Avocados can be used in place of butter in many recipes, including baked treats like brownies. Alamy
Brittany Poulson, RDN, the Grantsville, Utah–based author of The Healthy Family Cookbook, highlights that there are many reasons you might want to replace butter with an alternative, including heart health, following a plant-based diet, lactose intolerance, or allergies.
Regardless of your reason for substituting butter — maybe there’s just none in your fridge — you have options when it comes to alternatives. You can still enjoy the texture and taste you expect, and maybe even increase your recipe’s nutritional value in the process.
Avocado Brings a Creamy Texture and Heart-Healthy Fat
“Avocados contain heart-healthy fat and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals,” says Poulson.
You can sub mashed avocado for butter at a 1:1 ratio. It’s especially good in recipes containing chocolate, like brownies. “Its creamy texture and mild flavor pairs well with the sweetness of chocolate,” Poulson says. “Plus, the dark color of chocolate hides green avocado well.”
Avocado works well in cookies but can turn them a little green unless your cookies are a darker variety like double chocolate or gingerbread.
Olive Oil Is Heart-Healthy but Has a Potent Taste
“Generally, you can replace butter with oil in an even 1:1 ratio,” says Emmaline Rasmussen, RDN, who has a private practice in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Just know that olive oil tends to give baked goods a strong flavor, especially if you use extra virgin olive oil, the least processed and most flavorful variety. If you aren’t into the taste of olive oil, opt for the light variety to reduce its potency.
Avocado Oil Provides a Neutral Flavor Profile
If you want an oil that has a more neutral taste than olive oil but also delivers health benefits, Rasmussen recommends avocado oil, another source of monounsaturated fat. Use avocado oil at a 1:1 ratio to replace all the butter in a recipe.
Yogurt Is Creamy and Offers a Punch of Protein
One benefit of replacing butter with yogurt — especially Greek yogurt — is that because it’s thick, you get the same creamy mouthfeel as with a fat like butter, says Rasmussen. Start by replacing half the butter in a recipe with yogurt and the other half with a fat like avocado oil.
Fat not only gives baked goods texture, but also acts as a stabilizer, Rasmussen says. Keep in mind that using yogurt (or a fruit like applesauce or bananas) in place of butter or oil will decrease its shelf life, so it’ll go bad more quickly. All the more reason to eat it faster, right?
Applesauce Is a Sweet Way to Reduce Fat and Calories in a Recipe
Save this swap for sweet breads and muffins. “Applesauce lends a natural sweetness, as well as extra moisture,” says Poulson. Compared with butter, applesauce is far lower in calories and has no fat, and it also adds a few grams of fiber and some potassium.
Feel free to experiment with the ratio of applesauce to oil in your recipes. “If you don’t mind the taste and texture when using half applesauce, try swapping in a bit more next time,” says Poulson.
Make sure to buy unsweetened applesauce, as traditional or sweetened versions contain unneeded sugar, which can increase calories and affect the taste of your baked goods.
Mashed Bananas Bring Creaminess, Fruity Flavor, and Potassium
In baking, bananas offer a cross between the creaminess of avocados and the sweetness of applesauce. As with applesauce, use bananas to replace just half the fat in your recipe, with an overall 1:1 ratio, says Rasmussen.
Bananas will give the finished product a fruity, banana-y taste. “Let’s say I’m going to make apple spice muffins,” says Kimberly Snodgrass, RDN, a clinical dietitian for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Detroit, Michigan. “I can use mashed bananas and give it a little more flavor.”
Nut Butter Adds Rich Texture While Boosting Fiber and Protein
Nut butters, such as peanut, almond, or cashew, can make superb stand-ins for butter. They’re fairly solid at room temperature, giving baked goods a texture similar to what butter provides, says Rasmussen. “You’ll also add more fiber and protein into the recipe,” she notes.
When you’re first trying out a recipe, swap half the butter for a nut butter of your choice. Rasmussen says you can try using all nut butter the next time if subbing half goes well, but it’s likely to alter the flavor. In some cases, a nutty taste may be a welcome addition.
Pumpkin Puree Supplies an Earthy Flavor Plus Key Nutrients
Silky pumpkin puree isn’t just appropriate for autumn. You can substitute pumpkin puree for butter in a 1:1 ratio, Poulson says. “It brings moisture, creaminess, and an earthy sweetness to baked goods.”
Beans Pack Protein and Fiber to Make Treats More Filling
You can substitute 1:1 for butter, Poulson says, but that may be a little ambitious. “If you’re nervous to go 100 percent at first, use half beans and half butter, then next time increase as you feel comfortable,” she suggests.
Beans impart a cakey texture, so it’s best to reserve them for desserts like cakes, blondies, and brownies. You can choose which beans to use based on color — for example, black beans for brownies, white beans or chickpeas for blondies, and red beans for red velvet cupcakes.
Butter Substitutes to Think Twice About
These two additional butter alternatives are high in saturated fat, so you may want to stick with one of the alternatives above if you’re seeking a heart-healthy switch.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil imparts a fruity, tropical taste that many enjoy, but it’s high in saturated fat, meaning it may not be the most healthy for your heart.
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Spreads You Can Use Instead of Butter
You can up the nutrition in your meal by switching to these health-packed picks, says Rasmussen.
- Avocado Mash with your choice of seasonings and olive oil to enhance its creamy consistency, Rasmussen suggests.
- Nut Butter Peanut butter and almond butter are good picks, but also consider unconventional options like cashew or pistachio butter. “I like to drizzle on a tiny bit of manuka honey or [add] sliced strawberries or bananas,” says Rasmussen.
- Ricotta Cheese Cow’s milk or almond milk ricotta topped with fruit slices or tomatoes give you both a sweet and savory option, Rasmussen notes. One fourth cup of ricotta cheese has 169 mg of calcium, or 17 percent of your daily value
- Greek or Icelandic Yogurt If you choose a plain variety, it’s as tangy as a cream cheese — and thick, too. You can customize the flavor by stirring in pumpkin puree and cinnamon, mashed bananas, or smashed berries.
When looking for a commercial butter alternative to spread on toast or muffins, Snodgrass recommends choosing one that’s low in saturated fat and free of trans fats. She also suggests looking at the sodium, or salt, content and total calories, especially if you’re aiming to reduce your overall calories.
The Takeaway
- If you’re trying to reduce the amount of calories or saturated fat in your diet, alternatives like avocado, applesauce, nut butters, and even beans can stand in for butter in many recipes.
- Some butter alternatives can also add nutrients like fiber, protein, and additional vitamins and minerals to your recipes.
- Each butter alternative has its own texture and flavor profile — don’t be afraid to experiment and tweak a recipe until you’re happy with it.
Resources We Trust
- Mayo Clinic Press: Eating Less Butter may Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk
- Providence: Ask an Expert: Butter vs. Margarine – Which Is Better for You?
- American Heart Association: Replacing Butter with Plant-Based Oils may Reduce the Risk of Premature Death
- Summit Rheumatology: Butter Alternatives for Autoimmune Conditions: This Not That
- Cleveland Clinic: The Skinny on Unsaturated Fats: Why You Need Them and the Best Sources
Additional reporting by Quinn Phillips.
Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN
Medical Reviewer
Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN, is the director of health promotion for Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Illinois. She is also licensed as an exercise physiologist and certified in lifestyle medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Her experience includes corporate wellness, teaching for the American College of Sports Medicine, sports nutrition, weight management, integrative medicine, oncology support, and dialysis.
She earned her master's in exercise and nutrition science at Lipscomb University.
Andrew has served as a president and board member of the Nashville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was recently elected a co-chair of the fitness and medicine group in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Jessica Migala
Author
Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.
She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).