Canola, vegetable, and olive oils are pure fats and can be wondrous substitutes for butter in baking. What they may lack in flavor, they make up for in moisture. If you can, use a 50/50 combination of butter and oil in recipes calling for butter — this way you get a some butter flavor and the moisture from the oil.
While keeping that in mind, some of the most commonly used substitutes include coconut oil, coconut butter, olive oil, safflower oil, nut butter, applesauce, yogurt, and dairy free butter.
While margarine is still alive and kicking—especially for vegan, plant-based recipes—most contemporary bakers prefer using unsalted butter.
Olive Oil. Olive oil is the most popular butter replacement and can be used for cooking and baking. Keep in mind that the taste of olive oil can vary, so be sure to choose a mild-tasting variety.
Nuttelex is virtually free from trans fats at 0.4% or lower. Nuttelex also contains 65% or less saturated fat than butter. In addition, Nuttelex is made with vegetable oils. Vegetable oils contain higher content of the good fats (monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat) and are lower in saturated fat.
Margarine often tops butter when it comes to heart health. Margarine is a blend of oils that are mostly unsaturated fat.
Can you bake with Flora? If you've ever wondered, “Can you use Flora for baking?” the good news is: yes, you can! You will be pleased to know that you do not need to give up your favourite home-baked goodies just because you have made the switch from butter to a butter substitute.
Margarine (such as Flora) contains no bad fats, is cholesterol free and has a lower saturated fat content. Margarines are also sometimes fortified with other vitamins.
It's one thing to spread a little margarine on a piece of toast or melt some to pour over popcorn. But when you're baking, butter triumphs over margarine every time. For cakes, cookies, and pastries, butter (unsalted, that is) provides richer flavor.
Shortening can be used as a one-to-one swap for butter (if the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 1 cup of shortening).
Mediterranean diet is a better alternative
Brozek recommends substituting both butter and margarine with olive oil or canola oil whenever possible. This falls more in line with a Mediterranean diet, which is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats have been proven to be the best types of fats.
What are good vegan butter substitutes? In baking, you can use vegan butter, applesauce, dairy-free yogurt, coconut oil, coconut butter, olive oil, nut butter, mashed banana and mashed avocado. In cooking, you can use olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable stock, or avocado oil to replace butter.
Margarine can be used as a substitute for butter, and it is particularly useful in baking, since it gives baked goods a softer texture than butter, which some people prefer.
Butter is the cornerstone of classical cooking: the first food to hit the pan and, more often than not, the final flourish, used to finish off dishes or as a base for sauces.
Flora has less saturated fat than butter. All around the world, health experts recommend that you should reduce your intake of saturated fats and eat more 'good fats' that is, Omega 3 and 6, which help to maintain normal cholesterol levels. Flora is made with nutritious seed oils that are packed with Omega 3 and 6.
It was originally a partially hydrogenated sunflower oil-based spread, different from the current preparation. The company now markets the product as a fully plant-based vegan product.
100% Natural Ingredients. Blended with buttermilk, not suitable for vegans. Made with 100% pressed oils, great buttery taste.
Great buttery taste but with 72% less saturated fat. This compact tub contains 37% sunflower oil and is suitable for spreading cooking baking and shallow frying.
For baking purposes, the Test Kitchen recommends using unsalted butter so you can better control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. Salted butter is best for serving at the table with bread or to flavor a dish, like mashed potatoes.