Pineapple Walnut Muffins
These sweet vegan walnut pineapple muffins are a delicious summery tropical treat, ready in just 30 minutes and perfect for breakfast, snacking, and dessert! Best of all, they’re so buttery and sweet that no one would even guess that they’re dairy-free and egg-free!
Sweet Vegan Walnut and Pineapple Muffins
As the summer months are upon us, we find ourselves reaching for fruity desserts and treats more and more. So alongside roasted peaches (served with nice cream, of course), lemon poppy seed snack cake, and vegan peach bread, now it’s the turn of these sweet and tropical vegan walnut pineapple muffins!
The addition of crushed pineapple makes for super buttery, tender, light, and fluffy results – yet with absolutely no dairy or eggs! Not to mention a wonderfully tropical flavor that can be enjoyed year-round with fresh or tinned fruit! Plus, with just 7 wholesome ingredients made up primarily of pantry-staples, these pineapple walnut muffins are also wonderfully low-budget!
Better yet, apart from the seven simple ingredients, these pineapple muffins only require one bowl and 30 minutes to prepare. Once baked, these fruity muffins are a great meal-prep, freezer-friendly snack (and definitely child-approved). In fact, making a double batch is practically a must for months of grab-and-go breakfast, snack, or dessert pineapple muffins.
The combination of pineapple and walnuts not only helps to satisfy multi-texture and flavor cravings, but there are also several ways to adapt this pineapple muffin recipe. These include adding a cheeky pina colada coconut rum twist, adding dried fruit, making them nut-free, etc.!
Best of all, you can enjoy these pineapple muffins as-is (still super delicious!) or top them with a quick fruity icing drizzle or more decadent vegan cream cheese frosting. So whether you want these as a light breakfast or tropical dessert, there’s a way!
And once you’ve gotten in the kitchen baking up delicious vegan muffins, you’ll probably never want to stop. So feel free to also bake up a batch of banana muffins, peach blueberry muffins, carrot cake muffins, or pumpkin muffins!
The Ingredients and Substitutes
- Pineapple: All you need is one 20-oz can of crushed pineapple. Check the notes for fresh pineapple conversions.
- Walnuts: While walnuts work particularly well (walnut oat scones are also highly recommended!), pecans or macadamia nuts would also work.
- Sugar: You can use white, brown, coconut (unrefined), etc. Each will affect the flavor differently, so use what you like.
- Oil: Any neutral oil will do, like canola oil or vegetable oil, would work. Coconut oil may also work.
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works best. You could also try using a 50/50 blend with regular AP flour and whole wheat flour, but I wouldn’t recommend 100% whole wheat.
- Baking powder: This will help to provide lift to the vegan pineapple muffins.
- Vanilla: You can never go wrong with a bit of natural vanilla extract in muffins.
- Salt: A little salt is perfect for enhancing and adding depth of flavor to sweet baked goods
Optional Add-ins and Variations:
- Coconut: There are a couple of ways to add coconut flavor for wonderfully tropical pineapple coconut muffins. First, adding around ¼ cup of unsweetened shredded coconut (raw or lightly toasted) for flavor and texture. Second, use some natural coconut extract for just flavor.
- Banana pineapple muffins: You can easily substitute some pineapple (i.e., if you can only use an 8oz tin of pineapple) with mashed banana instead.
- Dried fruit: You could between ¼ – ⅓ cup dried raisins, sultanas, cranberries, blueberries, etc.
- Gluten-free: You may be able to use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend but don’t try this with a single flour type like coconut or almond as they have different absorbency levels.
- Icing drizzle: You can make a quick icing with a combination of powdered sugar and a little pineapple, orange, or lemon juice (Around 1 cup icing sugar and 2-2 ½tbsp juice should work). Alternatively, you could serve them with a vegan cream cheese frosting.
- White chocolate: If you’re able to find vegan white chocolate chips, they pair wonderfully with these pineapple muffins. Just sprinkle a few over the top of each muffin before baking or mix a handful into the batter.
How to Make Sweet Vegan Pineapple Muffins?
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions!
- First, preheat the oven to 400F/205C. Then, line a 12-hole muffin tray (or grease it well).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pineapple, sugar, oil, and vanilla – mix well.
- Then, mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined (don’t overmix). Then add the walnuts and fold in.
- Divide the mixture between the muffin liner, filling until almost the top. Alternatively, you can spread it amongst two trays of mini muffins and reduce the baking time by several minutes (keep an eye on them).
- Then, reduce the oven heat the 350F/175C, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
If you notice the tops browning too much while the middle remains raw, create a foil tent for the top while they continue baking.
How to Make-Ahead and Store?
It’s possible to prepare the pineapple muffin batter a day in advance. Store the batter covered in the fridge minus the baking powder. When you’re ready to bake, mix in the baking powder and continue with the recipe.
Once baked, store the vegan pineapple muffins in a container with a layer of paper towel (since these muffins are very moist, this will help absorb that extra moisture) at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for between 5-7 days.
Alternatively, you can freeze the vegan pineapple muffins for up to two months. Then leave them on the counter or in the fridge to thaw when needed.
How to Serve Pineapple Walnut Muffins?
You can enjoy these vegan walnut pineapple muffins as a breakfast, snack, or dessert. Here are a few ways how.
- Enjoy alone
- Serve warm with a spread of dairy-free butter
- Serve with some yogurt (or whipped coconut cream) and fruits
- Slather with a little dairy-free cream cheese (it sounds weird but just ‘works.’)
- Serve warm/toasted with a scoop of ice-cream or nice cream
Top Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Adjust the sweetness: Feel free to reduce the sugar in this recipe based on how sweet the pineapple is. Just be aware that omitting it entirely will produce denser pineapple muffins.
- Use the spoon and level method: When measuring flour, it’s best to spoon it into your measuring cup before using a knife to level the top, so you don’t accidentally add too much and end up with dense muffins.
- Be careful not to overmix: Or the vegan pineapple muffins will become dense and/or gummy.
- Can I use fresh pineapple? You should be able to, though we haven’t tried- as the liquid content will differ. For one 15oz can crushed pineapple, I recommend using around 1 ¼ cup pineapple flesh (crushed) and around ½ cup pineapple juice (or use 1 ¾ fresh pineapple pulsed to the crushed consistency). Add a little extra juice if the batter seems dry.
- To make pineapple bread: Pour the batter into a loaf tin and bake for between 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For the most budget-conscious: Canned pineapple often goes on sale around the holidays, so it’s the perfect time to stock up!
More Vegan Pineapple Recipes
- Pineapple glazed tofu
- Grilled pineapple
- Kale pineapple smoothie
- Pineapple upside-down cake
- Creamy pineapple pie
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Pineapple Walnut Muffins
Ingredients
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line 12 muffins cups.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pineapple, sugar, oil and vanilla. Mix well.
- Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt until well-combined. Once the batter is just mixed, add the walnuts. Stir to combine.
- Scoop into muffin liners, filling almost to the top.
- Place in oven, reduce heat to 350F. Bake 25 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
- Adjust the sweetness: Feel free to reduce the sugar in this recipe based on how sweet the pineapple is. Just be aware that omitting it entirely will produce denser pineapple muffins.
- Use the spoon and level method: When measuring flour, it’s best to spoon it into your measuring cup before using a knife to level the top, so you don’t accidentally add too much and end up with dense muffins.
- Be careful not to overmix: Or the vegan pineapple muffins will become dense and/or gummy.
- Can I use fresh pineapple? You should be able to, though we haven’t tried- as the liquid content will differ. For one 15oz can crushed pineapple, I recommend using around 1 ¼ cup pineapple flesh (crushed) and around ½ cup pineapple juice (or use 1 ¾ fresh pineapple pulsed to the crushed consistency). Add a little extra juice if the batter seems dry.
- To make pineapple bread: Pour the batter into a loaf tin and bake for between 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For the most budget-conscious: Canned pineapple often goes on sale around the holidays, so it’s the perfect time to stock up!
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About Toni
Welcome to Plant-Based on a Budget! Here you’ll find affordable and easy-to-make recipes, and an inclusive, supportive approach to plant-based eating.
Tricia Hazlewood says
I used your recipe yesterday, 04/12/22. I made a loaf instead of muffins. I used apple sauce instead of oil. I also used classic baker's flour. This is just delicious and moist. So simple. Thank you for sharing. It's just my husband and I. I gave two slices to one of my friends. By this morning it was almost gone.
Andrea White says
Nice! That's so awesome to hear! These muffins are one of a kind!