7 Butter Substitutes That Are Just As Good
Butter is a jack of all trades. It’s good to spread on toast, it’s great in recipes, and amazing for sautéing. Butter is something every cook should have in their kitchen. However, it happens even to the best of us to run out from time to time. But what do you do when your butter dish is empty? Don’t worry! Whether you have no butter, simply need a healthier alternative, you are trying to avoid dairy or need a vegan substitute, there is always another option. There are plenty of butter substitutes you can use instead of the real thing. Today we will share with you some of the best butter swaps you can use.
There are plenty of butter substitutes for butter
In this article
The Best Butter Substitutes
When the butter dish is empty, or it simply isn’t an option for your diet, you will need to improvise. But what can you use that won’t sacrifice the flavor or texture? While there isn’t anything that is exactly like butter, there are plenty of alternatives that do a good job as a substitute. So, if you are in need of another option for butter, check out these easy, convenient substitutes:
There are plenty of alternatives that do a good job as a substitute
#Margarine
Margarine is a great dairy-free, vegan swap for butter. And while you can use it in a variety of recipes, it is not great for everything. Baking with margarine will help make your dough softer, as well as less crispy. So, if this is what you are going for, margarine is a great option. However, when it comes to flavor margarine is blander than butter. You can substitute margarine for butter at a 1:1 ratio.
Margarine is a great dairy-free, vegan swap for butter
#Applesauce
Applesauce is a wonderful substitute for butter. It’s a healthier and vegan-friendly option. And in some cases, it’s even better than butter! Unsweetened applesauce helps to make delicious baked goods, cookies, muffins, bread, and others. But do keep in mind that applesauce may make them softer, but denser. Still a great option though!
Applesauce is a healthier and vegan-friendly option
#Vegetable Oil
If you don’t have butter, but you have a bottle of vegetable oil on your hands, you will be more than fine. In general, you can use 3/4 a cup of oil for every cup of butter you need. It’s best to use oils that have a neutral flavor, otherwise whatever you are cooking will have an aftertaste of the certain flavor of oil you have used. However, keep in mind that oil does not have the water content butter does, so when using it in baked goods, they may come out a bit denser.
It’s best to use oils that have a neutral flavor
#Shortening
This is one of the easiest 1:1 substitutes for butter. Well, unless you need it for something like buttercream, as then you need butter to add flavor. You can always add a bit more for flavor, but you will need to change up your recipe. Shortening also has a higher melting point, so when you use it in baked goods they will come out lighter, softer, and fluffier.
This is one of the easiest 1:1 substitutes for butter
#Coconut Oil
When that butter dish is running low, turn to the coconut oil! It’s a great substitute if you are looking for a vegan-friendly option. Coconut oil gives a nice tropical flair to your baked goods and is perfect if you are making cakes, muffins, bread, or even cornbread. Oh, and it’s perfect for cookies as it makes the extra crunchy! If you don’t like the coconut flavor, or it is too strong for you, you can use refined coconut oil.
Coconut oil gives a nice tropical flair to your baked goods
#Mayonnaise
Whhhaaaaaat? While it may sound weird, mayonnaise is a good alternative to butter. However, it generally depends on what you are making. For example, if you are making any type of sweet baked good, you may not want mayo’s tang. But it is an amazing swap if you are making something like a grilled cheese sandwich, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, and so on.
Mayonnaise helps make your grilled cheese crispy
#Greek Yogurt
If you are not trying to lower your dairy intake, and you aren’t lactose intolerant, then you can use Greek yogurt as a quick swap for butter. This is a great alternative if you want to cut down on the fat content when making baked goods without sacrificing the texture. However, do keep in mind that you will have some aftertaste of yogurt. Oh, and don’t use flavored yogurt, make sure to always use the plain version.
This is a great alternative if you want to cut down on the fat content
These were some great butter substitutes you can use instead of the real thing. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can easily use a substitute when you don’t have any butter on hand, need a healthier alternative, or a vegan option.
These were some great butter substitutes you can use instead of the real thing
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