Baking with coconut oil is flavoursome and full of refreshing goodness. This natural oil has a delicately pleasant aroma, that is absent in any other vegetable oil.

Every dish prepared using coconut oil is deliciously aromatic and has a subtle flavouring of coconut to its taste.

 

This oil can be used in your baking to produce some really great tasting dishes. Coconut oil is an excellent substitute for butter, margarine, shortening and oil. It can be used to bake both savoury and sweet treats.

It is healthier too, as virgin coconut oil contains lauric acid and several other healthy ingredients. Although it is a source of saturated fat, the composition in which constitutes coconut oil is actually beneficial to our body.

 

When substituting coconut oil for butter in baking, here are the necessary points to remember.

 

1. Substitute an equal quantity of coconut oil for the quantity of oil or butter that the recipe calls for.
2. Coconut oil has a distinct flavor. If you wish to reduce its intensity, you can consider replacing half the butter in the recipe with coconut oil.
3. The baking time should be approximately the same when baking with coconut oil, as it would be if butter or vegetable oil were used in the recipe. When checking for whether the dish is cooked, look for the same conditions that the original recipe asks to check for.
4. The consistency of coconut oil is pretty similar to butter. If the recipe calls for solid butter, use coconut oil at room temperature. Do not cool it, since it can become too brittle and hard.

 

Now that we have all the necessary information, lets get baking. Impress yourself and your loved ones with this quick and simple version of an all-time family favourite.

Chocolate Chip Cookies using Coconut oil

 

Ingredients for approximately 20 cookies:

 

1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup coconut oil at room temperature

1 egg

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup dark chocolate chips

 

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F/ 180 deg C. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda. In another bowl cream together coconut oil with granulated sugar and brown sugar till light and fluffy. Next, add the egg and vanilla extract and beat till combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients slowly, and beat well till incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and slowly fold it into the mixture.
4. Prepare cookies with about 1 and ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place each cookie on the cookie sheet, space them apart by 3 inches.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The edges should start to brown. Remove from the oven, and cool for 2 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cook completely. Enjoy!