Butter Substitute

Looking for a butter replacement? These are the 15 best tried and tested butter substitutes that can be used in all your favorite baking recipes!

Butter is a kitchen staple used in all sorts of recipes, especially baking. It adds a rich consistency, flavor, and essential moisture that seriously elevates your average chocolate chip cookie. 

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why you might need a suitable substitute. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been midway through a recipe only to reach into my fridge and find I’m totally out of butter!

Luckily, there are plenty of swaps for butter, and I’ve included a roundup of my tried-and-true favorites.

Table of Contents

1. What can replace butter in baking?
2. Margarine
3. Shortening
4. Coconut oil
5. Olive oil or other cooking oils 
6. Pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree
7. Mashed bananas
8. Avocado
9. Applesauce
10. Yogurt
11. Mayonnaise
12. Ghee
13. Nut butter
14. Cheese
15. Plant-based butter
16. Frequently asked questions
17. More cooking resources
18. Best Butter Substitute (Recipe Card)

What can replace butter in baking?

Depending on what you’re making (and your dietary restrictions), some substitutes work better than others. I’ve included a few suggestions on which substitute works best for certain recipes, along with the ratio you’ll need to substitute one cup of butter. 

Margarine

Margarine is a type of fat made from nut and vegetable oils that’s flavored to taste like butter. It’s the most accurate substitute in terms of texture and flavor, so it’s best used in recipes where you want the flavor of butter to shine, like in biscuits, cornbread, and cookies. 

To replace butter: If your recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, replace it with 1 cup of margarine.

Works best for: Air fryer biscuits, low-carb cornbread, and brown butter chocolate chip cookies

Shortening

Shortening is made from hydrogenated vegetable oils and has a neutral flavor. It doesn’t completely mix with dry ingredients, and it’s 100% fat, which can give dough, biscuits, and pie crusts a nice flaky, crumbly texture. 

To replace butter: Replace butter with equal portions of shortening.  

Works best for: Keto pie crust and vegan biscuits

Coconut oil

Like butter, coconut oil is in solid form when cool and melts to a liquid when warmed. This substitute is best for muffins, cakes, and cookies. If you don’t want any coconut flavor in your recipe, look for refined coconut oil. 

To replace butter: Replace butter with equal portions of coconut oil. 

Works best for: Coconut flour biscuits, chocolate pecan pie bars, and coconut brownies

Olive oil or other cooking oils 

Adding oil to your recipes that call for melted butter will add plenty of moisture and tenderness to your cakes, muffins, and quickbreads. Besides coconut oil, you can use just about any oil, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. You can also use extra virgin olive oil, though it will impart a subtle spicy flavor (that’s perfect in lemon olive oil cake!). 

To replace butter: Replace 1 cup of butter with ¾ cup of oil.

Works best for: Eggless banana bread, vanilla cake, and an orange cake

Pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree

Pumpkin puree and sweet potato puree are both very flavorful and add bulk, moisture, and richness. They’re best used in desserts where you want to accentuate those flavors, like sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie, or pumpkin bread. 

To replace butter: Replace every cup of butter with ¾ cup of pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree. 

Works best for: 2-ingredient pumpkin cake, pumpkin mug cake, and 2 ingredient pumpkin muffins

Mashed bananas

Mashed bananas make a great egg substitute AND a great butter alternative. They add a rich, creamy, sweet flavor that enhances the flavor of cakes, cookies, and of course, banana bread. Keep in mind it will make the dessert overall a bit denser and add a strong banana flavor. 

To replace butter: Replace every cup of butter with 3/4 cup of mashed bananas (approximately 2 bananas). 

Works best for: oatmeal breakfast bars, and flourless banana bread

Avocado

Because of their high fiber and vitamin content, mashed avocados can be a great swap for butter. They’re usually better for spreading on toast, but they can also add richness and moisture to chocolate cake or cupcakes. 

To replace butter: Replace butter with equal portions of mashed or pureed avocado.  

Works best for: Avocado brownies and avocado cake

Applesauce

Unsweetened applesauce is a great alternative to butter in your recipes because it’s super low in calories, fat-free, and adds a subtle sweetness–even if unsweetened. It’s best for healthy cakes, sweet breads, and blondies. 

To replace butter: For every 1 cup of butter, replace with ½ cup applesauce.

Works best for: Applesauce cake, applesauce bread, and a healthy chocolate cake.

Yogurt

Naturally thick and creamy, yogurt works very well to replace butter. Either Greek or plain yogurt works, but I strongly prefer Greek yogurt. While it does add a subtle tangy flavor, it’s usually fairly neutral and makes a great swap in quick breads, cookies, and cake.

To replace butter: For every 1 cup of butter, replace it with ½ cup Greek yogurt.

Works best for: Greek yogurt banana muffins, Greek yogurt brownies, and cinnamon pretzels

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is made up of eggs and oil, and when used in place of butter, it adds a similar tangy and rich flavor. It’s best used in chocolate cakes, fudgy brownies, or similar desserts where it won’t be overpowering. 

To replace butter: Replace butter with equal portions of mayo. 

Works best for: Healthy brownies and death by chocolate cake

Ghee

Also known as clarified butter, ghee is butter that’s been cooked and strained until the water separates from the milk solids. The water gets removed, and what’s left is a concentrated, rich butter with a nutty taste. Since there’s no water, it has a high smoke point, so it’s perfect in all sorts of baked goods, like cookies and donuts. 

To replace butter: Replace butter with equal portions of ghee. 

Works best for: Beignets and mochi donuts

Nut butter

Nut butter is super nutrient-dense and high in fat, adding layers of richness to any baked good. Stick to recipes where you want the nut butter flavor to shine.

To replace butter: Replace every cup of butter with ¾ cup of nut butter. For a nut-free replacement, use tahini or sunflower seed butter. 

Works best for: Almond butter bars, cashew butter cookies, and peanut butter blondies

Cheese

Butter comes from dairy, so it only makes sense that cheese would make a great substitute. Softened cream cheese or mascarpone adds tons of moisture and richness. Ricotta and cottage cheese also work, but since they have a higher water content, you’ll need to strain the excess liquid before adding them to your baked goods. 

To replace butter: Replace butter with equal portions of cheese. 

Works best for: Lemon ricotta pancakes, lemon ricotta cookies, and cottage cheese bread 

Plant-based butter

Vegan butter is usually made from a blend of oils and makes a suitable replacement for vegans. It can be used similarly to margarine in everything from cinnamon rolls to cakes and sticky pudding. 

To replace butter: Replace butter with equal portions of dairy-free butter. 
Works best for: Vegan cinnamon rolls, vegan shortbread cookies, and vegan babka

Frequently asked questions

More cooking resources

• How to use an air fryer
• Baking powder substitute
• How to make self rising flour
• How to make oat flour

Originally published June 2022, updated and republished July 2024