Substitutes for Unsalted Butter
If you find your fridge empty in the butter department or can’t tolerate dairy, you can swap it completely with these butter replacements. For 1 cup unsalted butter, substitute 1 cup shortening, ⅞ cup (that’s 14 Tbsp. or ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp.) vegetable oil, or ⅞ cup lard.
Substitutes for Salted Butter
Salted butter differs from unsalted because it’s preseasoned with (you guessed it) salt. So for 1 cup of salted butter, trade 1 cup margarine or 1 cup shortening plus ½ teaspoon salt; ⅞ cup vegetable oil plus ½ teaspoon salt; or ⅞ cup lard plus ½ teaspoon salt. (By the way, here’s the final answer on whether you can skip salt in a recipe if you use salted butter.)
The Worst and Best Butter Substitutes for Baking
To avoid dense, soggy, or flat baked goods, do not substitute oil for butter or shortening. Also do not substitute diet, whipped, or tub-style margarine for regular margarine. Doing so will significantly alter the texture of your treats and will likely lead to cookies that spread all over the baking pan. (Been there, done that, and mourned a few chocolate chip cookies in the process …) That being said, if the reason you’re asking, “What is a substitute for butter?” is to lower the calorie count of your recipe or to offer healthier fats, try one of these plant-based butter replacements that do work well for baked goods. While the butter replacements below don’t work to replace all of the butter in your ingredients list, they can stand in for some if you’re running short or prefer to use alternative fat sources. Now that you have several suitable butter replacement ideas for sweet and savory recipes, you’ll be prepared to tackle any culinary adventures ahead.
