Top Butter Substitutes for Cooking and Baking

Butter is a versatile kitchen essential, adding tenderness to baked goods and richness to creamy dishes like soups and sauces. But what if you're out of butter—or just want to experiment with other ingredients? Thankfully, there are plenty of easy butter substitutes you likely already have in your pantry.

Best Butter Replacement for Baking

The best butter substitute for baking depends on what ingredients you have available, the type of recipe you're making, and your personal preferences for flavor and texture. Here's what you should know about butter alternatives for baking and how to use them effectively:

Margarine and Plant-Based Butters

Margarine and plant-based butters are creamy spreads made from vegetable and nut oils, with some varieties including milk. These alternatives were designed specifically to mimic butter and are likely your closest match. They work well in most baking recipes that call for butter, including cookies, cakes, and biscuits. In most cases, you can swap butter for margarine or plant-based butter at a 1:1 ratio (for example, if a recipe requires 1 cup of butter, use 1 cup of margarine or plant-based butter).

Oil

For moist and tender baked goods, consider using oil as a butter replacement. The type of oil you choose—and the amount you use—will depend on the flavor and texture you want to achieve in your baked goods.

A good rule of thumb for substituting butter: Use about ¾ of the butter amount in oil, such as olive, canola, or vegetable oil (for example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use ¾ cup oil). However, if the recipe requires melted butter, you can swap them in equal amounts without adjusting the ratios.

• Vegetable and Canola Oils: These are some of the most common butter substitutes. These budget-friendly options usually don't taste like much, so you don't have to worry about them affecting the flavor of your finished product.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil produces light baked goods with subtle notes of fruit. Unless you're baking something extremely mild, olive oil is unlikely to overpower other flavors. Make sure to use a high-quality bottle — if you don't want to toss it into your salad or drizzle it over bread, you probably don't want it in your cakes and cookies.
• Coconut Oil: Unlike other oils, you can use a 1:1 ratio when substituting coconut oil for butter (if the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 1 cup of coconut oil). It lends a slight coconutty flavor to cookies, cakes, quick breads, muffins, and more.

Check out these recipes: 25 Delicious Ways to Bake with Olive Oil Instead of Butter

Shortening

Shortening is another effective butter substitute. While it doesn’t provide the same rich flavor as butter, it can create lighter, fluffier baked goods. In some cases, shortening may even work better than butter, depending on your recipe.

You can swap shortening for butter on a one-to-one basis (if the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 1 cup of shortening).

Applesauce

Applesauce is an excellent choice for lightening up baked goods, especially breads and muffins. Be sure to use an unsweetened variety, as apples already have a fair amount of natural sugar. If you only have sweetened applesauce, adjust the sugar in your recipe to balance it out.

In most cases, you can swap applesauce for butter at a 1:1 ratio (if a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 1 cup of applesauce). However, trust your instincts: While the measurements may not need adjusting, pay attention to the texture of your batter or dough and tweak as needed—add more or less depending on how thick or runny it is.

Explore these recipes: 14 Creative Ways to Use Applesauce

Bananas

Add some fruit to your baked goods with mashed bananas. They work well in breads, cakes, cookies, and more, though they can make your treats denser—a great option depending on the texture you're aiming for. Bananas also bring a natural fruity sweetness. In most cases, you can swap butter for mashed bananas without changing the measurements (if the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 1 cup of mashed bananas). Just keep an eye on the texture as you mix your batter or dough.

Check out these recipes: 26 Delicious Banana Breads for Ripe Bananas

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is another fantastic butter alternative. It produces soft, moist baked goods with a subtle tangy flavor that’s a pleasant surprise in many recipes.

For recipes requiring less than 1 cup of butter, you can substitute yogurt at a 1:1 ratio (if the recipe asks for ½ cup butter, use ½ cup yogurt). For recipes calling for more than 1 cup of butter, increase the flour by about ¼ cup or reduce the liquid by ¼ cup to prevent your baked goods from becoming soggy.

Explore these recipes: 15 Delicious Yogurt Cakes for Super Moist Results

Best Butter Replacement for Cooking

If you're seeking the best butter substitute for sautéing or pan-frying, go for a flavorful oil like olive oil or avocado oil. Since butter has a low smoke point, any oil will do—just choose one that suits the flavor profile of your dish. For frying, however, opt for an oil with a higher smoke point, such as peanut or canola oil.

You can easily replace butter with oil in a 1:1 ratio (for example, if your recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of butter, use 3 tablespoons of oil).

Another fun swap? Mayonnaise! Try using mayo instead of butter when making scrambled eggs, grilled cheese, or even mashed potatoes for a creamy twist.

Best Butter Alternatives for Sauces

In many sauce recipes, butter is added at the end of cooking to thicken the sauce and enhance its richness. If you're looking for a butter substitute, try using heavy cream, crème fraîche, or sour cream. Gradually add the substitute until your sauce reaches the desired consistency and thickness.