Best Coconut Oil Substitutes: Olive Oil & 7 Other Alternatives

The best substitute for coconut oil is extra virgin olive oil — it works in baking (1:1 ratio for liquid fat recipes), cooking (1:1), and dressings while providing polyphenol antioxidants that coconut oil lacks entirely. Coconut oil is 82% saturated fat; olive oil is 73% monounsaturated fat. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health states that coconut oil "should not be viewed as a heart-healthy food." A 2018 BMJ Open randomized trial (Khaw et al.) found that coconut oil raised LDL cholesterol compared to olive oil, concluding its effects are "not as unhealthy as butter but not as healthy as extra virgin olive oil."

What Can I Use Instead of Coconut Oil?

The table below shows every common coconut oil substitute with the exact ratio, best use case, flavor impact, and health comparison.

Ratios are coconut oil : substitute. For example, 1:1 means use the same amount of substitute as the recipe calls for in coconut oil.

Coconut oil had a remarkable run as a health food darling. For years, wellness influencers and natural health advocates promoted it as a miracle ingredient. But the pendulum has swung. Major health organizations now advise against routine coconut oil use, and the nutrition science community has largely moved on.

Whether you're looking for a substitute because of health concerns, allergies, flavor preferences, or simply because you ran out mid-recipe, you have excellent options. This guide covers the best coconut oil alternatives for baking, frying, sautéing, and raw applications with specific conversion ratios and research-backed health comparisons.

Is Olive Oil Healthier Than Coconut Oil?

People seek coconut oil alternatives for several reasons. Health is increasingly at the top of the list.

Coconut oil is approximately 82% saturated fat — higher than butter (about 63%) or even lard (around 40%). The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health summarizes the current scientific consensus: "coconut oil should not be viewed as a heart-healthy food." A 2020 review they cite found that coconut oil raised LDL cholesterol compared to non-tropical vegetable oils, and the American Heart Association advises against routine use.

There's a revealing perception gap. Harvard notes that while 72% of the American public rated coconut oil as "healthy" in one survey, only 37% of nutrition experts agreed. The public perception was largely shaped by marketing rather than evidence.

A 2018 randomized trial published in BMJ Open (Khaw et al.) compared coconut oil, olive oil, and butter head-to-head over four weeks. The findings were nuanced: coconut oil did raise HDL ("good") cholesterol more than butter or olive oil. However, it also raised LDL cholesterol compared to olive oil, though not as dramatically as butter did. The researchers concluded that "the effects of coconut oil are not as unhealthy as butter but not as healthy as extra virgin olive oil."

For a detailed breakdown, see our guide on Coconut Oil vs Olive Oil: What the Research Actually Says.

Can You Substitute Olive Oil for Coconut Oil?

For most cooking applications, extra virgin olive oil is the best coconut oil substitute — and it's a significant health upgrade.

Where coconut oil is 82% saturated fat, olive oil is approximately 73% monounsaturated fat — the type consistently associated with heart health benefits across decades of research. EVOO also contains protective polyphenols and antioxidants that coconut oil lacks entirely.

The Mediterranean diet — which uses olive oil as its primary fat — has been studied extensively. The landmark PREDIMED trial (Estruch et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2018, n=7,447) found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil reduced cardiovascular events by approximately 30% compared to a reduced-fat diet. Coconut oil has no comparable body of long-term intervention research supporting daily use.

How to substitute: Use a 1:1 ratio — the same amount of olive oil as the recipe calls for in coconut oil. This works for sautéing, roasting, stir-frying, salad dressings, marinades, and many baking recipes.

For baking, olive oil performs well in quick breads, muffins, cakes, and savory baked goods. It's less ideal for recipes requiring solid fat at room temperature (like pie crusts or certain cookies), where butter is a better choice.

A note on cooking temperatures: despite persistent myths about smoke points, EVOO is remarkably stable for cooking. A 2018 Australian study (De Alzaa et al., Acta Scientific Nutritional Health) tested 10 cooking oils and found that EVOO produced significantly fewer harmful polar compounds than other oils when heated to frying temperatures. Its natural antioxidants protect against thermal degradation. See our detailed analysis in Is Vegetable Oil Bad for You?

What Is the Best Coconut Oil Substitute for Baking?

When a baking recipe calls for coconut oil and texture is critical, butter is your best substitute.

Butter shares coconut oil's key physical property: it's solid at room temperature but melts when heated. This matters enormously in baking. Solid fats create structure, flakiness, and specific textures that liquid oils can't replicate. When you cream butter with sugar, you're incorporating air pockets that make cookies chewy and cakes tender. When you cut cold butter into flour, you're creating the layers that make pie crusts flaky.

How to substitute: Use a 1:1 ratio. Butter works beautifully in cookies, pie crusts, cakes, pastries, biscuits, and quick breads.

Health note: butter is also high in saturated fat (around 63%), so if you're substituting specifically for cardiovascular health, olive oil is the better choice where the recipe allows it. For a detailed comparison, see Olive Oil vs Butter: Which Is Actually Healthier?

Vegan Butter — Best for Vegan Baking

If you need a plant-based substitute that mimics coconut oil's solid texture, vegan butter is an excellent option. Quality brands like Miyoko's, Earth Balance, and Country Crock Plant Butter perform similarly to dairy butter in most baking applications.

How to substitute: Use a 1:1 ratio for vegan cookies, cakes, pastries, frostings, and pie crusts. Check ingredients — some vegan butters contain palm oil or coconut oil as a base.

What Is the Best Coconut Oil Substitute for High-Heat Cooking?

For deep frying, searing, or other high-heat applications where you want neutral flavor, avocado oil offers excellent performance. Its smoke point of around 520°F compared to coconut oil's approximately 350°F makes it ideal for sustained high temperatures.

Like olive oil, avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fats, making it a heart-healthier choice than coconut oil.

How to substitute: Use a 1:1 ratio for deep frying, stir-frying, searing, grilling, and high-heat roasting.

A quality warning: research from UC Davis (Green & Wang, 2020) found that approximately 82% of avocado oils tested were either rancid or adulterated with cheaper oils. Stick to reputable brands with third-party testing. For a detailed comparison, see Avocado Oil vs Olive Oil: Which Is Really Better?

Ghee — Best for Indian Cooking

For cuisines where both coconut oil and clarified butter are traditional — particularly South Asian cooking — ghee is an excellent substitute. Ghee has a high smoke point around 485°F, is solid at room temperature, and develops a distinctive nutty, rich flavor. It removes most lactose and casein, making it suitable for many people with dairy sensitivity.

How to substitute: Use a 1:1 ratio for curries, dal, sautéing spices, Indian breads, and rice dishes.

What About Budget and Low-Fat Substitutes?

Vegetable or Canola Oil — Budget Option

If you need a simple, inexpensive, neutral-flavored substitute, vegetable or canola oil works at a simple 1:1 ratio. The health caveats are significant, however: refined vegetable oils are heavily processed, extracted with chemical solvents, and lack the antioxidant benefits of olive oil. They're fine for occasional use but not ideal as your everyday cooking fat. For more on the seed oil debate, see Are Seed Oils Bad?

Unsweetened Applesauce — Low-Fat Option

Applesauce can replace coconut oil in baking while adding moisture and reducing calories. The pectin in apples helps maintain structure.

How to substitute: Start with 3/4 cup applesauce per 1 cup coconut oil. For better texture, use half applesauce and half oil. Works best in muffins, quick breads, cakes, and brownies. Less successful in cookies or pastries that need fat for structure.

Sunflower Oil & Grapeseed Oil — Other Neutral Options

Sunflower Oil: Neutral flavor, high smoke point, works at 1:1 ratio. However, it's very high in omega-6 fatty acids (65–70% linoleic acid) — not ideal for regular use.

Grapeseed Oil: Very neutral, works at 1:1 ratio. Even higher in omega-6s than sunflower (approximately 70% linoleic acid). Use sparingly. For more on why this matters, see Grapeseed Oil vs Olive Oil: The Omega-6 Problem.

Which Coconut Oil Substitute Should I Use?

Not sure which substitute to grab? Here's a quick guide by what you're making:

For baking cookies and pastries (solid fat matters): Butter is your best choice. Vegan butter if dairy-free. Olive oil can work but will produce different textures.

For sautéing and stir-frying: Extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest choice. Avocado oil offers neutral flavor. Ghee adds richness for Indian cuisine.

For deep frying: Avocado oil for highest smoke point. Refined olive oil works well and is more affordable.

For salad dressings and raw applications: Extra virgin olive oil is the clear winner — best flavor, best health benefits, designed to be consumed uncooked.

For vegan recipes: Olive oil for cooking, vegan butter for baking requiring solid fat, applesauce for low-fat vegan baking.

For recipes requiring solid fat at room temperature: Butter, vegan butter, or ghee. Liquid oils won't work here.

When Should You Keep Using Coconut Oil?

Sometimes coconut oil really is the right choice:

Coconut flavor is essential. Thai curries, tropical desserts, coconut macaroons — these recipes rely on coconut flavor as part of their identity. Substituting olive oil or butter won't taste right.

No-bake desserts requiring solid fat. Chocolate truffles, raw food preparations, and certain energy balls rely on coconut oil's ability to solidify at room temperature. Vegan butter sometimes works, but coconut oil may be the cleanest option.

Cultural authenticity. South Indian cooking, Filipino desserts, Thai cuisine — these traditions have used coconut oil for centuries. Use the traditional fat when cooking for authenticity.

The honest take: Coconut oil isn't poison. It's not the superfood it was marketed as, and it's not ideal as your primary everyday cooking fat given the saturated fat content. But if you enjoy it for specific recipes where it belongs, that's perfectly reasonable. The concern is relying on it for everything when healthier options exist for routine cooking.

More Common Questions About Coconut Oil Substitutes

What is the best substitute for coconut oil?

For most cooking applications, extra virgin olive oil is the best substitute. It's healthier (high in monounsaturated fats vs coconut oil's saturated fat), works at a 1:1 ratio, and is suitable for sautéing, roasting, and many baking recipes. For baking that specifically requires solid fat, butter is the best substitute because it mimics coconut oil's physical properties.

Can I substitute olive oil for coconut oil in baking?

Yes. Use a 1:1 ratio. Olive oil works especially well in quick breads, muffins, cakes, and savory baked goods. For recipes where solid fat is critical for texture (pie crusts, flaky pastries, certain cookies), butter is a better choice because olive oil is liquid at room temperature.

What can I use instead of coconut oil for frying?

For high-heat frying, avocado oil is excellent due to its very high smoke point. Extra virgin olive oil also works well for moderate-heat frying and sautéing — a 2018 study (De Alzaa et al., Acta Scientific Nutritional Health) found EVOO was the most stable of 10 oils tested under cooking heat.

Is butter or olive oil a better substitute for coconut oil?

It depends on the application. For cooking (sautéing, roasting, stir-frying), olive oil is better — it's healthier and substitutes seamlessly. For baking that requires solid fat, butter is better because it mimics coconut oil's physical properties. If substituting specifically for health, olive oil wins in both cases.

Can I use applesauce instead of coconut oil?

Yes, for baking. Use approximately 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per 1 cup coconut oil, or use half applesauce and half oil for better texture. Applesauce works best in muffins, quick breads, and cakes rather than cookies or pastries.

What's the healthiest substitute for coconut oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest substitute. It's high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, contains protective polyphenols and antioxidants, and the Mediterranean diet built around olive oil is one of the most well-researched and consistently beneficial dietary patterns in nutritional science.

The Bottom Line

Coconut oil isn't a villain, but it's also not the miracle ingredient marketing made it out to be. For everyday cooking, oils higher in unsaturated fats — particularly monounsaturated fats like those found in olive oil — are better choices for cardiovascular health.

For most recipes, extra virgin olive oil is the best coconut oil substitute. It's healthier, more versatile, backed by robust research including the PREDIMED trial (Estruch et al., NEJM, 2018, n=7,447), and works at a simple 1:1 ratio for cooking and many baking applications.

When you need solid fat for baking, reach for butter (or vegan butter for dairy-free). For high-heat cooking, avocado oil offers excellent stability. And for specific cuisines where coconut oil is traditional, ghee provides authentic flavor and similar properties.

Use coconut oil when coconut flavor matters or cultural authenticity is important. For everything else, you have better options.

Looking for a high-quality olive oil to upgrade your cooking? Explore Hoji's single-serve EVOO packets — fresh, flavorful, and packaged to preserve the beneficial polyphenols that make olive oil such a healthy choice.

This article summarizes findings from published research and is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Sources

1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Coconut Oil." The Nutrition Source. nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu
2. Khaw KT, Sharp SJ, Finikarides L, et al. "Randomised trial of coconut oil, olive oil or butter on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in healthy men and women." BMJ Open. 2018;8(3):e020167. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020167
3. Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J, et al. "Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts." New England Journal of Medicine. 2018;378:e34. n=7,447. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1800389
4. De Alzaa F, Guillaume C, Ravetti L. "Evaluation of Chemical and Physical Changes in Different Commercial Oils during Heating." Acta Scientific Nutritional Health. 2018;2(6):02-11.
5. Green H, Wang SC. "First Report on Quality and Purity Evaluations of Avocado Oil Sold in the US." UC Davis Olive Center. 2020. 82% failure rate.

Olive Oil vs Other Oils: Deeper Comparisons

If you're replacing coconut oil with olive oil, you might be curious how olive oil compares to other common alternatives too.

Coconut Oil vs Olive Oil: What the Research Actually Says — The full head-to-head comparison: fat profiles, polyphenol content, cardiovascular research, and when each oil makes sense.

Organic Coconut Oil vs Olive Oil: When to Use Each — Does organic change the health equation? When coconut oil is the better choice and when olive oil wins.

Olive Oil vs Other Oils: The Complete Comparison Guide — How olive oil compares to every major cooking oil.

Olive Oil vs Butter — Another common substitution. Same calories, very different health profiles.

Olive Oil vs Sunflower Oil — Considering sunflower oil as a substitute? Here's the full nutritional comparison.

Is Olive Oil a Seed Oil? — Olives contain pits with seeds inside, so is olive oil a seed oil? No — and the distinction matters.