Best Butter Substitutes for Baking (With Ratios)
The best butter substitute for baking depends on how the butter is used. For creamed cakes and cookies, use a plant-based baking stick with at least 80% fat, swapped 1:1. For recipes that use melted butter, use 3/4 cup (180 mL) neutral oil for every 1 cup (227 g) butter.
Butter substitutes and ratios
| Substitute | Amount per 1 cup (227 g) butter | Best for | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant butter baking stick (80% fat) | 1 cup | Cookies, cakes, frosting, pastry | Built to copy butter's fat, water and firmness |
| Neutral oil | 3/4 cup (165 g) | Brownies, muffins, quick breads | Same fat as butter without the water |
| Coconut oil | 1 cup (soft-solid or melted to match) | Cookies, crumbles, vegan cakes | Solid at room temperature, so it can be creamed |
| Vegetable shortening | 1 cup + 2 Tbsp milk or water + 1/2 tsp salt | Pie crust, tall cookies, biscuits | 100% fat; adding liquid replaces butter's water |
| Lard | 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp | Pie crust, biscuits | Large fat crystals give flaky layers |
| Ghee | 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp | Shortbread, Indian sweets, brownies | Nearly pure butterfat with a nutty flavour |
| Unsweetened applesauce | 1/2 cup applesauce + 1/2 cup butter | Muffins, quick breads | Pectin holds moisture; keeps some fat |
| Plain Greek yogurt | 1/2 cup yogurt + 1/2 cup butter | Cakes, muffins | Moist and tangy; protein adds tenderness |
Why butter is hard to replace
Butter is about 80–82% fat, 16–18% water and 1–2% milk solids, and each part matters:
- Fat crystals hold air. Creaming butter and sugar at about 18–20 °C / 65–68 °F traps tiny bubbles in the semi-solid fat. Those bubbles become the cake's rise. Liquid oil can't hold air, so oil cakes are denser and moister.
- Water makes steam. In pie crust and puff pastry, cold butter pieces flash to steam in the oven and push layers apart into flakes.
- Milk solids brown. Their proteins and lactose drive the Maillard reaction for golden colour and toasty flavour.
- Melting point. Butter melts at roughly 32–35 °C / 90–95 °F, close to body temperature, so it feels rich and clean in the mouth.
Shortening and coconut oil can be creamed, but they're nearly pure fat, so cookies spread less and taste less buttery. Adding a splash of liquid helps mimic butter's water.
When not to swap
- Laminated doughs like croissants and puff pastry need butter's plastic, foldable texture.
- Shortbread and butter cookies, where butter is the whole flavour.
- Brown butter recipes. Only butter has the milk solids that toast.
- Classic buttercream. Oil won't whip; use a plant baking stick or shortening.
- Tub spreads under 80% fat. Extra water makes cookies spread and cakes gummy.
Questions
How much oil replaces 1 cup of butter?
About 3/4 cup (180 mL). Butter is roughly 80% fat and 16–18% water, so less oil delivers the same amount of fat. Works best in recipes that already use melted butter.
Can I use coconut oil instead of butter?
Yes, 1:1 by weight. Use it solid but soft for creaming and melted for melted-butter recipes. Refined coconut oil has no coconut flavour.
Why did my cookies spread when I used margarine?
Tub spreads can be as low as 60% fat and contain more water, and they're softer at room temperature. Use stick margarine or plant butter labelled at least 80% fat for baking.
Can I use applesauce instead of butter?
For up to half the butter in muffins, quick breads and brownies, yes. Replacing all of it makes the crumb gummy and dense.