What Can I Substitute for Butter? | Smart Kitchen Swaps

Common substitutes for butter include margarine, coconut oil, vegetable oil, applesauce, and mashed avocado, with the best choice depending entirely on whether you’re baking or cooking a savory dish.

A halfway-through-a-recipe butter shortage isn’t a kitchen crisis—it’s an opportunity to learn which pantry staples handle the job best. The right swap depends on what you’re making: solid fats like margarine and coconut oil work 1:1 for baking, while liquid oils need a lighter touch at 3/4 cup per 1 cup of butter. Fruit purees and nut butters bring flavor and moisture, but each comes with a trade-off worth knowing before you stir.

Solid Fat Substitutes for Baking

Margarine, shortening, coconut oil, and ghee all replace butter at a 1:1 ratio by weight or volume, though each changes the final texture slightly. For baking, stick margarine is the closest match to butter’s water and fat content—tub margarine adds excess water that produces flat, greasy cookies. Shortening creates a softer, more tender crumb, making it a strong choice for pie crusts and biscuits. Coconut oil works 1:1: use refined coconut oil for a neutral flavor, or unrefined when a coconut taste fits the recipe. Refrigerate coconut oil until pliable before creaming it with sugar for cookies, or melt it for quick breads. Ghee, a clarified butter with the milk solids removed, also swaps 1:1 and offers a higher smoke point plus dairy-free status.

Liquid Oil Substitutes (Savory and Baking)

Vegetable, canola, safflower, olive, and avocado oil replace butter at 3/4 cup per 1 cup of butter—never 1:1, or baked goods turn greasy. Neutral oils like vegetable or canola work well in cakes, muffins, and brownies where you don’t want a noticeable flavor shift. Olive oil is the best all-around substitute for savory cooking, sautéing, and spreading—use a mild extra-virgin or light olive oil for cooking and reserve bold olive oils for finishing. Most oils have a higher smoke point than butter, making them safer for high-heat frying.

Fruit and Vegetable Puree Alternatives

Unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree, and avocado replace butter for moister, denser baked goods with natural sweetness or fiber. Applesauce can replace half the butter at a 1/2 cup applesauce plus 1/2 cup oil per 1 cup butter, or go 1:1 for a denser result—reduce added sugar because applesauce is sweet.

Dairy and Protein Swaps

Full-fat Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and nut butters can replace butter, but each requires an adjustment to avoid structural failure.

FAQs

Can I use olive oil instead of butter in cookies?

Yes, use 3/4 cup olive oil per 1 cup butter. The cookies will be slightly denser and carry a mild olive oil flavor, so pair it with savory or herb-based cookie recipes rather than sweet ones.

Is coconut oil a healthy substitute for butter?

Coconut oil is a plant-based saturated fat that works well for dairy-free and vegan diets. It behaves similarly to butter in baking but contains more saturated fat—weigh its health profile against your dietary needs.

What is the best butter substitute for keto?

Coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee, and nut butters all fit a ketogenic diet because they’re high in fat and contain no carbs. Use them at the standard ratios listed above.