Substitutions / coconut milk
What to use instead of coconut milk
Use heavy cream in equal amounts. Richer and less sweet, with no coconut flavor — works well in savory dishes but changes the profile in desserts.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy cream | 1:1 | Richer and less sweet, with no coconut flavor — works well in savory dishes but changes the profile in desserts. |
| Oat milk | 1:1 | Much thinner and lower in fat, so sauces and curries will be less creamy; best in lighter applications. |
| Cashew cream | 1:1 | Blend soaked cashews with water to a thick consistency; neutral flavor and good richness, but adds a slightly nutty undertone. |
How much is a cup of coconut milk?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh coconut milk in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.