Coconut Extract substitute

Best substitute

Cream of coconut, the sweetened pina colada kind

Use 2 tbsp for every 1 tsp extract, minus 2 tbsp of the recipe's liquid

Best for coconut cake and cupcakes

Different texture

Coconut extract is doing one job, aroma, and it is worth knowing that the recognisable smell of coconut cake comes mostly from that aroma rather than from coconut fat, which is why coconut oil is a poor swap. The best substitutes are cream of coconut, the sweetened kind sold for pina coladas, at 2 tablespoons per teaspoon of extract with the recipe's liquid reduced to match; or coconut milk powder at 1 tablespoon per teaspoon, which adds flavour without wetting the batter; or 1 tablespoon of finely ground toasted desiccated coconut. Coconut rum such as Malibu works at 1 tablespoon per teaspoon. Refined coconut oil is the one thing that will not work, because it has been deodorised and tastes of almost nothing.

Other coconut extract substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Coconut milk powder
Close match
Use 1 tbsp powder for every 1 tsp extract
Dried coconut milk, so it delivers concentrated coconut flavour with no added water at all.
What changes
Best for
buttercream and cream cheese frosting, macarons and meringue, cookies and shortbread, hot drinks, curry and rice dishes
Prep. Sift it in with the flour, or dissolve it in a tablespoon of the recipe's warm liquid first if the batter is thick.
The right choice whenever moisture is the constraint, which is most frosting and any dough that has been carefully balanced. It carries a little fat and a little starch, so a very large amount will slightly dry a cookie; a tablespoon or two is unnoticeable. The flavour reads as gentle and creamy rather than as the bright tropical note of extract, so in something like a coconut macaroon it works well and in a pina colada glaze it falls short.
3Toasted desiccated or shredded coconut, ground fine
Taste and texture differ
Use 1 to 2 tbsp finely ground toasted coconut for every 1 tsp extract
Real coconut with its flavour concentrated by toasting, which drives off water and develops the nutty side of the aroma.
What changes
Best for
cookies and macaroons, streusel and crumb toppings, cake batter, granola
Prep. Toast it in a dry pan until it smells nutty and turns pale gold, cool it, then grind it to a powder in a spice grinder.
Toasting is not optional here. Raw desiccated coconut is surprisingly bland and mostly just adds chew, while toasted coconut has a real depth. What changes is that you get a nutty, roasted coconut character rather than the fresh tropical one, so a toasted-coconut cake tastes lovely but different, more like a Bounty bar's biscuit than its filling. Ground coconut also adds fibre that absorbs a little liquid, so add a tablespoon of milk if the batter tightens.
4Coconut rum, such as Malibu
Close match
Use 1 tbsp for every 1 tsp extract, minus 1 tbsp of the recipe's liquid
Sweetened coconut-flavoured rum, which is essentially extract with sugar and more alcohol in it.
What changes
Best for
cakes and cake soaks, frosting for adults, pina colada desserts, trifle, ice cream
Works well and tastes convincingly of coconut, with the caveats you would expect. It adds liquid and sugar, so make the swaps above. The alcohol mostly bakes out of a cake but stays in an unbaked frosting or mousse, so this is not the option to choose if that matters. It also carries a distinct rum sweetness alongside the coconut, which is welcome in a pina colada cake and slightly odd in coconut shortbread.
5Full-fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream
Taste and texture differ
Use ¼ cup, replacing ¼ cup of the recipe's dairy, for every 1 tsp extract
Unsweetened canned coconut, which is genuinely coconut but far more dilute than extract, so it has to come in as a liquid swap rather than as a flavouring.
What changes
Best for
cakes and quick breads, custards and puddings, rice pudding, curries and soups
Be honest about the limits. Canned coconut milk is mild once it is baked, and a quarter cup in a whole cake gives a hint of coconut, not the pronounced flavour extract provides. Use the thick solid layer from the top of an unshaken can rather than the watery part underneath, and swap it in for an equal volume of the recipe's milk or cream rather than adding it. It also brings fat, which softens a crumb, usually pleasantly.
6Refined coconut oil, which mostly does not work
Taste and texture differ
Not recommended as a flavour swap
Included because it is the first thing most people reach for, and because it is worth saying plainly that it will not do the job.
What changes
Best for
nothing, as a flavouring
Refined coconut oil is deliberately deodorised and tastes of essentially nothing, so it contributes fat and no coconut at all. Unrefined or virgin coconut oil does carry some aroma and will give a faint coconut note if you use it in place of the recipe's butter or oil, but it is nowhere near extract strength and swapping it for butter changes the texture, since coconut oil is harder when cold and produces a crisper, snappier cookie. If coconut flavour is the goal, use one of the options above instead.

What is Coconut Extract?

Coconut Extract is a small bottle of concentrated coconut aroma in an alcohol base, used a teaspoon at a time to make a cake, frosting or custard taste strongly of coconut without adding any fat, fibre or liquid to the batter.

Cooking tips

Cream of coconut and coconut cream are different products and mixing them up is the most common coconut mistake. Cream of coconut is heavily sweetened and sold for cocktails; coconut cream is unsweetened and sold for cooking. Cream of coconut has far more coconut punch, but you must reduce the recipe's sugar to use it.
Toast any dry coconut before you use it as a flavouring. Untoasted desiccated coconut contributes chew and very little smell, while five minutes in a dry pan until it turns pale gold roughly doubles its aroma.
For a strong coconut cake, layer two sources rather than leaning on one. A little coconut milk powder in the batter for flavour, plus toasted coconut pressed onto the outside for aroma and texture, reads as more coconutty than any single swap on its own.
Refined coconut oil adds no coconut flavour whatsoever, since it is deodorised on purpose. If you want fat plus flavour, use virgin or unrefined coconut oil, and expect a crisper texture in cookies because it sets harder than butter.
Add extract or any alcohol-based coconut flavouring off the heat. Coconut aroma is volatile, so a custard or syrup simmered after flavouring loses much of it. Stir it in once the pan is off the burner.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best substitute for coconut extract?

Cream of coconut, the sweetened kind sold for pina coladas, at 2 tablespoons per teaspoon of extract. Take 2 tablespoons of liquid and 2 tablespoons of sugar out of the recipe to compensate. It gives the most convincing coconut flavour of any swap. If the recipe cannot take extra moisture, such as a buttercream, use 1 tablespoon of coconut milk powder instead.

Can I use coconut oil instead of coconut extract?

Not really. Refined coconut oil is deodorised and tastes of nothing at all, so it adds fat and no flavour. Virgin or unrefined coconut oil does smell of coconut and will give a faint note if you use it in place of the recipe's butter or oil, but it is far weaker than extract, and swapping it for butter also makes cookies crisper and snappier because it sets harder when cold.

Can I use coconut milk instead of coconut extract?

Yes, but as a liquid swap rather than a flavouring: use 1/4 cup of full-fat canned coconut milk in place of 1/4 cup of the recipe's milk or cream for each teaspoon of extract. Scoop the thick layer from the top of an unshaken can rather than using the watery part. The result is a gentle coconut note, noticeably milder than extract, plus a softer crumb from the extra fat.

Can I just leave coconut extract out?

Yes. It adds only aroma, no sugar, fat, liquid or structure, so the recipe bakes and sets identically. It will simply taste less of coconut. That is a minor loss in a cake that already contains shredded coconut and coconut milk, and a large one in something like coconut buttercream where the extract is the only source of flavour. Substituting the same amount of vanilla keeps the bake from tasting flat.

How much coconut extract equals shredded coconut?

They are not doing the same job, so there is no clean conversion. Extract gives aroma with no texture; shredded coconut gives chew and bulk with a milder smell. As a rough guide, 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely ground toasted desiccated coconut has about as much aroma as 1 teaspoon of extract, but if a recipe calls for both, keep both, because they are contributing different things.

Related substitutes

More flavorings substitutes

Coconut Extract substitute

Other coconut extract substitutes

2Coconut milk powder

3Toasted desiccated or shredded coconut, ground fine

4Coconut rum, such as Malibu

5Full-fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream

6Refined coconut oil, which mostly does not work