How to Bake Quick and Easy Coconut Oil Brownies

If you love healthy dessert recipes, you’ll want to toss a jar of coconut oil in your cart this weekend. The nutrient-dense oil has a smooth, rich texture and subtle flavor that makes it an unbeatable replacement for butter or vegetable oil in your baking.

We tried upgrading our favorite quick brownie recipe with coconut oil—here’s what happened.

Why use coconut oil?

Brownies don’t exactly need any upgrading, am I right? So why make the switch in the first place?

Well, coconut oil is a healthy fat full of benefits for your hair and skin, as well as your heart. It’s been proven to raise HDL (or good) cholesterol and fight off harmful bacteria. On top of all that, it gives you easy, moist brownies.

Pick the right coconut oil

If you don’t love the flavor of coconut, don’t worry; you can still bake with it. Just be sure to choose the right type of coconut oil. Unrefined coconut oil is made from fresh coconut meat and will still have that tropical smell and taste. Refined coconut oil comes from dried coconut meat and has a neutral flavor.

How to Make Brownies With Coconut Oil

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the oil

Scoop the coconut oil into a medium-size and microwave-safe bowl, then heat on high in 10-second increments until completely melted. Stir and set aside.

Step 2: Mix the batter

In a large bowl, beat together the coconut oil, sugar, flour, cocoa, salt, eggs and vanilla extract. Pour into a greased 13×9-inch baking pan (you can use extra coconut oil to grease, if you’d like). Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Editor’s Tip: Make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature before combining them. If the eggs are too cold, they could cause the melted coconut oil to congeal in the brownie batter.

Step 3: Bake some goodness

Carrie Madormo for Taste of Home

Bake your brownies in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

What should I do with leftover coconut oil?

Bake with it!

These tasty benefits aren’t limited to brownies. Coconut oil can be used in place of just about any fat when you’re baking. Use a 1:1 ratio when substituting and be mindful of which fat you are replacing. Solid butter should be replaced with room temperature coconut oil. If you’re replacing a liquid fat, like canola oil, melt the coconut oil first.

Can’t get enough coconut flavor? Check out these sweet coconut recipes and coconut milk recipes!

Get those beauty benefits.

Now that you’re becoming a coconut oil connoisseur, it’s time to kick it up a notch. This magical little fat doesn’t just add rich texture to brownies; it can do the same to your hair! Coconut oil is loaded with beauty benefits for your hair and skin. Whip up a quick coconut oil hair treatment or get your glow on with this easy coconut oil face mask.

Note: Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.