9 Substitutes for Butter That Make Cooking and Baking Even Healthier

No butter? We’ve got you.

Everything’s better with butter . Or is it? Whether you’re out of a stick of the good stuff, avoiding dairy, or have other reasons to eliminate butter from your recipe, there are plenty of substitutes for butter still to make your cooking and baking successful and delicious.

Butter is beloved because it’s creamy and adds a nice level of fattiness, but that same lusciousness can be recreated with plant-based and healthier ingredients. Keep reading for our favorite butter substitutes—and how to best use each of them.

Related: Butter Is No Superfood—but Does It Have Any Nutritional Value? We Asked RDs

9 Substitutes for Butter

No butter? No problem. Here’s how to cook and bake without it, using these ingredients as substitutes in almost every recipe.

Olive Oil

A natural substitute for butter in savory and sweet recipes, extra virgin olive oil is a cook’s best friend in so many instances. Use olive oil instead of butter for sauteeing, basting, or greasing baking sheets . And of course, a drizzle of olive oil on toast works just as nicely as a pat of butter. Olive oil can also be used in baking (yum, olive oil cake) and swapped for butter at a ratio of 3 parts olive oil to 4 parts butter. That is, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use ¾ of a cup of olive oil.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a fun substitute for butter because when it’s at room temperature, it's also solid. While a pat of coconut oil does not taste like butter in any way (you’ve been warned), melting coconut oil to grease pans works well, particularly thanks to its high smoke point. Generally, coconut oil can also be swapped in at an equal ratio in baking, but can add a coconut flavor to your dish. Use it in recipes where coconut would naturally complement the flavors, like a chocolate cake or banana muffins.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is a great substitute for butter in baked goods, particularly full fat, or 5% Greek yogurt, which replicates butter’s creaminess. Greek yogurt is strained, meaning it’s not as watery as regular yogurt, and can add moisture to muffins, cakes, pancakes, and more. Use it in the same ratio as butter.

Margarine

In our year of 2024, margarine has kind of a bad rap, but it’s also everywhere—just incognito. Plant-based butters, i.e. margarines, are made from nut milks , seed butters, oils, and more, replicating the consistency and taste of cow’s butter. Find these alt butters in most supermarkets and use them exactly as you would butter—spread it on toast, butter baste some roasted veggies, bake with it—have a buttery time with this 1:1 substitute for butter.

Related: The Healthiest Oil for Frying May Surprise You

Avocado

You already spread it on toast instead of butter, but did you know avocado can be used instead of butter in most baked goods? Yes, avocado’s natural fats and creaminess make it a great butter substitute in cakes, muffins, and more. Use mashed or pureed avocado in the same quantity as butter, and note that yes, baked avocado, while neutral in flavor, can affect the color of the finished product just a bit.

Applesauce

Natural and unsweetened applesauce works well as a butter substitute in sweet baking. Bonus: Apple sauce also adds an extra dose of vitamin C and fiber to any recipe. Applesauce can generally be swapped into any recipe in an equal ratio with butter, but every applesauce is different. If your batter is looking a little dry, add an extra scoop of applesauce or a drizzle of olive oil to add some moisture.

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin may be considered autumnal, but it’s a year-round substitute for butter in baking. Whether you’re going for a canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree , each can be used in an equal ratio to butter in sweet baked goods. Try it in breakfast items, like loaf cakes, muffins, pancakes, and scones.

Banana

Mashed or pureed banana is a great substitute for butter and a nice way to use up a slightly overripe banana . Use banana in an equal ratio to butter, but know that it will still impart banana flavor once baked. Banana pancakes with mashed banana instead of butter are delicious, creamy, and have a few extra morning nutrients ( potassium !), and mashed banana can also add a nice flavor to pumpkin loves or blueberry muffins.

Related: How to Store Bananas So They Don't Turn Brown

Cashew Butter

Nut butters can easily swap in for butter when making baked goods, thanks to their natural fats and richness. Cashew butter is great, because its flavor is relatively neutral and can meld with so many other flavors. Peanut butter and almond butter can also work in an equal ratio of nut butter swapped with butter, though the flavors may affect the outcome of the recipe (which can be a good thing too!). If you’re looking for a buttercream frosting substitute, whip your favorite nut butter with powdered sugar, and a bit of water (or nut milk), if needed, until a light fluffy consistency forms. Then, use it to frost cakes, cupcakes, and cookies!

For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Real Simple .