Definitely going to try it! I always have yogurt or buttermilk in the fridge but not butter. (Stick with butter or shortening for pie crusts). Question: When making cookies, can I use oil? https://thewhoot.com/whoot-news/recipes/best-butter-substitutes-baking Question: Will sugar cookies fall apart if I substitute the butter with vegetable oil? Question: Can I use banana puree instead of butter with cooking? In Ultimate Vanilla A, I used 1/2 cup applesauce and no butter or oil. Thanks for the chart, I've printed it out for future baking. These cookies were made using avocado instead of butter. Mayonnaise cakes became popular during World War II when common baking ingredients, such as eggs, butter, oil and sugar were rationed and families needed to be more resourceful. The only yogurt I had was honey vanilla flavored, so it gave the cake a delicious flavor. Thanks for the great catch! Only whole wheat flour was used. Lavender Cordial Pound Cake. Mildly flavored oils are generally the best. Answer: It might depend on what you are making, as it could alter the flavor. Instead, use roughly 3/4 to 7/8 cup oil to replace every 1 cup of butter. Question: What is the best substitute for butter when making a pie crust? Perfect for baked goods that call for apple butter. and Everything but pie crust. I suspect it would taste amazing, but might be a bit dry unless a 1:1 ratio is used. So if your recipe calls for 1 cup butter, substitute 1/2 cup oil and add liquid until the dough comes together and looks properly hydrated. Question: I want to make sugar cookies but don't have butter, what can I use instead? Nut butters Another great butter substitute and source of protein and fat are nuts and nut butters. Thank you. If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use 3/4 cup pumpkin puree. Muffins are a great place to use applesauce or pumpkin puree instead of butter! The Best Oils to Substitute for Butter When Baking. You can still bake a light, flavorful cake while reducing the fat and calories from your recipe. I have not tried this, but if Abijhit tries it and lets me know how it works, I will update with this information!! Have you ever tried it? I do have a question though. Question: Can I mix these substitutions together? Replacing Oil With Butter. 5. Just make sure the coconut oil is … Question: If I have butter on hand what type of butter should I use when baking? I needed to double a cake batch but used the last of my butter for the first one. What can I use in place of it? You can substitute pureed avocado in equal parts for the amount of butter called for, especially if you want a higher fiber, higher vitamin K/C/B-5/B-6/E alternative. The Lavender Cordial Cake uses a combination of butter and canola oil. Some of my colleagues think oil cakes age better than butter cakes, becoming more moist and tender as the days go by, but Beranbaum attributes that not to the type of fat used in the cake… For 2 tablespoons of butter, how much cooking oil do I use? Mayonnaise is known to make chocolate cakes incredibly moist, but the taste is too overpowering to use in vanilla or other subtly flavored cakes. Question: If my recipe calls for a pound of butter how much applesauce would I use as a substitute? I chose to keep the butter and not the oil because butter adds … Question: If I am short of butter can I use a mixture of butter and vegetable oil for a cake recipe? Try substituting one-fourth or half the butter with oil. , If so, what could I substitute the butter with? According to information on the Hass Avocado Board's website, you can substitute mashed avocado for butter using a one-to-one ratio. Answer: The amount used depends on what your recipe calls for. Would the texture/flavor be better using 1/2 butter and 1/2applesauce? If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use 1 cup pureed avocado. Answer: Applesauce, or coconut oil - either works well for muffins! Do you need to melt the coconut oil first say when replacing butter in a cake mix or should you put it in in its solid form? My go-to for baking is coconut oil. Still working on a good recipe for frosting. Substitute plain, non-fat Greek yogurt for butter in your baked goods at a 1 to 1 ratio. I do have unsweetened applesauce, and I can make buttermilk with vinegar. I've used applesauce or pumpkin when making cake donuts, I've never tried making pastry style donuts, so not sure if you're making that style. Olive oil can be used as a substitute for butter in baking by using three-quarters of a cup of olive oil for every cup of butter called for. By law, butter has at least 80% fat. Travel Chef from Manila on September 29, 2018: I used to substitute oil with butter. The finished product can be frozen in 1/4 cup measures for later use. Best for savory items. I have used unsweeted applesaus to bake cake ,with success. Have you experimented with substituting ingredients when you bake? If so how much nut butter to regular butter. I am making a sponge cake instead of using butter can I use cooking oil , the recipe I am using needs 150 g of butter , how much cooking oil should I use to replace the butter. Copyright Policy To avoid affecting the texture and lightness of your cake, it's typically recommended that you only replace half the butter. Although the fruit does a great job of lending a fat-like consistency to your cake, it also adds more sweetness than butter would. Question: When baking, if l have no butter, can I use 3/4 cups of vegetable oil? Answer: I have done that for brownies with no noticeable difference in the final product. No problem! When baking bread, you can use applesauce instead of butter to create a more dense and moist loaf. I won't waste your time with the list of substitutes I've tried that only worked when substituting for half of it in a recipe! Question: I am baking muffins, and I don’t have butter. In Ultimate Vanilla B, I used 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup butter (no oil). It’s actually the best one that you could think of. No one wants to end up with an oily cake or bone-dry meats, so the right balance is important as in any cooking swap. This makes it better suited for replacing half the butter, which still reduces fat and calories in the cake. Terms of Use Coconut oil is a versatile butter substitute, but it shines in vegan desserts and sweet applications. My recipes are in grams, not cups. Thelma Alberts from Germany and Philippines on February 11, 2018: Good ideas. Answer: In my experience, the baking time has been comparable when using the substitutions, to using butter. diagnosis or treatment. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, substitute it with ¾ cup of oil. Question: My recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter how much vegetable oil do I use to substitute for butter? If you choose oils with heart-healthy fats, such as olive oil, canola oil or coconut oil, you're also usually slashing the saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium in your cake. Applesauce: Often used to replace oil in recipes, applesauce can be used as a butter alternative, and works best in cake-like recipes (like this vegan … Recipes that call for melted butter, like bread, quick breads, muffins, and cakes, will be fine. Ultimate Vanilla Cupcakes call for 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup oil. Doing so is helpful if you are watching fat calories, need to add a little more fiber, or just don't have enough butter for a recipe. I'd just mix the butter and oil with the wet ingredients for baking, or you can probably cream it in with the sugar called for and mix it in as otherwise directed in your recipe. Jess Schatzel (author) from Upstate NY on March 30, 2019: I am sorry to hear that, I have used vegetable oil for many cookie recipes without a problem. Id like to print this out for future reference... Thelma Alberts from Germany and Philippines on June 17, 2019: Thanks for sharing. Let it let stand for five minutes before using.). By using this substitute, you won’t really notice that much of a difference. Question: What's a good substitute for *melted* butter in vegan dishes? My sweet grandson has so many food allergies, one being dairy. He loves fruit cake, please help. While it’s totally fine for cooking, it won’t behave the same as butter in baking. What is the method to cream it? Answer: You can use oil, but would likely need to use less than the amount of butter called for in the recipe. While extra virgin olive oil may pair deliciously with a Sicilian lemon cake, it may not work as well for a plain vanilla cake. What do I do? of lemon juice OR vinegar, not both! The texture was comparable, but the taste was very sweet/identifiable. In addition to being a source of heart-healthy fats, vitamins, phytonutrients and minerals, the moisture content in the flesh of the avocado helps keep your cake from becoming too crumbly. I think I will try the buttermilk/applesauce combo on an apple cake I'm making. J. Schatzel works in healthcare administration in rural upstate New York and has a master's degree in history. Switching to Cooking Oil. This works best for cakes and brownies, but be warned: it will darken the color of the finished product, adding a reddish-purple tone! Question: If I don’t have butter then what should I use to make cookies? You can replace butter in baking recipes with unsweetened applesauce by using half of the amount of... 2. Thank you this is a great help. I think it should be 1 tbl. Ashly Christen from Illinois on April 28, 2020: Thanks for sharing! Thanks for sharing. I'm not sure how it would effect the recipe to do both (whether it would make the texture less binding, more sense, etc). Answer: I have tried coconut oil or avocado with success, and applesauce also. We are a vegan family but on holidays, I try to make something that we used to have and yet substitute the dairy. Answer: I've never tried using mayo in place of butter for baking; you might also need to adjust the number of eggs in the recipe, then. If you're getting rid of the fat from your cake recipe, you should also use half the number of eggs that your recipe calls for and reduce your oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Vegetable Oil. When you're measuring fruit puree, use roughly 1/2 cup of puree to replace 1 cup of butter. Thanks Abhijit! Question: How much applesauce should I use if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter? In fact, ghee is a much better option than butter due to the healthy vitamins and fats it contains. Be sure to reduce the amount used, and not use the full amount the recipe calls for, if using oil as a substitute. THIS recipe, on the other hand, calls for 230g of whipping cream to make two cake layers, which means 80g of fat. If you take a look at my go-to yellow cake recipe, which you can find in this post, you can see that, for two cake layers, my regular yellow cake recipe calls for 150g of butter, which means 124g fat. But I have used yogurt and applesauce when baking a cake, and it turned out great! 2021 The material appearing on LIVESTRONG.COM is for educational use only. Question: In your recipes, when you say "1 cup of butter," do you mean 1 cup of melted butter or one cup of soft butter? I am wondering about cream cheese as a substitute in cookies. Works especially well in cakes (velvety texture). You can substitute three-quarters of a cup of vegetable oil for every one cup of butter called for. Muffins come out tender and rise nicely. Question: How many grams is a cup? I have a recipe for bran banana muffins where I substitute the 1/3 cup butter for 1/4 cup applesauce or pear-sauce. For every cup of butter called for in a recipe, you could use three-quarters of a cup of pumpkin (or butternut squash, hubbard squash, or other similar squash) puree. This substitution works especially well in cakes because it creates a velvety texture. any of the products or services that are advertised on the web site. Ive read where mayonnaise could be used as a substitute for eggs. Question: What is a good substitute for making chocolate chip cookies? Question: I want to bake some chewy ginger cookies but my friend cannot have dairy products, what is a good butter substitute for her? I hope you found some good information about butter substitutes. Question: I want to make muffins, but I don't have butter or oil what else could I use? I love butter and use a lot of it but am always running out. I found this and it was a lifesaver thank you. Butter in a cake mix You can use butter in a cake mixing to enhance its flavor. Answer: I've used banana (3/4 if the amount of butter called for) in blueberry muffins before. Mayonnaise is another common substitute in cake, though it often replaces eggs. For example, although fat-free Greek yogurt can be used to substitute all of the butter in your cake recipe using a one-to-one ratio, it increases the moisture in the cake batter, requiring that you reduce some of the other liquids. Answer: I'd use the margerine, or buttermilk, for the best results. It calls for 1/4 shortening what us the ratio if i use vegetable oil? I used vegetable oil and it completely ruined my cookies, butter makes the cookies creamy so when I used vegetable oil, they were dry and didn’t stick together, and on top of that, they didn’t bake properly and came out completely inedible. Pear-sauce can be made by cooking down ripe pears and mashing as you would for making applesauce. I hardly ever leave comments on blog pages but THIS is a GREAT post, thorough and will be my go to for baking subs! I started by substituting only half of the butter in a recipe, then three-quarters, then completely replacing butter as I worked my way through the various alternatives below. Going to try all of the subs suggested. Answer: I've used pumpkin and applesauce in gingersnaps with success, either substitution works well! If your recipe calls for melted butter, which is common in many quick breads, pancakes, brownies, blondies and some cakes, you can substitute … Thanks for listing these substitutes. When a recipe calls for butter, here are some common healthier substitutes and things to know about... Greek Yogurt. Question: Can i use peanut butter as an alternative to butter in my chocolate chip cookies? Question: My recipe asks for 2 tablespoons of butter. If so how did it go? Butter adds moisture to baked goods. And I am very pleased to learn that I can skip the butter altogether. Most oils range from 100-125 calories per tablespoon and butter is 100 calories per tablespoon. One thing, though: In #3, Buttermilk, it says to make your own buttermilk, "Just add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice AND vinegar per cup of milk." Answer: Cream cheese as a substitute for butter will not work well for baking. How about a substitute for butter when making frosting ? The three main fats used in cake batter are butter, shortening and oil. Question: We are kosher and I'm trying to find non-dairy substitutions for baking. For best results when you run out of butter, my top tip is to go to the nearest shop and buy some butter. Question: Which of these substitutes is best for baking pie crusts? Besides pasteurized cream, the only other ingredient that is added to butter is salt, and it is option. Answer: For so little called for, I'd probably just use 1 3/4 tbsp oil. Question: For buttermilk biscuits, it calls for 9 tbsp butter, and 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk. Question: What can we substitute for butter in biscuits & pie crust? This Farmhouse Buttermilk Cake recipe is an old favorite of mine. Applesauce typically creates a sweet and soft texture in oil-based goods when substituted for butter. Question: Can I use non-fat greek yogurt or plain as a butter substitute in baking? Oh wow, I never knew this until I read your article. advertisements are served by third party advertising companies. And keep in mind that the kind of oil used can affect the taste (i.e. Question: I’m making brownies and it calls for 10 tbsp of butter how would I do that with the ratio 1:3/4? Although it might give light-colored cakes a slightly greenish hue, mashed avocado makes an effective butter substitution since it is rich in fat and flavor. Bitten by the travel bug at the age of 15 after a trip to Europe, Anderson fostered her love of style and fashion while living in New York City and earning her degree at New York University. Making banana nut bread. Answer: I've done it for banana muffins before, I'm guessing it will work for cookies as well, although I haven't yet tried it! Just add one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar per cup of milk. You can substitute three-quarters of a cup of vegetable oil for every one cup of butter called for. I have not yet found a baking recipe this did not work well with. 3. Supposed, you need 100g butter in your receipe. These are great tips for any cook! Butter, which is high is fat and calories, works together with leaveners such as baking powder, to give cake a delicate, light consistency while also giving it a rich, delicious flavor and a tender crumb. However, I do not have any cooking oil, shortening, or butter. Darkens food significantly. Question: I am going to use vegetable oil instead of butter but the recipe only asks for 1/4th cup of butter. The photo above doesn't do it justice; I was out of pecans so substituted walnuts, and then didn't chop them finely enough (rush, rush!). https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cooking-basics/butter-substitute Question: My Streusel topping calls for 2 tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter. Answer: I've never used margarine for chocolate cake, but have used applesauce with great results! For example, if your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of butter, you can safely substitute 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt; however, experts don't recommended that you this method for amounts over 1 cup. Answer: I've used avocado, pumpkin, or applesauce with success. If the dough is too greasy, add a little more flour. What do you recommend for a basic frosting? Try adding the same amount of mayo … I don't have butter, so I'm going to use cooking oil instead. Great post! Can applesauce be used for all of the butter in a shortbread cookie recipe? Similarly, replacing all of the butter with applesauce will affect the density of your bread, making it heavier and moister. Similar to pumpkin puree, substitute three-quarters of a cup of prune puree (you can use prune baby food) for every cup of butter called for in a baked item. (I also use Greek yogurt instead of butter when making mashed potatoes, and my husband has never noticed a difference once I switched!). It should not be The flavor will be slightly altered (and color), so it really just depends on what kind you want to make, and which flavor would pair best with it. It might also alter the taste, as mayo contains mustard and vinegar. Another important thing to point out is that using oil rather than butter does not reduce the amount of calories. I do like cinnamon applesauce in apple cakes or muffins. It does alter the flavor (and color), but the texture was comparable. Answer: I like to use pumpkin in banana bread! In other words, to replace 4 tablespoons of butter, experiment with a scant 3 tablespoons of oil. May have high sugar content. Add sweetness and fiber while slashing calories and maintaining a moist, tender texture by using fruit purees as butter replacements. LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. I have also used strawberry applesauce in cake recipes and the kids loved it. (As a side note, if you're looking for a substitute for oil in a baking recipe, you can substitute an equal amount of pumpkin puree.). Lena Durante from San Francisco Bay Area on May 15, 2017: Good suggestions. Buttermilk. This requires the amount of sugar to be reduced slightly. Because oil has less saturated fat, it may be a healthier alternative. Lets look at each and find out the advantages and disadvantages. We were able to make biscuits (so far using butter) without baking soda/baking powder/refined wheat flour). Jess Schatzel (author) from Upstate NY on August 21, 2018: Valerie, use 3/4 the amount of oil, as butter was called for in the recipe. For the following substitutes, I was able to successfully substitute 100 percent of the butter in a recipe. Start with a cake, muffin or cookie recipe. thanks for all the pointers, I will print these out. Healthy Substitute for Butter in Cakes Swapping Butter for Fruit Puree. what should i use as a substitute? Answer: Coconut oil works well for the consistency, as long as the flavor works with what you are frosting! 10 Substitutes for Butter in Baking (Plus Tips) 1. Very interesting and very good info. Will it still spread? Note that olive oil has a strong flavor, which means that it works best in savory baked goods like herb breads or biscuits. Answer: You can indeed, just remember it may alter the flavor of what you're baking, as coconut oil has a distinctive flavor. For a cup of apple butter substitute it with 1 ½ cup of applesauce. Answer: It depends on the flavor in the recipe, Probably vegetable oil, olive oil, etc. I just hate butter. I ran out of butter after the holidays, and this post was a lifesaver. Answer: I would try coconut oil or avocado. Answer: I haven't tried it, but I'm sure you can. This has worked well for me in all recipes I've tried it with—with the exception of pie crust. It would likely hurt the flavor of sweeter items, such as cakes, cookies, or pie crusts. Answer: Maybe coconut oil or vegetable oil would work, so as not to alter the taste too much. Answer: I've never tried it for cookies, but if you try it please let me know how it turns out! Question: Can I substitute butter with canola oil when baking? Go Dairy Free: How To: Baking Without Butter, Veg News: Vegan Baking Substitution Guide, Fit Sugar: Healthy Baking: Surprising Butter Substitutes, University of Missouri Extension: How to Modify Recipes to Reduce Fat, PARTNER & LICENSEE OF THE LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION. Answer: No need to reduce the amount of eggs, when baked the eggs will stabilize. Answer: I've used pumpkin for pie crust when making a pecan pie, and Shepard's pie, and in biscuits. If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use 3/4 cup olive oil. Question: I have a recipe that calls for 1/2 a cup of butter. Answer: I would definitely use less oil than the amount of butter that is called for in the recipe. Question: What can I substitute for butter in a recipe for rice? However, these are the ones that worked well with minimal differences from using butter. Can I substitute Ghee for Butter in baking? Copyright © The following list is by no means a complete list of the numerous butter replacements that exist. Flavor can be noticeable. I tried using the Greek yogurt sub, and it’s so good! What do I use instead? Jess Schatzel (author) from Upstate NY on August 10, 2017: I received a message from Abhijit asking "I found your post regarding butter alternatives for baking very useful. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the LIVESTRONG.COM Answer: Only use 3/4 of the amount of butter called for, if using vegetable oil. Since olive oil is a liquid, it’s not a proper butter substitute in recipes that need the fat to remain solid or that require a lot of creaming, such as frosting and angel food cake. Also if the cake is made by the creaming method - beating butter and sugar together and then beating in eggs - then oil is not a suitable substitute as it cannot be beaten to incorporate air and if oil is used the cake will be flatter and denser than the creamed version. Another ingredient that people sometimes wonder about is sugar substitutes in baking. The rich and neutral flavor of avocado seems to be a great butter substitute for cookies, muffins, cakes, and brownies. I usually add about 2 tablespoons of liquid. Olive Oil Cake with Fresh Peaches. Can I do this in cake recipes that use eggs? Question: What is a nutritional substitute for a stick of butter in baking banana bread? With similar properties of being solid when cool and liquid when warm, I have found coconut oil to be a successful substitute when using an equal amount of the oil to the amount of butter called for in a recipe. used as a substitute for professional medical advice, I have only substitute butter with margarine or oil. If I substitute the butter for yogurt, do you think it will be too loose? At first glance, swapping butter for oil might not sound like the healthiest choice. Thanks! It will alter the fat/calorie count and may drastically increase the sodium, and may alter the taste too. Lots of nutrients. They might be high in calories, but they are also packed full of healthy fats and protein. . Pureed peaches, apples, pears or pumpkin work well in flavorful spice cakes, while prune puree can be used for darker-colored cakes and brownies. It is possible and common to substitute oil for butter when cooking a Betty Crocker cake. Jess Schatzel (author) from Upstate NY on October 14, 2020: I've used pumpkin in shortbread cookies with success, the texture was the same as if I'd used butter. How to use it: Coconut oil can be substituted for butter in a 1-to-1 ratio. You touched on this with the applesauce & buttermilk, and I would agree that it sometimes helps to use two different ingredients for a better final result: for example, a little oil and a little prune puree in cake, or a little yogurt with a little applesauce. Answer: It depends on what you are making. But this tender, golden cake, topped with its buttery, nut-laden syrup, is a true crowd-pleaser. And don't substitute the same amount: try two thirds to three fourths as much oil. Moreover, we do not select every advertiser or advertisement that appears on the web site-many of the How to Substitute Oil for Butter Okay, now that we know when to sub in oil for butter, we should talk about how to substitute the oil correctly. I do have a tub of Country Crock. I used olive oil in place of butter in a chocolate chip cookie recipe, and, other than an oilier feeling, they taste exactly the same! Answer: Pumpkin works well, but will alter the color of the finished product! It changed the consistency of the dough too much and made it crumbly, instead of flaky. I do, however, find this is a tasty substitute for butter in crusts I am using for meat pies or pot pies (and my picky-eater hubby has not noticed a difference!). Such a helpful webpage...going to start experimenting today! I'm making a dump cake that calls for melted butter poured over the top before baking. So for every cup of butter (226 grams) in the recipe, substitute 194 grams of coconut oil and 36 grams (or a little over 2 tablespoons) of milk. The LIVESTRONG Foundation and LIVESTRONG.COM do not endorse At first glance, swapping butter for oil might not sound like the healthiest choice. Substituting Butter for Shortening Multiply the weight of the shortening by 1.25, which gives you 114.6 grams. Now let’s talk about which oils to use. Question: What could I substitute for butter when making turnovers? What do you suggest? These holiday cookies were baked without butter! i want to make doughnuts and i do not have butter. Is it ok to sub coconut oil for butter in brownies, cakes etc?