I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998 and shortly afterwards I started using coconut flour for my gluten-free baking.
After a few decades of experience, I’ve created the ultimate guide to coconut flour.
The ultimate guide to coconut flour
In the Ultimate Guide to Coconut Flour, you’ll learn:
- Health benefits of coconut flour
- How to use coconut flour
- Best brands of coconut flour
- Best coconut flour recipes
What is coconut flour?
If you are wondering “what is coconut flour?” I am here to help.
Coconut flour is made from coconut meat that is dried and then ground into flour. It is a very light and “airy” flour, perfect for cakes, muffins and bread.
How to use coconut flour
Coconut flour is different from other flours, a little goes a long way. This flour is very dry; It absorbs moisture like a sponge.
Here you will find recipes with ½ cup coconut flour and 4 eggs as well as ½ cup maple syrup (my recipe for strawberry cupcakes in gluten-free cupcakes).
That’s a pretty wild wet-dry ratio, but it’s necessary when cooking with coconut flour.
Benefits of coconut flour
The benefits of coconut flour are numerous. First, because a little goes so far, it’s far cheaper than other low-carb flours like almond flour. Second, it tastes amazing. After all, it’s very healthy and perfect for those with special dietary needs. In summary, the benefits of coconut flour are:
- Incredible taste
- Cost efficient
- Healthy
Is Coconut Flour Healthy?
If you are wondering, “Why is coconut flour healthy?” It’s a no-brainer. Coconut flour is gluten-free, low in carbohydrates, and high in fiber, which makes it a perfect food for people with the following health problems:
Is coconut flour gluten free?
Over the decades I’ve used it, many have asked me, “Is coconut flour gluten free?” Yes, coconut flour is gluten-free and is widely used in gluten-free recipes.
I have a lot of gluten-free coconut flour recipes and a cupcake book filled with coconut flour recipes.
Is coconut flour low in carbohydrates?
At first glance, coconut flour doesn’t seem to be as low in carbohydrates as almond flour. That is true when the two flours are compared ounce for ounce.
However, you can use 25 percent of the amount of coconut flour that you would use in a typical almond flour recipe, which makes coconut flour a clear winner.
Is coconut flour keto?
If you’re wondering, “Is coconut flour keto?” I am here to help.
Not only is coconut flour a great low-carb flour, it’s also perfect for the keto diet. Are you looking for more information on keto baking? Check out what the best sweetener for the keto diet is.
Best brands of coconut flour
It’s important to use high quality ingredients that will work every time. When it comes to the best brands of coconut flour, I recommend Pamela’s, Healthworks, and Nuts.com.
In the photo above, I’m taking you straight to my test kitchen so you can see how different brands of coconut flour hold up in a real coconut flour recipe.
To test the different brands, I use my Cranberry Orange Biscuits recipe. The results? Some brands of coconut flour make a perfect biscuit, while others make a large flat disc that spreads out.
I’m not sure why Natural Grocer’s and Bob’s Red Mill aren’t giving the results I want. I just share my results.
Thanks to all of the commentators on my post on Cranberry Orange Biscuit for making me aware of the problem of different results when using different brands of coconut flour!
The best brands of coconut flour
How to store coconut flour
I store coconut flour in my pantry just like almond flour and a variety of other ingredients – I use jars.
How to measure flour
As I mentioned on my almond flour page, there are several different ways to measure flour. I use the “dip and sweep” method which is generally not considered a standard cooking technique.
With this method, the measuring cup is dipped into the flour and the flour is scooped into the cup. Then sweep the top of the cup with a knife to even out the measurement.
I don’t pour the flour into the measuring cup as this makes far less flour than one of my recipes calls for.
If any of my recipes require ¼ cup of coconut flour, it needs to weigh about 1 ounce for proper results.
¼ cup of coconut flour = 1 ounce
Coconut flour versus almond flour
The texture of coconut flour is slightly lighter than that of almond flour, and its uses are different. Almond flour is great for cookies that require a crunch, while coconut flour is great for muffins or scones.
I have a great post on the differences between almond flour and coconut flour.
Can coconut flour be substituted for almond flour?
Because they are so different, it is not possible to substitute coconut flour for almond flour in my recipes.
Coconut flour is light and fluffy and very dry, while almond flour is dense and oily. These are two very different ingredients that have few properties in common.
Coconut flour recipes
Check out my recipes for coconut flour which, by the way, are gluten-free and mostly nut-free. If you are solely looking for nut-free recipes, check out my nut-free recipes.
My favorite coconut flour recipes
Since I started baking a few decades ago, I’ve perfected low-carb coconut flour recipes. Check out my favorites below!
Low-carb strawberry shortcake
My light, spongy vanilla cake has six ingredients in total and is so simple that my boys baked it in elementary school.
Cover in strawberries, then smother in whipped cream and you’ve got a magically easy recipe for low-carb strawberry shortcakes.
Nut-free carrot cake
In general, healthy recipes contain tons of ingredients, take too much time to prepare, and don’t end up tasting great at the end of all of that work. With few ingredients, my nut-free carrot cake is an exception as making it a popular fan favorite is a breeze.
While most gluten-free desserts use almond flour and most carrot cake recipes contain nuts, I changed it and made this carrot cake recipe without nuts or almond flour.
Low-carb chocolate donuts
These adorable Rings of Joy are the first donut recipe I made that was a huge hit. My family couldn’t love this low-carb chocolate donut recipe anymore.
Nut-free egg-free pie crust
A nut-free pie crust? An egg-free pie crust? BOTH? My nut-free egg-free pie crust is a fantastic base for chilled and baked fillings.
Keto nut-free zucchini bread
Looking for the best recipe for keto nut-free zucchini bread? Not only is this gluten-free, sugar-free, and nut-free … it’s easy to make, perfectly healthy, and delicious!
It’s wonderful for dessert and just as good for breakfast or as a snack.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
My nut-free, egg-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are crispy on the outside and have an incredible crumb on the inside, which makes them the perfect nut-free cookie treat.
Coconut flour in biscuits
I don’t use coconut flour in cookies very often, although my favorite pumpkin chocolate chip cookies above are an exception that is amazing. If you need gluten-free recipes for coconut flour scones, check out my Chocolate Chip Scones and my Cranberry Orange Scones.
The best recipes for coconut flour
All of my recipes for coconut flour are gluten-free and refined sugar-free. If you’re looking for something that you haven’t seen here, leave a comment and let me know.
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