Using Avocado Oil Instead of Coconut Oil
Ratio
1:1 (when recipe calls for melted coconut oil)
Good — works well with minor differences
Measurement Variance Note
For 1 cup references, this ingredient can vary by about 4% across brands and measuring methods (209g-227g per cup). For the most reliable substitution result, measure by weight and test a half batch first.
What changes when you swap coconut oil for avocado oil
The catch with this swap is that coconut oil is 92% saturated and resolidifies below 76F, while avocado oil stays liquid indefinitely. That matters less than people think for batters mixed warm, but it matters enormously for anything that depends on fat setting up as it cools. Granola clusters lose their crunch-binding, no-bake crusts refuse to slice cleanly, and chocolate shells stay tacky. For melted coconut oil already heading into a wet batter, avocado oil is a near-transparent substitute.
- Skip it for granola, energy bars, and freezer fudge — these rely on coconut oil's solid-at-room-temp behaviour to bind and hold shape.
- In banana bread, brownies, and oil-based cakes, swap 1:1 with no adjustment; the recipe was treating melted coconut oil as a neutral liquid fat anyway.
- If the original recipe used virgin coconut oil for flavour (macaroons, lamingtons, certain curries), avocado oil's neutrality will read as something missing rather than something improved.