Replaces butter
Vegan butter substitute: what to use in baking and cooking
Quick answer
- Creamed butter (cookies, cakes, frosting)
- vegan butter sticks, one to one
- Pastry and pie crust
- cold vegan butter sticks or solid refined coconut oil
- Melted butter (muffins, brownies)
- neutral oil, about 3/4 cup per 1 cup butter
- Less fat
- applesauce or mashed banana for a third to half of the fat in muffins and quick breads
Butter is about 80% fat and 16% water, and in baking it does more than add fat. Creamed with sugar it traps air that lifts a cake; cold in a pie crust it melts in the oven into flaky layers; melted it simply makes a batter rich and moist. The right swap depends on which of those your recipe uses.
The swap for each job
| Butter in the recipe | Swap | Amount for 1 cup (227 g) butter |
|---|---|---|
| Creamed with sugar (cookies, cakes, frosting) | vegan butter sticks | 1 cup |
| Cold, cut in (pie crust, scones, biscuits) | cold vegan butter sticks or solid refined coconut oil | 1 cup |
| Melted (muffins, brownies, quick breads) | neutral oil | about 3/4 cup |
| Melted, less fat | unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana for part of it | a third to half of the fat |
| Spread on toast | vegan butter, avocado, nut butter | to taste |
| In the pan | water or vegetable broth | a few spoonfuls at a time |
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is solid below about 24 °C (75 °F), so it can stand in for butter where solid fat matters. Refined coconut oil is neutral; virgin coconut oil tastes of coconut. It is pure fat, while butter is about 16% water, so some bakers use 3/4 coconut oil plus 1/4 water or plant milk. Keep the dough cold when you make pastry with it.
Cutting the fat
Applesauce and banana work best where the fat is melted or liquid, as in muffins and quick breads. University extension guides suggest replacing a third to half of the fat, not all of it, to keep the crumb tender. They do not work for creaming or pastry.
For a dairy free cream or cheese, see heavy cream and cheese.
When it works and when it fails
Works well
- Cookies, cakes and frosting with vegan butter sticks
- Pie crusts and scones with cold sticks or solid coconut oil
- Muffins, brownies and quick breads with oil or fruit purée
- Sautéing vegetables in a splash of water or broth instead of butter
Fails or disappoints
- Liquid oil cannot be creamed with sugar and makes pastry greasy rather than flaky
- Coconut oil melts at about 24 °C (75 °F), so pastry made with it must stay cold
- Virgin coconut oil tastes of coconut; use refined for a neutral taste
- Fruit purées replacing all the fat give a dense, gummy crumb
Questions
Can I replace butter with vegan butter one to one?
Yes, with vegan butter sticks made for baking. They are designed to replace dairy butter stick for stick.
How much oil replaces a cup of butter?
About 3/4 cup of neutral oil, and only in recipes that use melted butter. Butter is about 80% fat and 16% water, so the oil is a little less.
Can I use coconut oil instead of butter?
Yes, about one to one. Use refined coconut oil for a neutral taste and keep it solid for pastry. Some bakers use 3/4 coconut oil plus 1/4 water or plant milk to match butter's water.
How do I cook without butter or oil?
Sauté in a few spoonfuls of water or broth, adding more as it evaporates. In muffins and quick breads, applesauce or banana can replace a third to half of the fat.
Related swaps
- Replaces cheeseCheeseCashew sauce, nutritional yeast, tofu ricotta and tapioca for stretch.
- Replaces heavy creamHeavy creamCoconut cream to whip, cashew cream for sauces, soy milk with vegan butter.
- Replaces eggs in bakingFlax egg1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg. Binds muffins, cookies and burgers.
- Replaces milkPlant milksSoy, oat, almond, rice and coconut compared: which to bake with, which for coffee.
Sources
Ratios and temperatures were checked against these pages on 2026-10-10. Where they disagreed, we give the range.
- 21 U.S. Code 321a, Butter definition (Cornell Law School LII)
- FoodData Central, butter without salt, entry 173430 (USDA)
- When can you substitute oil for butter? (Milk Street)
- Cooking with coconut oil (America's Test Kitchen)
- Applesauce: make it, bake it, eat it (University of Illinois Extension)
- Fat replacers, WY990 (University of Wyoming Extension)
- Coconut oil (Wikipedia)
Written with AI help, in our own words. Cooking advice, not health advice. Last checked 2026-10-10.