–I was tasting the the cream of the crop and surely the mother of all key lime pies.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat pretty much any key lime flavored pie, yogurt, ice cream, or dessert that comes my way and I will love it. But I’ll never forget that one glorious slice.
Which brings me to these zesty little muffins. These muffins pack so much flavor. Pleasantly tart, lightly sweetened, and laced with tropical coconut goodness, I just don’t know if a muffin can get any better.
But wait, it can. This one has a thin crushed graham cracker base and a little sprinkling on the top, for that reminiscent taste of the highly favored graham cracker crust.
I don’t think I need to do anymore convincing, here. My work is done.
Enjoy.
Key Lime {& Coconut} Muffins
Makes 36 mini muffins or 12 regular muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
¾ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and
1 Tbsp grated lime zest
1/2 cup fresh squeezed key lime juice (or any lime)
2-3 Graham crackers sheets, crushed (about ½ cup crumbs)
turbinado sugar, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.
In a mixing bowl, combine flours, sugar, shredded coconut, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of stand mixer, add milk, vanilla, eggs, coconut oil (can be warm, not hot), lime zest and lime juice. Beat on medium just until fully combined. If batter seems a little thick, add another tablespoon of milk and mix to incorporate.
Lightly grease muffin cups or line with paper liners. Add a pinch or two of graham cracker crumbs to the bottom of each muffin cup (about 1 tsp for mini muffins and 2-3 tsps for regular muffins). Spoon batter into each cup; fill ¾ full for regular muffins and fill to the top for mini muffins. Sprinkle with a pinch of turbinado sugar, shredded coconut, and graham cracker crumbs.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center, comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 1 minute before removing to finish cooling on wire rack.
From the Little Yellow Kitchen,
Chrissy
