Ube muffins are soft but dense, like a proper muffin should be. Topped with a sweet coconut crumble and filled with a generous helping of ube halaya or ube jam, it’s a delicious treat for breakfast, snack, picnics, work and school.
(Craving for ube cupcakes instead? Here’s the best Filipino ube cupcake recipe. It’s frosted with light and creamy ube whipped cream.)
Ube muffins are the latest in my ever growing collection of delicious ube recipes.
From an easy ube cake recipe frosted with the most luxurious ube buttercream to ube bread with a delicious coconut topping, from ube crinkles to ube flavoured and purple coloured puto cheese recipe, I’m not kidding when I say ube is my jam.
It’s one of my favourite things in the world to bake and eat.
And like all of my ube desserts, this ube muffin recipe is easy to make and packed with that distinct and delectable ube flavour we love.
How to make ube muffins
Making ube muffins is easy and straightforward.
Ingredients
First, let’s gather our ingredients. For the muffins, we’ll need:
- Milk (I use either 1% or 2% skim milk)
- Granulated sugar
- Canola or vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Ube extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Ube jam or ube halaya — you can buy a jar from the store or make your own. I have a delicious recipe for ube halaya, try it!
To make the coconut topping:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Unsalted butter
Baking tools
This recipe makes 16 muffins so we’ll need 2 muffin pans. Also:
- Cupcake or muffin liners
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
I like using a cookie scoop to transfer my muffin batter to the pan but you can also use a spoon.
Ube muffins recipe
Now that we have everything ready, let’s start baking!
I like to make my topping first. That way, it’s ready as soon as my muffin batter is combined and ready to go.
Luckily, it’s super easy: just mix all your ingredients until well blended and set aside.
For the muffins:
1 PREHEAT. Preheat oven to 350F and line your muffin pans with liners.
2 WHISK. In a large bowl, whisk milk, sugar, oil, eggs and ube extract until combined.
3 SIFT. Then sift flour, baking powder and salt directly into your wet ingredients, stirring just until blended. Careful not to over mix. We want a lumpy batter.
4 TRANSFER. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, fill your muffin cups ⅓ full. Then put a heaping tablespoon of ube halaya and proceed to scoop the remaining batter over it. Your cups should be ⅔ full prior to baking.
5 BAKE. Sprinkle your prepared coconut topping on the muffins and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a few muffins comes out with minimal dry crumbs. Note that the ube jam might stick to the toothpick and that’s ok.
6 COOL. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Purple yam muffins baking tips and recipe FAQs
For perfect, delicious ube muffins every time, check out these baking tips and answers to your frequently asked questions.
How to make ube halaya with fresh ube
Making ube halaya is really not as difficult as it seems. You just need to put everything together and stir continuously for about half an hour or so until your ube jam is smooth and creamy.
I always make ube halaya with fresh ube but you can also use frozen grated ube in a pinch.
Check out this recipe for ube jam; it’s so delicious you won’t go back to the jarred ones from the store anymore!
How to ensure muffins have a domed top
Ever had your muffins sink in the centre? I’ve had that happen to me a few times so here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way to make sure muffins always have that lovely domed top:
- Do not over mix the batter. If you’ve been mixing it for 30 seconds, that’s already too long. As long as you don’t have massive patches of flour in your bowl, you’re good.
- Also, stir gently. Avoid doing any vigorous stirring because this will make your muffins tough.
- Stir by hand as much as possible. There’s less chance of overworking the batter vs when using an electric mixer.
Remember that you’re not looking for a smooth batter but a really lumpy one so that when you scoop it onto your muffin liners they plop onto the liners like a blob and don’t flow like cupcake batters usually do.
Best way to store ube muffins
Ube muffins are best eaten the day they are baked but they will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. If you need to keep them for longer, it’s best to freeze them.
Once they’re completely cool, place the muffins in a freezer-safe container or a Ziploc bag and place in the freezer. They should last up to a month.
To thaw, loosely cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 20-30s.
These ube muffins (or purple yam muffins) are a delicious way to get our ube fix.
Enjoy some in the morning with your coffee or tea, bring some on a picnic, pack 1 or 2 in someone’s lunch box, serve to company. Enjoy!
Happy baking!
Did you make ube muffins? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below. If you’re looking for all things ube, check out this delicious collection of the best must-try ube desserts.
Ube Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
For the sweet coconut topping
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted) melted
For the ube muffins
- 1½ cups milk I use 1% or 2% skim milk, room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- 2 pcs large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp ube extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup ube jam
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the coconut topping until evenly blended. Set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line 2 standard-size muffin pans with muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk 1½ cups milk, 1½ cups sugar, ⅔ cup canola oil, 2 large eggs and 2 tsp ube extract until combined.
- Then sift 4 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder and ½ tsp salt directly into your wet ingredients
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until blended. Careful not to over mix. We want a lumpy batter.
- Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, fill your muffin cups ⅓ full.
- Put a heaping tablespoon of ube halaya and proceed to scoop the remaining batter over it. Your cups should be ⅔ full prior to baking.
- Sprinkle your prepared coconut topping on the muffins and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a few muffins comes out with minimal dry crumbs. Note that the ube jam might stick to the toothpick and that’s ok.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- To make ube jam easier to work with, I usually take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before I plan on using it.
- See post for more baking tips and FAQs.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Aloha LT
Hi Jolina,
I have friends that are lactose intolerant. Can I replace the milk with coconut milk?
Thank you for the recipes! I’ve made the ube brownies and cupcakes. They are all a hit with my family and friends.
Jolina
Hi Aloha, glad you liked the brownies and cupcakes! I haven’t tried making the muffins using coconut milk though. Hopefully some has and can chime in.
Yohana Melena
Hi can I use Ube powder if I can’t find Ube jam?
Jolina
Hi Yohana, yes but’ll need to reconstitute the ube powder then use it to make ube jam.
Clarisse
Made these and LOVED them, but I used a cheese crumble topping instead of a coconut one. It came out super yummy! Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
Jolina
You’re most welcome! Cheese and ube go so well together.
CT
not I only made the muffins and I found some ube powder and substituted some of the AP flour for a 1:1 substitution. but the muffins ended up being very dense and a little dry. I also used TJ ube spread which worked fine but if I make it again I’ll use 1 less cup of flour and add more baking powder to try to make it light and airy.
Jolina
Hi CT, I don’t know if ube powder is a good substitute for flour.
Joan
I tried your recipe using halaya I made from another recipe. I made a mistake and some necessary adjustments. First, I ended up using 1 1/3 C sugar. I skipped extract/ flavoring but used food dye. I used heavy cream for oil and almond milk. I only had unsweetened coconut flakes, so that’s what I used in the topping I made 2 batches. First 12 we’re without the toppings (that made me nervous) and the 2nd dozen has toppings. The one with toppings tasted better of course. But the ones without definitely did not disappoint at all! My husband and son absolutely love both batches!
Jolina
Hi Joan! What a baking adventure lol 🙂 Glad it worked out!
Kyla
Hi! My son is allergic to eggs but I’d love to try this recipe – we all love ube. Do you have any substitution for the egg by chance please? Thanks!!
Jolina
Hi Kyla, unfortunately I don’t. I found this reference though, hope it helps!
Venia
I baked using this recipe today, but found them too bland. Maybe I should have just tried the Ube Cupcakes recipe instead because I was hoping for them to be sweeter.
Jolina
Hi Venia, thanks for trying the recipe. I find it depends a lot on the ube jam you’re using. And for next time if you want to make them a little sweeter, try adding sugar to the topping and not the batter itself.
Joy
Can I use avocado or olive oil instead if f canola or vegetable oil?
Jolina
Hi Joy, generally speaking, you can use olive oil as a substitute but note that because olive oil has a very distinct flavor, it might affect the flavor of the ube muffins.
RRL
Hi! I’m thinking of making this today for my husband. I already made your ube halaya recipe earlier and it’s so gooooodd hehe I’m just wondering though if this will still taste fine without the coconut toppings? I don’t really have any shredded coconut on hand so I’m thinking of maybe drizzling a little white chocolate with coconut extract on top. Thanks for the recipe!
Jolina
Hi RRL! Glad you like the ube halaya 🙂 I haven’t tried white chocolate drizzle on these muffins but white chocolate really goes well with ube (like in ube brownies) so it should be fine. The coconut topping adds flavour and texture to these ube muffins so in addition to your drizzle, I’d suggest making a simple oat crumble as well if you’re so inclined. Enjoy!
Sur
Made these for the first time and they are absolutely divine! Everyone loved them and several have asked for the recipe! I’ve never used Ube before and now I’m hooked! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe! Found all ingredients at a local Asian supermarket! So yummy!
Jolina
That’s awesome Sur! Glad you liked them and welcome to the delicious world of ube 🙂
Max
Sorry I’m a little curious since I have not seen ube jam nor extract near me. But I do found some frozen ube. Is there some compromise in usage or must it be extract and jam? Thank you
Jolina
Hi Max, frozen ube is often used when making ube jam or ube halaya. I personally prefer fresh ube but frozen ube will work in a pinch. So what you can do is make your own halaya and use that in other ube recipes. My ube halaya recipe doesn’t need ube extract so you have everything you need 🙂 Here’s the link – https://theunlikelybaker.com/ube-halaya-recipe-ube-jam/
Nona
Curious if the ube jam is optional? If not what can i use for sub?
Jolina
Hi Nona, it adds to to the ube flavour but yes you can leave it out if you prefer. You can try replacing with coco jam or even not put a filling at all.
Robin
These ube muffins are so delicious! We always make your ube halaya recipe and used that for the muffins. It’s our first time having ube in muffins and they’re so good. Thanks Jolina!!!
Jolina
Glad you liked it Robin! I need to make a fresh batch of ube halaya myself 🙂
Jan
Hi Jolina, thanks for another delicious ube recipe! So far I made your ube halaya and ube ice cream. This is another keeper. Delicious!
Jolina
You’re welcome Jan! Glad you like them 🙂
Mila
I can’t wait to try your ube recipes Jolina! I’m always on the lookout for ube in our supermarket. I hope I buy the right one!!
Stephanie
Goodness, I LOVE the purple color in these! It’s my favorite color. I am still on the hunt for ube near me, but haven’t seen it yet. I want to try all of your delicious recipes!!