diff --git a/doc/whats-new.rst b/doc/whats-new.rst
index 6acb231bcd5..1af81a7d468 100644
--- a/doc/whats-new.rst
+++ b/doc/whats-new.rst
@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ Breaking changes
   not have the averaged dimensions are not accidentially changed
   (:issue:`4885`, :pull:`5207`).  By `David Schwörer
   <https://github.com/dschwoerer>`_
+- :py:attr:`DataArray.coarsen` and :py:attr:`Dataset.coarsen` no longer support passing ``keep_attrs``
+  via its constructor. Pass ``keep_attrs`` via the applied function, i.e. use
+  ``ds.coarsen(...).mean(keep_attrs=False)`` instead of ``ds.coarsen(..., keep_attrs=False).mean()``.
+  Further, coarsen now keeps attributes per default (:pull:`5227`).
+  By `Mathias Hauser <https://github.com/mathause>`_.
 
 Deprecations
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/xarray/core/common.py b/xarray/core/common.py
index ce6157e6386..e348600b0bb 100644
--- a/xarray/core/common.py
+++ b/xarray/core/common.py
@@ -954,10 +954,6 @@ def coarsen(
         coord_func : str or mapping of hashable to str, default: "mean"
             function (name) that is applied to the coordinates,
             or a mapping from coordinate name to function (name).
-        keep_attrs : bool, optional
-            If True, the object's attributes (`attrs`) will be copied from
-            the original object to the new one.  If False (default), the new
-            object will be returned without attributes.
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -1001,8 +997,6 @@ def coarsen(
         core.rolling.DataArrayCoarsen
         core.rolling.DatasetCoarsen
         """
-        if keep_attrs is None:
-            keep_attrs = _get_keep_attrs(default=False)
 
         dim = either_dict_or_kwargs(dim, window_kwargs, "coarsen")
         return self._coarsen_cls(
diff --git a/xarray/core/rolling.py b/xarray/core/rolling.py
index 6b65c2cd536..f99a7568282 100644
--- a/xarray/core/rolling.py
+++ b/xarray/core/rolling.py
@@ -805,6 +805,16 @@ def __init__(self, obj, windows, boundary, side, coord_func, keep_attrs):
         self.windows = windows
         self.side = side
         self.boundary = boundary
+
+        if keep_attrs is not None:
+            warnings.warn(
+                "Passing ``keep_attrs`` to ``coarsen`` is deprecated and will raise an"
+                " error in xarray 0.19. Please pass ``keep_attrs`` directly to the"
+                " applied function, i.e. use ``ds.coarsen(...).mean(keep_attrs=False)``"
+                " instead of ``ds.coarsen(..., keep_attrs=False).mean()``"
+                " Note that keep_attrs is now True per default.",
+                FutureWarning,
+            )
         self.keep_attrs = keep_attrs
 
         absent_dims = [dim for dim in windows.keys() if dim not in self.obj.dims]
@@ -819,6 +829,19 @@ def __init__(self, obj, windows, boundary, side, coord_func, keep_attrs):
                 coord_func[c] = duck_array_ops.mean
         self.coord_func = coord_func
 
+    def _get_keep_attrs(self, keep_attrs):
+
+        if keep_attrs is None:
+            # TODO: uncomment the next line and remove the others after the deprecation
+            # keep_attrs = _get_keep_attrs(default=True)
+
+            if self.keep_attrs is None:
+                keep_attrs = _get_keep_attrs(default=True)
+            else:
+                keep_attrs = self.keep_attrs
+
+        return keep_attrs
+
     def __repr__(self):
         """provide a nice str repr of our coarsen object"""
 
@@ -849,11 +872,13 @@ def _reduce_method(
         if include_skipna:
             kwargs["skipna"] = None
 
-        def wrapped_func(self, **kwargs):
+        def wrapped_func(self, keep_attrs: bool = None, **kwargs):
             from .dataarray import DataArray
 
+            keep_attrs = self._get_keep_attrs(keep_attrs)
+
             reduced = self.obj.variable.coarsen(
-                self.windows, func, self.boundary, self.side, self.keep_attrs, **kwargs
+                self.windows, func, self.boundary, self.side, keep_attrs, **kwargs
             )
             coords = {}
             for c, v in self.obj.coords.items():
@@ -866,16 +891,18 @@ def wrapped_func(self, **kwargs):
                             self.coord_func[c],
                             self.boundary,
                             self.side,
-                            self.keep_attrs,
+                            keep_attrs,
                             **kwargs,
                         )
                     else:
                         coords[c] = v
-            return DataArray(reduced, dims=self.obj.dims, coords=coords)
+            return DataArray(
+                reduced, dims=self.obj.dims, coords=coords, name=self.obj.name
+            )
 
         return wrapped_func
 
-    def reduce(self, func: Callable, **kwargs):
+    def reduce(self, func: Callable, keep_attrs: bool = None, **kwargs):
         """Reduce the items in this group by applying `func` along some
         dimension(s).
 
@@ -886,6 +913,10 @@ def reduce(self, func: Callable, **kwargs):
             to return the result of collapsing an np.ndarray over the coarsening
             dimensions.  It must be possible to provide the `axis` argument
             with a tuple of integers.
+        keep_attrs : bool, default: None
+            If True, the attributes (``attrs``) will be copied from the original
+            object to the new one. If False, the new object will be returned
+            without attributes. If None uses the global default.
         **kwargs : dict
             Additional keyword arguments passed on to `func`.
 
@@ -905,7 +936,7 @@ def reduce(self, func: Callable, **kwargs):
         Dimensions without coordinates: a, b
         """
         wrapped_func = self._reduce_method(func)
-        return wrapped_func(self, **kwargs)
+        return wrapped_func(self, keep_attrs=keep_attrs, **kwargs)
 
 
 class DatasetCoarsen(Coarsen):
@@ -925,10 +956,12 @@ def _reduce_method(
         if include_skipna:
             kwargs["skipna"] = None
 
-        def wrapped_func(self, **kwargs):
+        def wrapped_func(self, keep_attrs: bool = None, **kwargs):
             from .dataset import Dataset
 
-            if self.keep_attrs:
+            keep_attrs = self._get_keep_attrs(keep_attrs)
+
+            if keep_attrs:
                 attrs = self.obj.attrs
             else:
                 attrs = {}
@@ -936,26 +969,32 @@ def wrapped_func(self, **kwargs):
             reduced = {}
             for key, da in self.obj.data_vars.items():
                 reduced[key] = da.variable.coarsen(
-                    self.windows, func, self.boundary, self.side, **kwargs
+                    self.windows,
+                    func,
+                    self.boundary,
+                    self.side,
+                    keep_attrs=keep_attrs,
+                    **kwargs,
                 )
 
             coords = {}
             for c, v in self.obj.coords.items():
-                if any(d in self.windows for d in v.dims):
-                    coords[c] = v.variable.coarsen(
-                        self.windows,
-                        self.coord_func[c],
-                        self.boundary,
-                        self.side,
-                        **kwargs,
-                    )
-                else:
-                    coords[c] = v.variable
+                # variable.coarsen returns variables not containing the window dims
+                # unchanged (maybe removes attrs)
+                coords[c] = v.variable.coarsen(
+                    self.windows,
+                    self.coord_func[c],
+                    self.boundary,
+                    self.side,
+                    keep_attrs=keep_attrs,
+                    **kwargs,
+                )
+
             return Dataset(reduced, coords=coords, attrs=attrs)
 
         return wrapped_func
 
-    def reduce(self, func: Callable, **kwargs):
+    def reduce(self, func: Callable, keep_attrs=None, **kwargs):
         """Reduce the items in this group by applying `func` along some
         dimension(s).
 
@@ -966,6 +1005,10 @@ def reduce(self, func: Callable, **kwargs):
             to return the result of collapsing an np.ndarray over the coarsening
             dimensions.  It must be possible to provide the `axis` argument with
             a tuple of integers.
+        keep_attrs : bool, default: None
+            If True, the attributes (``attrs``) will be copied from the original
+            object to the new one. If False, the new object will be returned
+            without attributes. If None uses the global default.
         **kwargs : dict
             Additional keyword arguments passed on to `func`.
 
@@ -975,4 +1018,4 @@ def reduce(self, func: Callable, **kwargs):
             Arrays with summarized data.
         """
         wrapped_func = self._reduce_method(func)
-        return wrapped_func(self, **kwargs)
+        return wrapped_func(self, keep_attrs=keep_attrs, **kwargs)
diff --git a/xarray/core/variable.py b/xarray/core/variable.py
index e4813d72cde..d1d6698cea7 100644
--- a/xarray/core/variable.py
+++ b/xarray/core/variable.py
@@ -2140,17 +2140,18 @@ def coarsen(
         Apply reduction function.
         """
         windows = {k: v for k, v in windows.items() if k in self.dims}
-        if not windows:
-            return self.copy()
 
         if keep_attrs is None:
-            keep_attrs = _get_keep_attrs(default=False)
+            keep_attrs = _get_keep_attrs(default=True)
 
         if keep_attrs:
             _attrs = self.attrs
         else:
             _attrs = None
 
+        if not windows:
+            return self._replace(attrs=_attrs)
+
         reshaped, axes = self._coarsen_reshape(windows, boundary, side)
         if isinstance(func, str):
             name = func
diff --git a/xarray/tests/test_dataarray.py b/xarray/tests/test_dataarray.py
index 6bb62cf75ab..d62c156b6d3 100644
--- a/xarray/tests/test_dataarray.py
+++ b/xarray/tests/test_dataarray.py
@@ -6502,33 +6502,89 @@ def test_isin(da):
     assert_equal(result, expected)
 
 
-def test_coarsen_keep_attrs():
-    _attrs = {"units": "test", "long_name": "testing"}
-
-    da = xr.DataArray(
-        np.linspace(0, 364, num=364),
-        dims="time",
-        coords={"time": pd.date_range("15/12/1999", periods=364)},
-        attrs=_attrs,
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "funcname, argument",
+    [
+        ("reduce", (np.mean,)),
+        ("mean", ()),
+    ],
+)
+def test_coarsen_keep_attrs(funcname, argument):
+    attrs_da = {"da_attr": "test"}
+    attrs_coords = {"attrs_coords": "test"}
+
+    data = np.linspace(10, 15, 100)
+    coords = np.linspace(1, 10, 100)
+
+    da = DataArray(
+        data,
+        dims=("coord"),
+        coords={"coord": ("coord", coords, attrs_coords)},
+        attrs=attrs_da,
+        name="name",
     )
 
-    da2 = da.copy(deep=True)
+    # attrs are now kept per default
+    func = getattr(da.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    result = func(*argument)
+    assert result.attrs == attrs_da
+    da.coord.attrs == attrs_coords
+    assert result.name == "name"
 
-    # Test dropped attrs
-    dat = da.coarsen(time=3, boundary="trim").mean()
-    assert dat.attrs == {}
+    # discard attrs
+    func = getattr(da.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    result = func(*argument, keep_attrs=False)
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+    da.coord.attrs == {}
+    assert result.name == "name"
 
-    # Test kept attrs using dataset keyword
-    dat = da.coarsen(time=3, boundary="trim", keep_attrs=True).mean()
-    assert dat.attrs == _attrs
+    # test discard attrs using global option
+    func = getattr(da.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    with set_options(keep_attrs=False):
+        result = func(*argument)
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+    da.coord.attrs == {}
+    assert result.name == "name"
 
-    # Test kept attrs using global option
-    with xr.set_options(keep_attrs=True):
-        dat = da.coarsen(time=3, boundary="trim").mean()
-    assert dat.attrs == _attrs
+    # keyword takes precedence over global option
+    func = getattr(da.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    with set_options(keep_attrs=False):
+        result = func(*argument, keep_attrs=True)
+    assert result.attrs == attrs_da
+    da.coord.attrs == {}
+    assert result.name == "name"
+
+    func = getattr(da.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    with set_options(keep_attrs=True):
+        result = func(*argument, keep_attrs=False)
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+    da.coord.attrs == {}
+    assert result.name == "name"
+
+
+def test_coarsen_keep_attrs_deprecated():
+    attrs_da = {"da_attr": "test"}
+
+    data = np.linspace(10, 15, 100)
+    coords = np.linspace(1, 10, 100)
 
-    # Test kept attrs in original object
-    xr.testing.assert_identical(da, da2)
+    da = DataArray(data, dims=("coord"), coords={"coord": coords}, attrs=attrs_da)
+
+    # deprecated option
+    with pytest.warns(
+        FutureWarning, match="Passing ``keep_attrs`` to ``coarsen`` is deprecated"
+    ):
+        result = da.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}, keep_attrs=False).mean()
+
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+
+    # the keep_attrs in the reduction function takes precedence
+    with pytest.warns(
+        FutureWarning, match="Passing ``keep_attrs`` to ``coarsen`` is deprecated"
+    ):
+        result = da.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}, keep_attrs=True).mean(keep_attrs=False)
+
+    assert result.attrs == {}
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("da", (1, 2), indirect=True)
diff --git a/xarray/tests/test_dataset.py b/xarray/tests/test_dataset.py
index b93f233fde7..130f65792c5 100644
--- a/xarray/tests/test_dataset.py
+++ b/xarray/tests/test_dataset.py
@@ -6157,36 +6157,118 @@ def test_coarsen_coords_cftime():
     np.testing.assert_array_equal(actual.time, expected_times)
 
 
-def test_coarsen_keep_attrs():
-    _attrs = {"units": "test", "long_name": "testing"}
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "funcname, argument",
+    [
+        ("reduce", (np.mean,)),
+        ("mean", ()),
+    ],
+)
+def test_coarsen_keep_attrs(funcname, argument):
+    global_attrs = {"units": "test", "long_name": "testing"}
+    da_attrs = {"da_attr": "test"}
+    attrs_coords = {"attrs_coords": "test"}
+    da_not_coarsend_attrs = {"da_not_coarsend_attr": "test"}
 
-    var1 = np.linspace(10, 15, 100)
-    var2 = np.linspace(5, 10, 100)
+    data = np.linspace(10, 15, 100)
     coords = np.linspace(1, 10, 100)
 
     ds = Dataset(
-        data_vars={"var1": ("coord", var1), "var2": ("coord", var2)},
-        coords={"coord": coords},
-        attrs=_attrs,
+        data_vars={
+            "da": ("coord", data, da_attrs),
+            "da_not_coarsend": ("no_coord", data, da_not_coarsend_attrs),
+        },
+        coords={"coord": ("coord", coords, attrs_coords)},
+        attrs=global_attrs,
     )
 
-    ds2 = ds.copy(deep=True)
+    # attrs are now kept per default
+    func = getattr(ds.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    result = func(*argument)
+    assert result.attrs == global_attrs
+    assert result.da.attrs == da_attrs
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.attrs == da_not_coarsend_attrs
+    assert result.coord.attrs == attrs_coords
+    assert result.da.name == "da"
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.name == "da_not_coarsend"
+
+    # discard attrs
+    func = getattr(ds.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    result = func(*argument, keep_attrs=False)
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.attrs == {}
+    assert result.coord.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da.name == "da"
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.name == "da_not_coarsend"
+
+    # test discard attrs using global option
+    func = getattr(ds.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    with set_options(keep_attrs=False):
+        result = func(*argument)
 
-    # Test dropped attrs
-    dat = ds.coarsen(coord=5).mean()
-    assert dat.attrs == {}
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.attrs == {}
+    assert result.coord.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da.name == "da"
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.name == "da_not_coarsend"
 
-    # Test kept attrs using dataset keyword
-    dat = ds.coarsen(coord=5, keep_attrs=True).mean()
-    assert dat.attrs == _attrs
+    # keyword takes precedence over global option
+    func = getattr(ds.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
+    with set_options(keep_attrs=False):
+        result = func(*argument, keep_attrs=True)
 
-    # Test kept attrs using global option
+    assert result.attrs == global_attrs
+    assert result.da.attrs == da_attrs
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.attrs == da_not_coarsend_attrs
+    assert result.coord.attrs == attrs_coords
+    assert result.da.name == "da"
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.name == "da_not_coarsend"
+
+    func = getattr(ds.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}), funcname)
     with set_options(keep_attrs=True):
-        dat = ds.coarsen(coord=5).mean()
-    assert dat.attrs == _attrs
+        result = func(*argument, keep_attrs=False)
+
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.attrs == {}
+    assert result.coord.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da.name == "da"
+    assert result.da_not_coarsend.name == "da_not_coarsend"
+
 
-    # Test kept attrs in original object
-    xr.testing.assert_identical(ds, ds2)
+def test_coarsen_keep_attrs_deprecated():
+    global_attrs = {"units": "test", "long_name": "testing"}
+    attrs_da = {"da_attr": "test"}
+
+    data = np.linspace(10, 15, 100)
+    coords = np.linspace(1, 10, 100)
+
+    ds = Dataset(
+        data_vars={"da": ("coord", data)},
+        coords={"coord": coords},
+        attrs=global_attrs,
+    )
+    ds.da.attrs = attrs_da
+
+    # deprecated option
+    with pytest.warns(
+        FutureWarning, match="Passing ``keep_attrs`` to ``coarsen`` is deprecated"
+    ):
+        result = ds.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}, keep_attrs=False).mean()
+
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da.attrs == {}
+
+    # the keep_attrs in the reduction function takes precedence
+    with pytest.warns(
+        FutureWarning, match="Passing ``keep_attrs`` to ``coarsen`` is deprecated"
+    ):
+        result = ds.coarsen(dim={"coord": 5}, keep_attrs=True).mean(keep_attrs=False)
+
+    assert result.attrs == {}
+    assert result.da.attrs == {}
 
 
 @pytest.mark.slow