Coconut Flour Recipes - My Natural Family (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to baking with 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.

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.

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.

While you don't have to keep it refrigerated, it is recommended. Its shelf life can be anywhere between 12 to 18 months post-production. Good coconut flour gives off a pleasantly sweet and somewhat nutty aroma (so lovely!). You'll know it's gone bad if it smells sour, musty, or rubbery.

If you look at coconut flour it contains 68.7 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams. Of that 38.5 grams is dietary fiber, sugar accounts for another 8.7 grams leaving about 17.6 grams of starchy carbs. Comparing this to regular conventional all purpose flour 100 grams contains 76.3 grams of total carbs.

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.

Coconut flour is generally a safe alternative to wheat flour for most people. It has relatively few health risks or side effects. However, the high amount of fiber in coconut flour may cause bloating in some people.

The soft, fine, white powder has a distinctly coconut-like flavor and aroma that lends itself beautifully to certain recipes. You can use it for a variety of baking purposes, but you you'll almost always need to incorporate another type of flour. Most baked goods can't be made with 100 percent coconut flour.

Because coconut flour is also lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein than all-purpose flour, it's better at promoting healthy blood sugar regulation. What's more, older research shows that adding coconut flour to baked goods lowers their glycemic index (GI).

Unlike grain flours, coconut flour contains a substantial amount of fat. This fat is primarily saturated and largely comprised of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which may reduce inflammation and support healthy metabolism ( 1 , 2 ).

Does coconut flour spike blood sugar? ›

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 is derived from natural sources and contains a high amount of antioxidants. To gain most of its benefits, consume one teaspoon of coconut flour daily.

It is recommended that for every 1 cup of coconut flour you use, you should add in 6 eggs. Experiment and Learn: It can feel a bit complicated, but it doesn't have to be! We recommend adding small amounts of liquid, or eggs, into your coconut flour mixture and seeing how moist the mixture remains.

Opened coconut flour lasts as long as its expiry date in the pantry and for 3-6 months in the fridge and 6-12 months in the freezer after its expiry date. On the other hand, unopened coconut flour lasts for 3-6 months in the pantry, 6-12 months in the fridge and 12-24 months in the freezer after the expiry date.

You don't necessarily need to bake bulk coconut flour. You can eat it raw by adding it to smoothies. If you prefer to bake it, you can make chocolate coconut cupcakes with it or use it instead of regular flour in your favorite recipes.

1) Coconut flour behaves differently than grain-based flours. 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.

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.

Just throw in more flavor when baking with coconut flour. If you're making sweet recipes, such as shortbread, chocolate chip coconut flour cookies, coconut flour muffins or pie crust, use extra chocolate, cocoa powder or vanilla extract.