Trying vegan baking out for the first time? Need more tips to enhance your already wide knowledge of dairy-free and animal-product-free baking? No matter what you skill level in the kitchen, this article will help you understand the best substitutes for butter you can use and how they translate into your desserts.
Move over, butter! These ingredients tout more fiber, less cholesterol and a whole lot of taste. Here’s our list of all the best ingredients you can use instead of butter.
Applesauce
Applesauce can be used to replace regular or melted butter in a recipe. Make sure to strain out any excess liquids before you add the applesauce, though. You can use sweetened applesauce if you want to reduce the amount of granulated sugar in the recipe and unsweetened for a less intense, sugary flavor – it all depends on your taste.
As for proportions – If the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, make sure to use ½ cup of applesauce. It is best used for cakes, sugar cookies, zucchini bread and banana bread, though many find it great in many other desserts as well.
Tip: Use cinnamon applesauce and make some vegan snickerdoodles!
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a favorite among vegan bakers as it is healthy, rich and tastes great. It can be used in just about anything from cakes, to cookies, muffins and more, just make sure not to use too much in your more savory treats, as it can start to add a slight taste if enough is used. Coconut oil cuts down on saturated fats and is slightly healthier than canola oil.
Tip: Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and a liquid when heated, so it mimics the properties of butter quite well.
Vegetable Oil
Another all-around great substitute, vegetable oil can be used for most vegan recipes out there, from breads to cakes and pies. Vegetable oil is also great at replacing regular fats found in butter and shortenings with polyunsaturated fats. This helps keep cholesterol low, which is great for the heart.
If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup vegetable oil. The function of using butters and oils in baking is to keep the dessert moist, which is essential in any recipe, so vegetable oil is a great substitute for butter in most vegan recipes.
Olive Oil
You can use olive oil as a butter substitute in more savory vegan baking dishes. Because of its strong flavor, it’s not recommended to use in sweeter recipes unless only a small amount is used.
Olive oil is great when used for crusts for vegan pot pies, biscuits and herb breads. If your recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use ¾ cups of olive oil. Olive oil, like vegetable oil, has unsaturated fats and antioxidants which are great for the body.
Tip: Experiment with different flavored and quality olive oils. There’s so many to choose from – you can enjoy a range of tastes and recipes with this one ingredient.
Pumpkin Puree/Avocado Puree
Both of these fruit purees (yes, both are fruits!) are great as butter substitutes. Both have a good amount of fiber and vitamins in them, making them much healthier than butter.
Avocado has a creamy consistency and can be used on a 1:1 ratio, while pumpkin, being slightly more moist of a puree, calls for ¾ cup for every 1 cup of butter called for. The best part of both? They can both be used in most vegan baking recipes out there! The taste is subtle so you don’t have to worry about the flavor of your cookies, cakes, or breads being overpowered.
Tip: Always check your butter to puree ratios.
Ready-Made Vegan Butters
If you decide you need some help in the kitchen, fear not, as most health food grocery stores will have a variety of already made vegan butter on the shelves and ready to get you baking.
Since these butters are made vegan, you won’t have to worry about sifting liquids or figuring out ratios. They look and taste a lot like regular butter too! Try some out with your next recipe to see if you prefer applesauce, oils, or vegan tub butters better. It’s always fun to experiment!
Tip: As with most processed foods, make sure to check the fat and calorie count of your store-bought vegan butters.
Become a food scientist in your own kitchen and experiment with all these new butter substitutes. Maybe you prefer oils in your breads or purees in your cookies. Trying new ingredients never tasted so good!
Ready to Level Up Your Vegan Baking?
Outrageous Baking has been crafting delicious gluten-free vegan breads as well as gluten-free / dairy-free sweet breads in Boulder, Colorado since 2006. All of our products are all free of gluten, dairy, and nuts.. They are free of all preservatives and additives because we believe that the best ingredients are the wholesome, natural ones.
Our motto is ‘made with love, and it’s been the special ingredient ever since we make our first loaf of bread. Check out our website to order dry ingredients to assist you in your baking, buy our ready-baked sweet and savory breads or even search our store locator to find our goods in local markets near you!
