Coconut Flour vs Chestnut Flour: The Best Bake

Baking can be tricky business, and it’s important to use the right type of flour for the job.

Coconut flour is especially popular for its rich texture and naturally sweet taste. But have you ever heard of chestnut flour? In Italy, they call it “farina dolce”, or sweet flour because of its nutty, sweet flavor.

Coconut flour and chestnut flour are two great gluten-free options for baking, but is one better than the other? Let’s compare the two to find out!

Comparing coconut flour vs chestnut flour

	Coconut flour	Chestnut flour	All-purpose flour
Substitution ratio	1:4	1:2 + 3:4 GF flour*	N/A
Gluten-free?	Yes	Yes	No
Keto-friendly?	Somewhat	Yes	No
Paleo-friendly?	Yes	Yes	No
Allergens	Coconut (tree nuts)	Chestnuts (tree nuts)	Wheat, gluten
Liquid absorbency	High	Medium-High	Medium
Pantry shelf life (unopened/sealed)	Up to 2 years	2-6 months (1 year in the freezer)	6-8 months
Best for baking	Most desserts – especially cakes, cookies, and pie crusts, muffins, and dense breads.	Traditional Italian baking, pastas, sweet breads, cakes, pancakes, crepes, and pie crusts.	Non-yeast recipes (think cookies, biscuits, and some breads)

Coconut flour and chestnut flour are both keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, gluten-free flours to replace wheat flour. However, both DO contain nuts for tree nut allergy purposes.

Both coconut flour and chestnut flour have a lower glycemic index compared to traditional flours – coconut flour’s is nearly half that of all-purpose flour!

Of course, both are great for baking! However, some key differences between the two flours make them more suitable for certain recipes, which we’ll get into now.

Differences between coconut flour vs chestnut flour

Coconut flour has a sweet, almost nutty flavor, whereas chestnut flour has a slightly stronger sweet and earthy flavor. If you’re looking for a more low-profile flour that won’t change the flavor of your recipe, I recommend tapioca flour or rice flour, or choose from our guide including 50+ different types of flour!

Coconut flour tends to absorb more liquid than chestnut flour. As far as substitution ratios go, you’ll want to use about four times as much chestnut flour when substituting for coconut flour, or make sure you adjust the liquid accordingly.

Baking with coconut flour vs chestnut flour

Baking with coconut flour or chestnut flour can be tricky at first since neither of these flours contain gluten, which is responsible for helping dough bind and rise. If using either of these flours as a substitute for wheat-based flour, remember to add need an extra egg or xanthan gum to bind everything together. For simplicity’s sake, I recommend sticking to a recipe that uses coconut flour or chestnut flour to make things easier.

So why use coconut flour or chestnut flour? For one, they can result in even moister baked goods since they retain more moisture than regular flour. 

Coconut flour absorbs more liquid than chestnut flour when baking, which results in a thicker batter or dough. Plus its higher fat content creates more dense baked goods that works well for brownies, cakes, and dense breads. 

Chestnut flour adds a nice soft texture – perfect for recipes like crepes or castagnaccio (a traditional Italian chestnut flour cake).

Ingredients in coconut flour vs chestnut flour

As you may guess, coconut flour is made from ground and dried coconut meat, while chestnut flour is made from ground and dried chestnuts.

The highest quality coconut and chestnut flour will only have one ingredient: ground coconut or chestnuts. Chestnut flour is harder to come by than coconut flour, which is widely available at most stores. If you can’t find chestnut flour, you can try making your own at home by grinding chestnuts in a food processor until you have a fine powder.

Coconut flour + chestnut flour nutritional facts

Per 1/4 cup serving	Coconut flour	Chestnut flour	All-purpose flour
Calories	120	142	110
Carbs	18 g	28 g	23 g
Fiber	10 g	6 g	1 g
Fat	3 g	0 g	0 g
Protein	6 g	0 g	4 g
Glycemic index score	45	65	85

Chestnut flour has the most calories and carbs compared to coconut flour and all-purpose flour. This flour is full of calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber.

Coconut flour is especially high in fiber, containing ten times more than all-purpose flour! Coconut flour is also rich in iron and magnesium.

Overall, while they both offer many nutritional benefits, coconut flour contains more fat, protein, and dietary fiber per serving than chestnut flour.

Coconut flour vs chestnut flour storage

Coconut flour can last a long time – up to 2 years! Chestnut flour, on the other hand, will only last about half that at best.

Chestnut flour is prone to going rancid if not stored properly, so be sure to keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it within 6 months, or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Coconut flour vs chestnut flour: The best bake

Both flours are great options for baking and offer some different benefits. Coconut flour is known for being more nutritious, while chestnut flour has a unique flavor that can add a delicious twist to your dishes. So which one is the winner? Unless you’re baking something specific like castagnaccio, I would stick with coconut flour for the higher nutritional value, longer shelf life, and less conspicuous flavor that works for most recipes.

Good luck, and happy baking!

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