Tips for Baking With Coconut Flour - Arrowhead Mills Blog (2024)

FAQs

Tips for Baking With Coconut Flour - Arrowhead Mills Blog? ›

A good rule of thumb is 1/4 to 1/3 cup of coconut flour for 1 cup of regular flour. When flour absorbs water, the starches gelatinize, but when coconut flour absorbs liquid it becomes soggy, resulting in a heavier, denser baked good.

Use a 1:4 ratio when substituting coconut flour with all-purpose flour. This means that for every 1 cup of regular flour, you only use ¼ cup of coconut flour. Following this ratio will help make your low-carb baked goods come out the way you hope.

Replacing wheat flour with coconut flour

Cakes and muffins, which need to be light and fluffy, will be very different than something more dense, like cookies. But when working with coconut flour, you always need to decrease the flour and increase the eggs and baking powder.

When solely using coconut flour in a recipe you'll want to match the amount of liquid to the amount of flour, ie. for every cup of coconut flour you will need one cup of liquid.

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.

A good rule of thumb is 1/4 to 1/3 cup of coconut flour for 1 cup of regular flour. When flour absorbs water, the starches gelatinize, but when coconut flour absorbs liquid it becomes soggy, resulting in a heavier, denser baked good.

There are a few ways to get rid of the coconut flavor in food. One way is to add a strong-tasting ingredient like chocolate or coffee. Another way is to cook the food with a strong-tasting spice like curry powder.

For every 1 cup of coconut flour, use 6 eggs and 1 cup of liquid. 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.

Coconut flour develops no gluten and so provides essentially no structure to support the rising of the dough due to fermentation by the yeast. You can get a little rise that is will be more consistent than a yeast rise by adding baking powder, but coconut flour bread will still be rather more like a cake.

Coconut flour is made from coconut meat that's dried then ground into flour. It's a very light and “airy” flour, perfect for cakes, muffins, and breads.

How do you thicken coconut flour? ›

Because it's so thick, coconut flour works well as a thickener in things like soups and sauces. In addition to more eggs, coconut flour requires additional liquids in general (milk, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, etc.).

Coconut flour is particularly absorbent, and a very small amount of flour will absorb a very large amount of liquid. It also tends to have a drying effect on baked goods, because it is so absorbent. The best way to counteract its drying effect is to use plenty of eggs when you're baking.

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.

If storing for a short period, say a couple of weeks, an airtight container in a cool and dry will work just fine. When stored at room temperature or below, coconut flour can last up to two months. Refrigeration is recommended if you plan on storing your coconut flour for longer than two months.

Thus, whole wheat flour is widely considered healthier. It's a good source of protein, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. As it contains gluten, it isn't appropriate for people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Because almond flour and wheat flour can be exchanged at a 1:1 ratio, you can also substitute coconut flour for almond flour by using 1/4 cup of coconut flour for every cup of almond 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.

Because it's so thick, coconut flour works well as a thickener in things like soups and sauces. In addition to more eggs, coconut flour requires additional liquids in general (milk, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, etc.).