What can I use in substitute of butter?

Question

I am making cookies, but noticed that there is 2 sticks of butter(!!!) in the recipe. Is there anything I can use in place of it? I know that I can substitute applesauce in place of oil in cake, but what about butter????

Answer 1

Any of a variety of alternate ingredients that can be used instead of oil or butter in the preparation of foods. Substitute products exist with reduced fat and no fat and in different forms such as spreadable and liquid oils. Examples of Butter Substitutes include Fruit oils, nut oils, vegetable oils, and oils from grains.

Fruit oils such as olive oil can be used as a substitute for butter in many instances. Instead of spreading butter on breads, olive oils can be served as dipping oils to add flavors to the bread. Olive oil is considered to be a healthy substitute because it contains a high concentration of monounsaturated fat identified by medical researchers as a fat which helps to reduce levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol in the human body. Fruit purees are readily avialable as a butter and oil subsitute for baking. A common product readily available in stores is a fruit-based puree made from dried plums and apples with additives which serves as a baking ingredient to replace butter in baked goods. The approximate nutritional components in a fruit puree for a 1 tablespoon (14g) serving which equals 35 calories are: Total Fat 0g; Sodium 0mg; Total Carbs 9g/3% (sugar 5 g); and Protein 0g.

Oil that is extracted from the seeds or nuts of vegetable plants, such as corn, soybeans, peanuts, safflower seeds, sunflower seeds, and rape seeds (used for canola oil), are often processed into a spreadable form of margarine or a substitute that can be used as a replacement for butter. Soy spreads are available that provide approximately the following for a 1 tablespoon (14g) serving: Calories 100; Total Fat - 11g/17% (3.5g/18% Saturated fat, 0g Trans fat, 3.5g Monounsaturated fat, 3.5g Polyunsaturated fat); Cholesterol 0mg/0%; Sodium 120mg/5%; Total Carbs 0g/0%, Protein 0g.

Vegetable oil spreads are very mild in flavor and can be heated to high temperatures. This type of spread has been created as a substitute for butters that contain more calories, saturated or unsaturated fats, and higher cholesterol levels. The package label on vegetable oil spreads states the percentage of vegetable oil in the product, as required by U.S. standards, which are required to be less than 80% oil. All vegetable oil spreads can be used as food toppings or flavorings on toast, bread, muffins, crackers, and other food products. However, when used for baking, the spreads that contain less than 50% oil should be applied to foods that already contain a significant amount of moisture, such as some pasta and cheese dishes. Less than 50% will not work well for baking and frying of foods. Spreads that contain 50% to 60% oil can be used for cooking a wider variety of foods and for sautéing. When the oil content exceeds 60%, the spread can be used for almost all recipes except those that require exact amounts of fat or for recipes requiring that certain moisture levels are achieved. The approximate nutritional components in a vegetable oil spread for a 1 tablespoon (14g) serving which equals 45 calories is approximately: Total Fat 5g/8% (1g Saturated Fat; 0g Trans Fat; 2.5g Polyunsaturated Fat; 1.5g Monounsaturated Fat); Cholesterol 5mg/1%; Sodium 85mg/4%; Total Carbs 0g; and Protein 0g.

Butter Substitutes made from grains include spreads made from rice oils. Rice spreads are available that provide approximately the following for a 1 tablespoon (14g) serving: Calories 50; Total Fat - 4g/6% (0.5g/3% Saturated fat, 0g Trans fat, 2g Monounsaturated fat, 1g Polyunsaturated fat); Cholesterol 0mg/0%; Sodium 120mg/5%; Total Carbs 2g/less than 1% (0g/0% Dietary Fiber, 0.5g Sugar), Protein 1g.



Butter Substitute

Fruit-based (plums and apples) Puree Butter and Oil Substitute

Vegetable Oil Spread

Vegetable Oil Spread

Rice Oil Spread

Rice Oil Spread

Margarine

Margarine

Extra Light Olive Oil

Extra Light Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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Answer 2

Butter is merely oil in suspension, so you can substitute several types of oil for butter in recipes. The following are typical proportions for butter substitution:

1 cup of butter (2 sticks) = 1 cup margarine or 7/8 cup vegetable oil, shortening, or lard.

Two points I'd like to make very clear here are the following:

1.) Baking is a science compared to cooking. The ingredients are all there for a reason, and when you see "8inch baking pan" in a recipe it's for a very specific reason. Because of that rigidity, substitution is frowned upon and if they come out bad you'll know why.

2.) The butter is a big component of the taste of cookies. Substituting something else for butter will definitely take away from the richness and overall taste of the cookies.

Answer 3

I keep real butter around for some things - Christmas cookies and hollandaise sauce most recently. I also buy Smart Balance in the big size, using it as a trans-fat free shortning subsitute - pie crusts and other baking, and on bread. I like Smart Squeeze for topping veggies and pancakes. I used to make my own "lite" soft-spread butter, back in my Hippie days, beating together (with electric mixer) 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup light-flavored oil such as corn or canola, and 1 cup water. Pour into a tub, then refrigerate to firm up before using. **Edit** and Jolly Time buttery seasoning instead of salt and butter on my popcorn.

Answer 4

Margarine or Criso Butter Flavored shortening are the major two substitutes for butter, but from my baking experiences there is no substitute for butter in cookies, but to each his own as the saying goes.

Answer 5

Substitution: BUTTER  1 cup (2 sticks; 16 Tbsp) = 1 cup margarine OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil, lard or vegetable shortening OR 4/5 cup strained bacon fat OR 3/4 cup strained chicken fat

Answer 6

I have been told margarine can't be processed by our bodies and actually clogs your heart worse that butter. A paramedic told me that, but I have know idea how well he did on any kind of "medical schooling" he may have had.... just a thought.

If you are trying to be healthy, I would probably pick a better snack than cookies!!

Answer 7

my mom always was "the healthy one," so she always made a butter substitute called "better butter." it is like a very smooth, easily-spread butter, and, since it uses olive oil, it adds a plus to your health! you can use it like regular butter and it goes great on toast, muffins, eggs, etc. and makes cookies, pies, and cakes nice and fluffy!
directions:
mix a half cup of melted butter with a half cup of olive oil in a bowl. stir til combined. freeze til solid. makes one cup of better butter (equivalent to two sticks of regular butter). keep refrigerated.
note: if you are making a large dinner/dessert, just stir one part butter to one part olive oil.

Answer 8

Vegetable oil works as a replacement for butter.

Answer 9

you can use applesauce for that as well...1 cup of oil = 1 1/4 cup of butter

Answer 10

You can't reduce the butter in a cookie recipe and still have it turn out as intended. Reducing the fat in a cookie produces a cookie that can be very hard.

Answer 11

like both, fruits: berries, oranges, pears, peaches, dragonfruit, pomegranate.... Vegetables: CUCUMBERS, bok choy, green beans, broccoli,.... I actually guess the two are great.