Coconut Oil In Baking

Coconut oil is an increasingly popular cooking oil among consumers but most recipes have to be adapted to use coconut oil. The barrier many people find to using it in baking is that it is solid in cold temperatures and liquid in warm temperatures. If you are using coconut oil to replace a liquid oil and the coconut oil happens to be cold, you need a plan to adapt to the circumstances. Likewise, if you are replacing a solid fat like shortening or butter and your coconut oil is liquid, you need a plan.

Replacing Liquid Oils With Coconut Oil

If your recipe calls for vegetable oil and your coconut oil is in a liquid form, you simply need to replace it on a one-to-one basis. If your coconut oil is solid, you will need to melt it gently to bring it to a liquid state. Take care that the rest of your ingredients are about the same temperature. If they are just out of the refrigerator, then your liquid coconut oil will turn solid as soon as it hits the colder items. If this happens, stir diligently to break the coconut oil up into small pieces. The better plan is to have all of your ingredients at room temperature. Consider melting your coconut oil as the first step in your baking, making sure that the oil does not over-heat. Set aside your coconut oil to cool off as you prepare your baking project.

Replacing Shortening and Solid Fats with Coconut Oil

If you need a solid fat as you do in replacing shortening or butter, have the coconut oil at a cool room temperature. If it is summer and you have no air conditioning, you will need to cool your oil off more. Measure out the amount you need, pour the coconut oil into your mixing bowl, and refrigerate it. Stir the oil every few minutes so that it cools evenly. The coconut oil should be solid enough that you can beat it in your mixer as you would shortening or butter. The coconut oil does look different than the butter or shortening, but it will whip up with sugar and eggs in a similar fashion. Proceed with your baking project as you always have. Consider keeping a two-cup measure of coconut oil in your refrigerator during the summer so that you always have coconut oil ready for your baking.

If you are in a large metropolitan area you will be able to buy coconut oil in your local health food store or gourmet food store, but you will find the best prices online. Buy coconut oil in bulk to save on the price of the oil itself and to get a better shipping cost. Look for a quality organic coconut oil such as that in the review at right -- a good place to buy coconut oil on the Internet.