Substitute for Butter in Baking Cookies: What Works

A practical substitute for butter in baking cookies is neutral oil: use about ¾ as much oil as the butter called for, then add a little milk or water to replace some of butter’s moisture. This recipe uses oil to make chewy chocolate chip cookies, with a brief chill to help control spreading and simple adjustments for other butter alternatives.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or light olive oil (90 ml; about 82 g)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar (150 g)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (67 g)
1 large egg (about 50 g without the shell), at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
1 tablespoon milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk (15 ml)
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into the cups and leveled (250 g)
1 teaspoon baking soda (5 g)
½ teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (170 g)

Instructions

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), positioning a rack in the center. Set out the egg so it can lose its chill while you measure the other ingredients. A room-temperature egg blends more evenly into the oil and sugar mixture.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 45 seconds, until the mixture looks evenly moistened and there are no dry sugar pockets. Whisk in the egg and vanilla until smooth, then whisk in the milk. Oil does not trap air the way softened butter does, so the mixture will look glossy rather than fluffy.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a sturdy spoon or spatula just until no large streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate chips. Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together; working it too long can make the cookies tougher.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. This is a useful part of the method, not an optional overnight rest: chilling firms the oil and gives the flour time to absorb moisture, which helps the cookies hold their shape. If the dough feels especially soft after chilling, give it another 10 minutes in the refrigerator before scooping.
Scoop the dough into 24 portions of about 1½ tablespoons (roughly 30–33 g each). Arrange 12 portions on each prepared sheet, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) between them. Roll each portion briefly between your palms if you want rounder cookies, but do not flatten them; they will spread as they bake.
Bake one sheet at a time for 10–12 minutes, or about 11 minutes per batch, until the edges look set and lightly golden while the centers remain soft. Since these cookies contain egg, USDA FSIS gives 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for egg dishes; check a representative cookie near the end of baking with a clean instant-read thermometer. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack for 10 minutes to finish cooling. Bake the second sheet in the same way.

Tips

Use the right oil-to-butter ratio. For each cup of butter in another cookie recipe, start with ¾ cup oil. For this recipe’s ½ cup butter equivalent, that works out to 6 tablespoons oil. Butter contains water and milk solids as well as fat, while oil is nearly all fat, so replacing butter cup for cup can make dough greasy and cookies overly spread. The tablespoon of milk here supplies a little extra moisture without making the dough loose.
Choose an oil with a mild flavor. Canola, sunflower, safflower, and refined avocado oil are generally unobtrusive. Light olive oil can work, but extra-virgin olive oil may leave a noticeable fruity or peppery flavor. Coconut oil is another option: use the same amount by weight, but expect a mild coconut note, and keep it cool enough to remain solid while chilling the dough.
Measure flour carefully and avoid extra flour. Spoon flour lightly into a dry measuring cup and level it, or weigh 250 g. Scooping straight from the bag can pack in too much flour and make oil-based cookies dry or crumbly. If the dough seems sticky, chill it before deciding it needs more flour; oil dough often feels softer than a butter dough at room temperature.
Watch the edges, not just the center. The cookies will look a little underdone in the middle when they come out, then set as they cool. Leaving them in until the centers look completely firm can make them dry. Rotate the sheet only if your oven browns unevenly, and use a cool baking sheet for the second batch so the dough does not start spreading before it reaches the oven.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are best once the centers have set but are still tender, about 15 minutes after baking. Serve them plain with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk, or pair two cookies with a scoop of ice cream for a simple dessert. For an easy cookie sandwich, let them cool completely before adding a firm layer of frosting or ice cream; warm cookies can make the filling slide out.

If you are serving a group, arrange the cookies on a platter only after they have cooled. Their oil-based dough stays soft for longer than some butter-cookie doughs, so stacking them while warm may squash the centers or leave chocolate smears on the cookies above. A small pinch of flaky salt on top is optional and brings out the chocolate’s flavor without changing the recipe.

Variations

Use melted coconut oil. Swap in 6 tablespoons (90 ml; about 82 g) of melted coconut oil for the neutral oil. Let it cool until just fluid, not hot, before mixing. It firms when chilled, which can make the dough easier to handle, and it can add a faint coconut flavor. Refined coconut oil is the more neutral choice.

Try dairy-free ingredients. The recipe is easily made dairy-free by using a plant-based milk and dairy-free chocolate chips. Check the ingredient labels, since chocolate chips and some non-dairy products can contain milk ingredients. The egg remains in the recipe, so this version is not egg-free.

Change the mix-ins. Replace some or all of the chocolate chips with chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins, or dried cranberries. Keep the total add-ins close to 1 cup (170 g) so the dough still holds together. For a spiced cookie, add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon with the flour; it complements brown sugar without requiring a change to the leavening.

Consider other butter substitutes carefully. Stick-style vegan butter can usually replace dairy butter one for one in a cookie recipe, but tubs may contain more water and can cause extra spreading. Shortening also works one for one and tends to produce a thicker, softer cookie, though it lacks butter’s flavor. Applesauce or mashed banana is not a direct fat-for-fat replacement; using either in place of all the butter changes the moisture and structure, often yielding a cakier cookie. For a first substitution, oil is more predictable.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the cookies completely before packing them in an airtight container. Plain, fully baked cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days; separate layers with parchment if you stack them. Refrigeration is not necessary for plain cookies and can make them firm, but if you prefer to refrigerate them, keep them sealed and use within 3–4 days. Cookies topped or filled with a perishable dairy-based frosting should be refrigerated within 2 hours, then kept cold and eaten within 3–4 days.

For longer storage, freeze cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months, with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature while still covered so condensation forms on the container rather than the cookies. There is no need to reheat them; serve once thawed. Unbaked portions of dough can also be frozen on a tray, then transferred to a sealed bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes and checking that the centers reach the safe temperature described in the instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace butter with oil in any cookie recipe?
Not always with the same result. Oil is a useful substitute in drop cookies and other recipes where a tender, chewy texture is welcome, but it cannot be creamed with sugar to hold air. Cookies that depend on creaming for a light, crisp structure or precise shapes may spread differently. Begin with ¾ cup oil for each cup of butter, chill the dough, and expect the texture to change somewhat.

Why did my oil-based cookies spread too much?
Common causes are using a full cup of oil for each cup of butter, skipping the chill, measuring too little flour, or putting dough on a warm baking sheet. Measure the oil accurately, chill until the dough is firm, and bake on a cool, lined sheet. If the first test cookie still spreads excessively, chill the remaining dough for another 10–15 minutes before baking the next batch.

Will the cookies taste like oil?
With a neutral oil such as canola or sunflower, the chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar should be the main flavors. A strongly flavored oil can come through, especially in a simple sugar cookie. If you only have olive oil, a mild or light variety is generally less noticeable than extra-virgin olive oil; coconut oil contributes its own flavor unless it is refined.

Can I use applesauce instead of butter?
Applesauce can replace some of the fat in certain cookie recipes, but it is not a reliable equal-volume swap for all the butter. It adds water and fruit solids, so cookies may become cakier, softer, or less rich. If experimenting, replace only part of the butter—about one-quarter to one-half—and expect to adjust the dough and baking time. For a closer match to a classic chewy cookie, use the oil ratio in this recipe.

Can I skip chilling the dough?
It is better not to skip it. Oil is liquid at room temperature, so freshly mixed dough is softer than dough made with cool butter. The 30-minute chill helps it firm up and limits spreading. If time is tight, portion the dough first and chill the portions on the baking sheet, but still give them about 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.

How can I tell when these cookies are done?
Look for lightly golden, set edges with centers that still appear soft; the cookies continue to firm as they cool. Because the dough contains egg, also check a representative cookie with a clean instant-read thermometer for 160°F (71°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for egg dishes. Oven speed, cookie size, and pan color affect timing, so use both the visual cues and the temperature rather than relying on the clock alone.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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