Quick answer
The best substitute for coconut oil depends on whether the recipe uses it melted or solid. Replace melted coconut oil with canola, vegetable, avocado, or mild olive oil at a 1:1 ratio. Replace solid coconut oil with shortening or ghee 1:1 when the recipe needs a fat that can cream, chill, or hold shape.
Butter works too, but it is not pure fat. A chef consulted by Food Network recommends 8 tablespoons butter for every 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coconut oil, then removing 1 to 2 tablespoons of another liquid.
| Substitute | Ratio | Best use | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canola or neutral vegetable oil | 1:1 | Cakes, muffins, brownies, quick breads, sauteing | Stays liquid when cool; neutral flavor |
| Avocado oil | 1:1 | Roasting, frying, sauteing, neutral baking | Stays liquid; often costs more |
| Olive oil | 1:1 | Savory cooking, breads, chocolate or citrus cakes | Adds flavor; stays liquid |
| Vegetable shortening | 1:1 | Cookies, pie crust, biscuits, chilled bars | Neutral but less flavorful |
| Ghee | 1:1 | Cookies, cakes, pastry, sauteing | Rich dairy flavor; not vegan |
| Butter | See liquid adjustment below | Cookies, cakes, breads, brownies | Adds water, milk solids, flavor, and browning |
| Firm vegan butter | Start 1:1 | Creamed cakes, cookies, frosting | Brand formulas vary; may contain coconut oil |
In this guide
How do you choose the right substitute?
Match the coconut oil's physical job before comparing flavors. Coconut oil melts near warm room temperature. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health puts its melting point at about 78°F. That lets it act like liquid oil in a warm batter and like solid fat in a cool dough.
First, check the recipe wording. "Melted coconut oil" points toward another liquid oil. "Solid coconut oil," "cream with sugar," "cut into flour," or "chill until firm" points toward shortening, ghee, butter, or firm vegan butter.
Next, check the cooking method. Harvard lists virgin coconut oil's smoke point at about 350°F and refined coconut oil at roughly 400°F to 450°F. For high-heat frying, choose a refined neutral oil made for that job. For a gentle saute or dressing, olive oil is a practical flavor-forward choice. Our oil-temperature guide can help you keep the pan below the oil's smoke point.
What are the best coconut oil substitutes for baking?
Neutral oil is the easiest baking swap when the coconut oil is melted. Canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or avocado oil can replace it by volume in cakes, muffins, brownies, and quick breads. The batter stays easy to mix, but the finished bake may remain softer after refrigeration because the substitute does not harden like coconut oil.
Use shortening for a solid, neutral fat
Vegetable shortening is the closest option for recipes that cut firm coconut oil into flour or need a fat to hold shape. Food Network recommends a 1:1 ratio for cookies, biscuits, pie crust, and shortbread. It is also useful for no-coconut, dairy-free baking, provided the ingredient label suits the person eating it.
Use ghee for a solid fat with dairy flavor
Ghee replaces coconut oil 1:1 in cookies, cakes, and pastry, according to the same Food Network guidance. Because it is clarified butter, it brings a rich flavor without the same water content as whole butter. It is not vegan and may not suit someone avoiding milk ingredients.
Adjust the recipe when using butter
Butter contains roughly 80% fat plus water and milk solids, so a cup-for-cup swap changes the formula. For a tested conversion, use 8 tablespoons butter for every 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coconut oil, then remove 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or water from the recipe. Butter will usually add more browning and a softer, richer flavor.
If you are changing several dairy ingredients at once, use the broader dairy-free baking guide. For the reverse question, the vegetable oil substitute chart explains how fats behave when a recipe starts with liquid oil.
What works for sauteing, roasting, and frying?
Use avocado, canola, peanut, or another suitable refined oil for high-heat cooking. Food Network recommends those options because they are 100% fat and can replace coconut oil 1:1. Pick the oil around both heat and flavor, not around a broad claim that one bottle is best for every pan.
For sauteing and roasting
Canola and avocado oil keep the flavor neutral. Olive oil gives vegetables, beans, grains, and savory sauces a distinct fruity note. If the original recipe used virgin coconut oil for its aroma, a neutral substitute will make the dish less coconut-forward, which may be exactly what you want.
For frying
Use an oil labeled for high-heat frying, and do not assume every coconut or olive oil has the same smoke point. Refined and virgin oils differ. Peanut oil is effective for frying but is unsuitable for someone with a peanut allergy. Avoid butter for deep frying because its water and milk solids behave differently from pure oil.
For sauces and curries
Use olive oil for a savory, noticeable flavor or a neutral oil when spices should lead. If a curry needs coconut flavor as well as fat, replacing coconut oil removes that aroma. Do not add coconut milk as a fat-only swap without accounting for its water. If coconut milk is the missing ingredient, use the separate coconut milk substitute guide.
How do you replace coconut oil step by step?
A reliable swap takes four short checks. This prevents the common mistake of choosing a substitute by name while ignoring temperature, moisture, and the finished texture.
- Read the method. Mark whether the coconut oil is melted, softened, solid, creamed, cut in, or used to make a coating set.
- Choose the same form. Use liquid oil for melted coconut oil. Use shortening, ghee, or another firm fat for solid coconut oil.
- Measure before changing anything else. Start 1:1 for pure fats. Use the separate butter conversion because butter adds water and milk solids.
- Watch texture and timing. Check baked goods at the short end of the recipe's time range. King Arthur Baking's fat test recommends checking every 1 to 2 minutes near the end because a different fat can change spread, browning, and bake time.
For creamed cookies or cakes, do not pour liquid oil into butter-style instructions and expect the same aeration. King Arthur found that fat texture changes cookie spread and crumb. Use a firm vegan butter, shortening, or butter if the recipe depends on beating fat and sugar until light.
Which substitute is best for each recipe?
| Recipe | Best first choice | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Cakes and muffins | Neutral oil 1:1 for melted coconut oil | Strong olive oil in delicate vanilla batter |
| Brownies and quick breads | Canola, avocado, or mild olive oil 1:1 | Fruit puree as an automatic full-fat replacement |
| Cookies | Shortening, ghee, or firm vegan butter | Liquid oil when the method says to cream the fat |
| Pie crust and biscuits | Cold shortening or ghee | Warm liquid oil when flaky layers matter |
| No-bake bars and chocolate shells | Shortening or cocoa butter if the recipe permits | Canola or olive oil, which will not set the same way |
| Sauteing and roasting | Canola, avocado, or olive oil 1:1 | Whole butter at very high heat |
Cookies are especially sensitive because spread depends on the fat's structure. If your dough already uses liquid fat, see the texture choices in chocolate chip cookies without butter. For pastry, start with the technique in the pie crust guide and keep whichever solid fat you choose cold.
What should vegan and no-coconut cooks check?
Canola, vegetable, avocado, olive oil, and vegetable shortening are common plant-based options. Ghee and butter are dairy products. Vegan butter can work in creamed baking, but the front label does not prove it is coconut-free. Many formulas use coconut oil to stay firm, so read the ingredients.
The FDA updated its food-allergen guidance in 2025 and no longer includes coconut on its list of tree nuts treated as major food allergens. Coconut must still appear in the ingredient list when used as an ingredient, and the FDA tells consumers with coconut allergy to check labels every time because formulas can change.
"Plant-based" does not mean coconut-free, and "no coconut oil" does not mean allergen-free. Check shortening, vegan butter, chocolate, and packaged baking mixes for coconut plus other relevant allergens. When cooking for an allergy, use clean utensils and avoid cross-contact.
Common coconut oil substitution mistakes
- Ignoring whether the coconut oil is solid or melted: match its form before choosing a replacement.
- Using liquid oil in a setting recipe: no-bake bars and coatings may stay soft.
- Swapping butter 1:1 without checking moisture: extra water can change spread and crumb.
- Using bold olive oil in a delicate cake: choose a mild oil unless the flavor belongs.
- Assuming vegan butter is coconut-free: read the current ingredient list.
- Replacing all fat with applesauce or yogurt: those ingredients add water and cannot copy every job of pure fat.
- Using one oil for every heat level: choose the bottle for the actual saute, roast, or fry temperature.
FAQ
What is the best substitute for coconut oil in baking?
Use canola or another neutral oil 1:1 when the recipe calls for melted coconut oil. If the recipe needs solid fat for creaming or cutting into dough, use shortening or ghee 1:1 instead. The closest choice matches the coconut oil's physical form in the recipe.
Can vegetable oil replace coconut oil at a 1:1 ratio?
Yes, when the coconut oil is melted and mixed into cake, muffin, brownie, or quick-bread batter, use the same measured amount of neutral vegetable or canola oil. Do not make that swap in coatings, frostings, or chilled bars that depend on coconut oil becoming firm.
Can butter replace coconut oil?
Yes, but butter contains water and milk solids while coconut oil is nearly all fat. Food Network's chef-backed conversion uses 8 tablespoons butter for every 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coconut oil, then removes 1 to 2 tablespoons of another liquid from the recipe.
What is the best no-coconut substitute?
For liquid applications, use canola, avocado, or another neutral oil 1:1. For a solid baking fat, use vegetable shortening 1:1 or a firm vegan butter made without coconut. Read the ingredient list because many plant-based butters contain coconut oil even when coconut is not prominent on the front.
Can olive oil replace coconut oil?
Olive oil can replace melted coconut oil 1:1 in sauteing, roasting, dressings, savory breads, and strongly flavored cakes. Choose a mild olive oil for delicate baking. Because olive oil stays liquid when chilled, avoid it in recipes that need coconut oil to set firm.
Sources used
CookBuddyGuide checked the ratios, fat behavior, heat guidance, and current coconut labeling rules against culinary, university, and government references.
