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Butter Substitutes — What to Use Instead

Also known as makhan, मक्खन.

That 80% fat, 15% water, 5% milk solids ratio is what makes butter so hard to swap. The water turns to steam and lifts pastry layers, the milk solids brown into the flavor people associate with toast and shortbread, and the fat fraction sets the structure once everything cools.

3 substitute optionsExact ratio guidanceRecipe-specific notes
Reviewed by the CupOrGram Editorial TeamSources: King Arthur Baking, USDA FoodData CentralMethodology
Best First Pick

Coconut Oil

Use 1:1 by weight for the closest replacement in most recipes.

Coconut oil is the strongest 1:1 weight swap because it shares butter's solid-at-room, liquid-at-warm behavior, the only fat in the list that creams into sugar and holds shape in dough.

View adjustment notes →

Quick Ratio Cheat Sheet

Coconut Oil1:1 by weight
GheeUse slightly less (7/8 ratio) since ghee is 100% fat
Applesauce1:1 (reduces fat significantly)
Excellent: 0Good: 2Moderate: 1

When the best swap works

  • Drop cookies like chocolate chip or oatmeal, where the 1:1 coconut oil swap creams adequately and the slight coconut note disappears under brown sugar and vanilla.
  • Quick breads such as banana bread or zucchini loaf, where applesauce can replace up to half the butter without collapsing the crumb because chemical leavening handles the lift.
  • Pan-fried savory dishes and finishing fats, where ghee's 7/8 ratio and 485 degrees Fahrenheit smoke point outperform butter without the burning milk solids.

When to use caution

  • Laminated doughs like croissants and rough puff, where coconut oil's narrow plastic range fractures between the layers instead of stretching into 27-plus tissue-thin sheets.
  • Buttercream and shortbread, where ghee's missing 15% water and milk solids leave the texture greasy and the flavor flat without the caramelized lactose notes.
  • All-applesauce muffins past the 50% replacement line, where the loss of fat leaves a leaden, slack crumb and a top that domes then sinks as it cools.

Recipe Notes

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Swap 227 grams butter for 227 grams refined coconut oil, chilled to a scoopable solid around 68 degrees Fahrenheit before creaming. Expect a slightly thinner spread and crisper edge because coconut oil melts about 8 degrees lower than dairy butter. Brown sugar will mask any coconut undertone.

Sage Brown Butter Pasta

Ghee is the better-than-butter swap here, not a compromise. Use 7/8 the weight because ghee is already 100% fat with the water cooked off, and the toasted milk solids are folded back in. The sage crisps without the foam stage and never scorches.

Banana Bread

Replace half the 113 grams of butter with 57 grams unsweetened applesauce and keep the other half as butter for flavor. Full replacement drops the loaf into sodden territory; the half-swap trims roughly 400 calories from the pan while preserving the tender, slightly chewy crumb.

Best by Recipe Type

Cakes

Coconut Oil

1:1 by weight

Pick substitutes that preserve tenderness, aeration, and even rise in cake batters.

Cookies

Coconut Oil

1:1 by weight

Find substitutions that keep spread, chew, and browning close to your original cookie recipe.

Muffins & Quick Breads

Coconut Oil

1:1 by weight

Use forgiving substitutions that still maintain moisture and lift in quick batters.

Pancakes & Waffles

Coconut Oil

1:1 by weight

Choose alternatives that hold batter consistency and help keep a light interior.

Yeasted Breads

Coconut Oil

1:1 by weight

Prioritize substitutions that protect gluten development and fermentation performance.

Common Baking Questions

These are common questions bakers ask. Each links to a recipe-specific substitute page with direct ratios and adjustment notes.

What can I use instead of butter for cake?

Coconut Oil at 1:1 by weight is the closest match — Similar solid/melted behaviour. Adds subtle coconut flavour. Works well in cookies and quick breads. If that is unavailable, Ghee (Use slightly less (7/8 ratio) since ghee is 100% fat) or Applesauce (1:1 (reduces fat significantly)).

See recipe-specific answer →

Can I make cookies without butter?

Yes. Start with Coconut Oil at 1:1 by weight. Similar solid/melted behaviour. Adds subtle coconut flavour. Works well in cookies and quick breads.

See recipe-specific answer →

Best butter substitute for muffins?

Coconut Oil, used at 1:1 by weight. Similar solid/melted behaviour. Adds subtle coconut flavour. Works well in cookies and quick breads.

See recipe-specific answer →

How do I substitute butter in pancake and waffle batter?

Use Coconut Oil at 1:1 by weight — Similar solid/melted behaviour. Adds subtle coconut flavour. Works well in cookies and quick breads. Mix as the original recipe directs, then taste and adjust liquid or bake time in small steps after a test batch.

See recipe-specific answer →

Will coconut oil work as a butter substitute in yeasted dough?

Yes, at 1:1 by weight. Similar solid/melted behaviour. Adds subtle coconut flavour. Works well in cookies and quick breads. Bake-test before scaling up.

See recipe-specific answer →

Worked Example

If a recipe calls for 1 cup butter (227g), start with your selected substitute's ratio, then run a small test bake before scaling.

Expect up to 6% variation in cup-based measurements due to brand and handling differences. Weight-first measuring is more reliable for structure-sensitive recipes.

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Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Similar solid/melted behaviour. Adds subtle coconut flavour. Works well in cookies and quick breads.
  • No milk solids or water. Richer flavour. Won't create the same steam lift in pastry.
  • Start with the listed ratio for butter and test a half batch before scaling.
  • Adjust liquid and bake time gradually after the first test bake.

Coconut Oil

good
1:1 by weight

Similar solid/melted behaviour. Adds subtle coconut flavour. Works well in cookies and quick breads.

Similar solid/melted behaviour. Adds subtle coconut flavour. Works well in cookies and quick breads.

Ghee

good
Use slightly less (7/8 ratio) since ghee is 100% fat

No milk solids or water. Richer flavour. Won't create the same steam lift in pastry.

No milk solids or water. Richer flavour. Won't create the same steam lift in pastry.

Applesauce

moderate
1:1 (reduces fat significantly)

For low-fat baking. Changes texture significantly. Works best in muffins and quick breads.

For low-fat baking. Changes texture significantly. Works best in muffins and quick breads.

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