01
Whipped Butter
6.7best for baking1 cup : 3/4 cup
Whip softened coconut oil; solid at room temp
6.7
coconut oil substitute
for baking.
Baking with coconut oil exploits its sharp solid-to-liquid transition at 76°F: below that point it creams like butter, above it pours like oil. Cookies spread less when the fat stays solid through a 350°F preheat, while cakes crumb tighter because saturated fat (92%) doesn't aerate air cells as fully as butter's 80% fat plus water. This page ranks substitutes by how they behave through the 68-80°F creaming window, the 350-375°F set, and the cooling phase where coconut oil re-solidifies and firms crumb.
top substitutes
adjustment for baking
Use 0.75 cup whipped butter per 1 cup coconut oil because 25% air is already beaten in. Whipped butter creams at 65°F like coconut oil does, yielding similar lift during the 375°F bake, but adds 16% water that yields a tenderer crumb. Pull cookies 30 seconds early — browning runs faster.
02
Butter
6.7best for baking1 cup : 1 cup
Similar solid-at-room-temp texture, adds richness
6.7
adjustment for baking
Use 1:1 by volume, solid-state, at 65°F. Butter's 80% fat plus 16% water gives better aeration during creaming than coconut oil's 100% fat, yielding a slightly taller rise. Expect more browning from milk solids — check at 10 minutes instead of 12 in a 375°F bake.
03
Shortening
6.7best for baking1 cup : 1 cup
Same solid texture, works well in baking
6.7
adjustment for baking
Use 1:1 by volume. Shortening stays plastic across 60-90°F, giving a flakier biscuit or flatter cookie than coconut oil because it won't melt-spread during the first 3 oven minutes. Its 100% fat matches coconut oil for structure but brings zero flavor — add 1/2 tsp vanilla per cup.
show 12 more substitutes
04
Ghee
6.71 cup : 1 cup
High smoke point, adds nutty richness to baking
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Substitute 1:1 by volume, in liquid state at 80°F. Ghee's clarified milk solids brown during the 375°F bake and add caramel notes coconut oil lacks. Expect slightly crisper cookie edges and a 5% shorter bake window because milk sugars accelerate Maillard reaction at oven surfaces.
05
Sunflower Oil
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Neutral flavor, works for frying and sauteing
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Use 1:1 by volume, liquid at any working temperature. Sunflower oil cannot be creamed (it's liquid at 60°F) so cookies spread thinner and cakes run denser by 10-15%. Reduce total liquid by 2 tbsp per cup to compensate for the missing saturated-fat structure coconut oil provides.
06
Almond Oil
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Refined type is neutral; unrefined adds flavor
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Substitute 1 tbsp almond oil per 1 tbsp coconut oil in quick breads or muffins. Almond oil is liquid at 60°F with a 420°F smoke point; it adds a subtle nutty note that complements vanilla bakes. Tightens crumb slightly because there's no solid-fat structure during the 350°F rise.
07
Palm Oil
7.51 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Solid at room temp, similar texture
7.5
adjustment for this dish
Use 1 tbsp palm oil per 1 tbsp coconut oil at room-temperature solid state (stable to 95°F). Palm oil's plasticity resembles coconut but skips the coconut aldehydes; gives cleaner vanilla-forward cookie edges. Identical bake time at 375°F but finish is less coconut-y.
08
Margarine
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Dairy-free, solid at room temp, slight coconut taste
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Substitute 1:1 by volume. Margarine's 80% fat and 16% water mimics butter behavior more than coconut oil, yielding a softer crumb and faster browning at 375°F. Check at 10 minutes rather than 12, and expect a slightly more neutral flavor profile once the coconut lactone is removed.
09
Butter Oil
6.71 tbsp : 1 tbsp
High heat stable, slightly sweet
6.7
10
Grapeseed Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Light flavor, high smoke point, good for baking
6.7
11
Peanut Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Use refined for neutral taste at high heat
6.7
12
Olive Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Adds slight coconut flavor, good for sauteing
10.0
13
Avocado Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Good for high-heat cooking, neutral taste
6.7
14
Lard
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Solid at room temp, dairy-free option for baking
5.0
15
Vegetable Oil
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Use melted coconut oil amount, neutral flavor
3.3