Dairy-Free Coconut Flour Cookie Dough Recipe (Vegan, Paleo, GF) (2024)

FAQs

Can I substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour with coconut flour? ›

Coconut flour can be used in a variety of recipes as a substitute for wheat flour and is a popular gluten-free and grain-free flour alternative used in baking. Keep in mind, however, that it cannot be used as a 1-to-1 replacement for wheat flour in a recipe.

Almond flour is particularly well-suited for recipes that require a light and airy texture, such as cakes and muffins. Coconut flour works best in recipes that require moisture and density, such as brownies and dense bread.

Many baked goods can become very gummy quickly! Because coconut flour is gluten-free, it doesn't have an excellent cake-like structure when baked like white flour does; an egg is not only a suitable binder but also gives a sound protein structure in baked goods made with coconut flour.

Coconut flour is particularly absorbent and sucks up a lot of moisture. Replacing coconut flour for almond flour (or grain flours) requires that you adjust the amount of liquid and eggs added. A good starting point is to substitute 1 cup of almond flour with 1/4 cup (1 ounce) of coconut flour.

A quick rule of thumb is to swap about 1/4 to 1/3 cup coconut flour for 1 cup of regular flour. Due to its high absorbency, you'll also want to increase the number of eggs. To help you try this unique ingredient, we've rounded up eight of our best coconut flour recipes. These are tried and true!

Coconut flour gets produced by grinding dried coconut meat into a fine powder. Due to its low moisture content, coconut flour works perfectly for baked Paleo desserts and thickening sauces, gravies, and soups.

Coconut flour appears to have a low glycaemic index of 51 which means it should cause less of a spike in blood sugar levels than wheat flour, which has a glycaemic index of 69. This is because coconut flour is high in fat and fibre, which work to slow down the release of sugar in the bloodstream.

Coconut flour can cause bloating in some people.

Digestive imbalances ultimately have a negative impact on the immune system (the gut is the basis of your immune system). Plus, because it's mostly fiber, some people find coconut flour can irritate the gut if eaten too frequently, or in larger amounts.

Coconut flour does not bind in the way that wheat flour does, so sometimes a binding agent like xanthan gum is added to coconut flour recipes.

Do you need more baking powder for coconut flour? ›

Replacing wheat flour with coconut flour

But when working with coconut flour, you always need to decrease the flour and increase the eggs and baking powder. For example, conventional pumpkin bread takes 2 cups of wheat flour, 2 eggs, ½ cup butter or oil, and 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.

The best ratio is 3:1 almond flour to coconut flour. This low carb flour substitution closely mirrors all-purpose flour without the need for additional eggs. Keep the liquid ingredients at the same ratio suggested for coconut flour, as it will still need the extra moisture.

Coconut flour can go bad if it's not stored properly. Due to its high nut oil content, it can become rancid once exposed to oxygen. To prevent this, store coconut flour in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Both are fairly high protein (about 6 grams per 1/4 cup serving), but there the similarities end. Coconut flour has fewer calories (120 calories vs 170 calories for almond flour) and has far more total carbs (18 grams vs 5 grams for almond flour) and fiber (10 grams vs 3 grams for almond flour).

Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor.

1 cup all-purpose flour = 1/4-1/3 cup coconut flour. Coconut flour can be baked at the same temperature as other recipes, no need for adjustment. The best ratio is 3:1 almond flour to coconut flour.

You cannot merely do a one-to-one replacement of coconut flour for wheat flours in your recipes. As a very general rule of thumb for baked goods, 1/4 – 1/3 cup of coconut flour can be substituted for 1 cup of wheat flour. Gluten-free batters tend to be thicker than those made with wheat flours.