Are you out of coconut flour? No worries, there are multiple substitutions that you can use so you are certain to have a good coconut flour substitute no matter what recipe you are making.
Whether you are baking a cake, making bread, or even soup or broth there are a number of great ingredients you can replace coconut flour with.
So what are the best substitutes for coconut flour?
The top coconut flour substitutes are almond flour, soy flour, flax meal, cassava flour, rice flour, cashew flour, sunflower seed flour, tapioca flour, brown rice flour, and potato starch.
Coconut Flour Alternatives
Coconut flour is a popular flour alternative in gluten free, paleo, and grain free baking and cooking.
And no matter what recipe you are making that calls for coconut flour, you will find an excellent substitute to use. Read on for how to use each coconut flour replacement in your recipe.
Almond Flour
The most simple and best option to use for a substitute when making any gluten-free baking recipe that calls for coconut flour is using almond flour.
Almond flour has roughly the same texture as coconut flour, and can be substituted in recipes without much fuss.
It is easy to use, all you have to do is combine the almond flour 1:1 for coconut flour with other ingredients if you are substituting for another flour and it will mix in nicely.
Soy Flour
This flour is actually a mix of both almond and coconut flour. Meaning that it has the same texture as coconut flour, but with a level of heaviness that almond flour does not have.
Because soy flour is packed with protein, you can often use it when you want to add some protein to your dish. And it is probably one of the best substitutes for coconut flour in my opinion (especially when substituting along with another egg substitute).
Flax Meal
This is the most versatile and best option when it comes to a substitute for coconut flour.
One of the main differences between flax meal and coconut flour is that flax meal is more refined than coconut flour (it has less fiber), but it doesn’t matter when you’re substituting for most recipes (and, let’s be honest, I would rather use this instead of almond flour).
It is super easy to use. Flax meal will mix into all your other ingredients just fine without any trouble.
Cassava Flour
Cassava flour is turning out to be my new favorite coconut flour substitute, but you can also use tapioca flour (which is actually the same thing).
In short, cassava flour is made from the root of a tropical plant (similar to yuca). It has a mildly sweet flavor and a very soft texture.
It can be used in many recipes that are gluten-free without any trouble too. I highly recommend using it in place of coconut flour as well. Use it at a 1:1 ratio with coconut flour.
Related: Substitute for Cassava Flour
Rice Flour
Rice flour is basically the same thing as cassava flour. It is also made from the root of a tropical plant (like cassava).
The difference between rice and cassava flour is: rice flour has less protein and more fiber, and cassava flour has more protein AND more fiber.
So, if you want to use both cassava and rice flours together, I would generally recommend using a ratio of 1:1. Rice should always be used at a 1:1 ratio with coconut flour.
Related: Rice Flour Substitute
Cashew Flour
This flour is a great choice to use for baking. It has a nice flavor and it is very versatile.
It has a similar texture as coconut flour, but it doesn’t have as much protein. This is because cashew flour isn’t really made from the actual fruit of the cashew – it’s made from the husk of the nut (which gives it a milder and sweeter taste). Use a 1:1 ratio.
Sunflower Seed Flour
This flour is a great option for baking. It provides a nice texture, but it doesn’t have as much protein as other flours. Use it at a 1:1 ratio with coconut flour.
Tapioca Flour
This is another great substitute to use when baking gluten-free recipes that call for coconut flour. It has the same texture as cassava flour (which is basically the same thing).
In short, tapioca flour is made from the root of a tropical plant (similar to cassava flour), but it has less protein than cassava flour.
Tapioca is native to south America, and it has a much stronger flavor than cassava flour. This is useful if you need to add some sweetness in your recipe. Use a 1:1 ratio with coconut flour.
Brown Rice Flour
This is another great substitute for coconut flour when baking gluten-free recipes that call for coconut flour.
It is made from brown rice, so it has a slightly chewier texture than other ingredients on this list. Use brown rice flour at a 1:1 ratio with coconut flour.
Potato Starch
Potato starch is basically the same thing as tapioca flour (which is basically the same thing as cassava flour). Tapioca flour is made from the root of a tropical plant (similar to cassava), and potato starch is made from… yep, you guessed it… potatoes. Use a 1:1 ratio.
Related: Potato Flour Substitute
Bottom Line
As you can see, there are lots of great substitutes for coconut flour. My personal favorite is cassava flour (as seen above), but I also really like using flax meal or potato starch/tapioca flour.
I hope that you find a substitute that works well for you in your own recipes! Don’t forget to share this article if you do!