Top Butter Substitutes for Cooking and Baking

"Health" is a somewhat subjective term. What works for one person may not work for another, as no two bodies are identical. Each of us has unique needs that our bodies require. I think we can agree on that, right? Okay, good. Moving on: butter is a hot topic currently. I’m not trying to persuade anyone in the ongoing debate about fats; ultimately, we all choose what’s best for our health and wellness. However, this post is dedicated to butter replacements that you can use to substitute for butter in (most of) your favorite recipes.

So, why would anyone need to substitute butter in recipes?

Whether it’s for medical reasons, lifestyle choices, veganism, being dairy-free, or simply personal preference, some people may want to eliminate or reduce butter in their daily meals. The purpose of this blog post (and the infographic and video below) is to simply inform people of ways to reduce or completely substitute butter in their daily cooking and recipes.

Won’t removing the butter mess up my recipes?

Not necessarily. Unlike eggs, butter is not crucial to the structure of baked goods. While butter does add a creamy tenderness to many recipes, couldn’t the same be said for avocado or applesauce? Butter is primarily for flavor. Therefore, it's important to experiment with your recipes. Perhaps, instead of completely eliminating butter, you might want to reduce it using some of my suggestions!

What are the benefits of reducing or replacing butter?

As a baker, the subject of butter intrigued me because I love incorporating more fruits and vegetables into my recipes whenever possible. Not necessarily due to concerns about calories or fat, but to add a broader variety of nutrients to my diet. For instance, if I can substitute half the required amount of butter in a recipe with an avocado or organic applesauce, that’s great! This way, I’ll benefit from the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients provided by the avocado or applesauce. See what I mean? It’s all about personal preference.

My favorite butter substitutes...

Applesauce: If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ½ cup butter and ½ cup applesauce.

Avocado: If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ½ cup butter and 1 avocado.

Greek yogurt: If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ½ cup butter and ½ cup Greek yogurt.

Prune puree: 1/3 cup of prune puree = 1 stick of butter

Replace directly with canned or pureed pumpkin, coconut oil, pureed bananas, or coconut butter!

Be smart, of course!

When baking cake, it often requires experimentation to achieve the right texture without using butter. With cookies, this is less of an issue. However, in biscuits and pastries, achieving the correct texture can be challenging, so you might need to experiment extensively... or you might just decide to stick with the butter (pun intended).

Sources:

http://www.fitsugar.com/How-Replace-Butter-When-Baking-21875486

http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2013/11/substitute-applesauce-for-butter.html

http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/techniquessubstitutions/a/nobutterbaking.htm

http://www.godairyfree.org/news/nutrition-headlines/how-to-baking-without-butter