What is Coconut Flour?
Coconut flour is a gluten-free and grain-free flour that is rich in dietary fiber, which helps support your digestion, heart health, immune system, and weight. Coconut flour is dried, ground up coconut meat. It is great for baking, and making such dishes as chocolate chip cookies, coconut pumpkin bread, banana nut pancakes, pizza and many more recipes!
What Is So Great About Coconut Flour and How Do I Use It?
So just what is this flour that everyone is talking about? Coconut flour is a gluten free and grain free flour that can be used to substitute out traditional grain based flours. This flour is also high in fiber and is a good source of protein. It is low in carbohydrates and is very filling (probably because of the higher fiber content). It is naturally sweet so you don’t need as much sweetener when baking with this flour. For many of us, this is all great news! I try my best to eat as little grains as possible and avoid sweetening my foods when possible. But coconut flour can be very tricky to cook with. I didn’t realize this until I posted a recipe, coconut flour chocolate chip cookies (pictured below), and so many of you wrote me that your cookies were not turning out. So I want to share with you all a few tips to follow when using coconut flour.
- When using a recipe, different coconut flours have different consistencies and can alter the recipe significantly. It is important to look at the consistency of what you are baking. Let’s use my cookies as an example. I use Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour, which is very dense. 2 tbsp was plenty for me to create these cookies but when I posted the recipe, most of you suggested using 3 tbsp of coconut flour. It is important to compare what a traditional cookie dough batter looks like compared to what you have in your kitchen. If the dough is very soft and not stiff, then you probably need to add another tbsp of flour. If it is stiff and firm like a traditional cookie dough then you are fine with the amount of flour you have in your recipe. Try placing 1 cookie in the oven to test the dough to make sure it will hold up. After that cookie is done, adjust the recipe if necessary and proceed with the cookies.
- A little coconut flour goes a long way. For every cup of all purpose flour (grain flour), you only need 1/4-1/3 cup of coconut flour.
- For every ounce (1/4 cup) of coconut flour, you typically need one egg and sometimes you might need more. Coconut flour does not have gluten in it and eggs are needed to keep the product together. Eggs also help the product rise.
- Coconut flour is very dense. It absorbs a lot of liquids. So for each portion of coconut flour you use, you will need to add equal amounts of liquid (water, coconut oil/butter, coconut milk, raw milk etc). So if you use 1/4 cup coconut flour, you will need to add 1/4 cup of liquids or a combination of liquids. Once you add the coconut flour to the liquids, allow it to sit for several minutes to see how it absorbs. If you need more liquids to get the desired consistency, then add more at this time.
- Practice and patience are necessary when using coconut flour. Use a trusted recipe source when baking with coconut flour. Once you get some practice with using this flour, you will find that it is quite easy to use and well worth the efforts.
Where Do I Get Coconut Flour?
There are many places you can buy coconut flour. Most health food stores or local co-ops carry coconut flour but the prices can be a little steep! Keep in mind, you are using much less. Remember for every cup of all purpose flour you only need 1/4 cup of coconut flour, so a little goes a long way when it comes to coconut flour. You also want to buy coconut flour that is not highly processed or sometimes it is called “Ultra White Coconut Flour.” This form of coconut flour is highly processed to look more like all purpose flours. You want your coconut flour to be a slightly creamed color. I have found that it is best to buy my coconut flour online. I purchased mine from one of these two sources: Tropical Traditions and Wilderness Family Naturals. Both offer a great source of coconut flour that works nicely in all of my recipes.
Coconut Flour Recipes
Interested in some more great recipes? Click here to view some more great recipes.
Do You have any question, great tips or recipes using coconut flour? If so, share them in the comment section below!
Don’t be shy, we would love to hear your feedback!
For the added liquid for the coconut flour, is it by volume or weight?
By volume.
I want to use coconut flour instead of almond flour in a recipe for keto bread. Can this be done? I have all kinds of other non-gluten ingredients…will anything possible work?
Unfortunately, it will not work. Coconut flour is very dense and absorbs a lot of liquids. The whole recipe would need to change to switch out coconut for almond flour.
I usually sub almond meal instead of using almond flour when making Keto Bread. I like the bread’s texture a lot better.
Can you use as a substitute when making cream sauce. Recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
Its doesnt work. Its really grainy.
What egg substitutions would work with coconut flour recipes? I am thinking mostly muffins or cookies. Usually I use flax or chia eggs. Would either of these work?
With each 1/4 cup of coconut flour do you need one egg and 1/4 cup of liquid or just one or the other?
Thanks!
Judy
I used a coconut flour recipe for a bread and it cam iut to moist. How do I fix that?
There are 2 possible remedies: Either add a small amount of more coconut flour (like a teaspoon or tablespoon, depending upon the size of the recipe), Or cook it a little longer. I’ve had recipes that required an additional 15 minutes, or maybe even a bit longer, cook time. If you can, make a note on the recipe that perhaps adding a little additional coconut flour is necessary.
I trust that helped!
I love cooking with coconut flour because of the very low carb count, AND I use Pyure, an organic Stevia & Erithrytol Blend ($7.00/lb at Walmart~ Excellent Price) of which only a Small amount is required. It lasts me a few months easily, tastes lovely & is Way More cost effective than straight Erithrytol. (Geez, you’d think I work for Their Company! LOL)
Enjoy~ AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Kat
Halle,
I adore cooking with coconut flour because of the very low carb count! Because of severe fibromyalgia I’m not able to really exercise and Burn Off Those Calories so keeping all of those unnecessary ingredients out of my diet is important.
Anyway, first I wanted to Thank You For Sharing The Information I Was Looking For. And second, I wanted to Share A Tip I Learned From DIVALICIOUS, A Foodie & Blogger (www.divaliciousrecipes.com) with 3 Cats AND 3 Dogs (so Right There She’s GOT TO BE A GR8 PERSON!), and it actually helps improve the consistency of baked breads made with coconut flour!
SEPARATE YOUR EGGS. ADD THE YOLKS AS CALLED FOR IN THE RECIPE. BEAT THE WHITES UNTIL STIFF AND FOLD THEM IN AT THE VERY END.
Totally simple and it will give your bread a lighter, More Bread~Like Consistency… like the ???I’m going to make in a few minutes! I use half raw cacao powder and half chocolate protein powder, and instead of vanilla extract I use almond extract. OMG, I’M DROOLING RIGHT NOW.? I wanted to cut back on an egg or two and replace that with milk and coconut oil… That’s Why I Found You!
OK, on with my day…
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, HALLE!
??
Sorry I blabbed So much.?
if arecipe calls for 2 1/2b cups of flour do I use between 1/2 and 2/3 cup coconut flour
and since the recipe already calls for 2 eggs, do I need to add more
I need a substitute flour for when a recipe calls for just a small amount of flour, such as for a breading or thickening. I am trying to eliminate AP flour & wheat flour and using coconut & almond flour. What can be used for like 2 tablespoon or 1/4 cup AP flour? And how much. Thanks
I’m having problems with my muffins, they do not rise in the middle and are soggy all around. I’m substituting coconut flour for all purpose. 6Tbs for 13/4 cups. Increased egg from one to 2, use pyure in place of sugar. Recipe calls for one cup of milk which made the batter very runny. Also called for 1tsp. of b.powd and 11/2 tsp. of b. soda. Oven temp.375, for 30 minutes. Too much liquid?
Not a question just a suggestion: I find this page very difficult to read. Your type is gray in my Chrome browser – Light gray. I realize I could probably darken it in my settigns but I don’t want to bother with that. please consider a nice basic black or other dark color. Light gray is tough to readon a white background.
I want to make a lemon drizzle cake with coconut flour is this possible recipe please