Substitute for Unsalted Butter in Baking: Best Swaps

A useful substitute for unsalted butter depends on what you are baking: neutral oil is convenient for moist cakes and quick breads, while baking margarine is a closer match for creamed cookies and pastries. This guide gives you a simple oil swap with exact measurements, plus ways to choose an alternative when texture matters.

Ingredients

3/4 cup (180 ml) neutral-flavored liquid oil, such as canola, sunflower, or mild vegetable oil, to replace 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter

This is a one-batch conversion, not a stand-alone baking formula: use the measured oil in place of the butter in a cake, brownie, muffin, or quick-bread recipe. Choose an oil with a mild flavor so it does not overpower vanilla, chocolate, fruit, or spices. Olive oil can work in recipes whose flavors suit it, but its distinctive taste will be noticeable.

Instructions

Check what the recipe asks the butter to do. This oil conversion is best when the butter is melted into the batter or mixed with other wet ingredients, as in many brownies, muffins, quick breads, and oil-style cakes. If the directions say to beat softened butter and sugar until fluffy, or to cut cold butter into flour, choose a solid substitute such as baking margarine instead.
Measure the oil. For every 1 cup (227 g) of unsalted butter, measure 3/4 cup (180 ml) of neutral oil. For 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, use 6 tablespoons (90 ml) oil. For 1/4 cup (57 g) butter, use 3 tablespoons (45 ml). Measuring the oil accurately matters: using a full cup can make the finished bake greasy or heavy.
Add it where the recipe uses melted butter. Stir the oil into the wet ingredients, or combine it with the sugar as the original method directs. Do not try to cream liquid oil with sugar in the same way as softened butter; it will not trap air or create the same fluffy mixture. If the recipe depends on that creaming step, use a solid alternative rather than forcing this conversion.
Continue with the original recipe and assess the batter. Mix only as much as the recipe instructs. Oil contributes no butter flavor and has a different texture, so the batter may look glossier or looser. Bake at the recipe’s stated temperature and time, checking for doneness using its usual cues. Do not add extra flour just because the batter looks different unless the recipe itself calls for an adjustment.

Tips

Match the substitute to the method, not just the amount. Butter is both fat and water and, when beaten, can hold air. Oil is entirely fat and remains liquid at room temperature. That makes it a useful swap in moist batters, but a poor one for recipes that rely on creaming, distinct layers, or cold pieces of fat. A recipe’s mixing instructions are often the quickest clue to which substitute will behave well.
Use baking margarine for a closer all-purpose replacement. A firm stick-style baking margarine can usually replace unsalted butter cup for cup by volume or weight in many cakes, cookies, and pastries. Check its package for salt and water content: some products are salted, and soft tub spreads can contain more water and less fat. Tub spread is more likely to make cookies spread or pastry turn soft, so it is not a dependable one-for-one choice.
Do not add salt automatically. The oil conversion above replaces unsalted butter and contains no salt. Keep the salt listed in the original recipe. If you use a salted margarine, consider reducing the recipe’s added salt, especially in a delicately flavored bake; salt levels vary by product, so check the label rather than assuming every brand tastes the same.
Expect a flavor and texture change. Oil-based cakes often stay tender and moist, but they will not have the buttery aroma of the original. Cookies made with oil may spread differently and can be softer or less crisp. For a first attempt at an important recipe, choose a recipe type that is forgiving, such as brownies or muffins, instead of a laminated pastry or a cookie whose crisp edges are essential.

Serving Suggestions

Use the oil conversion in chocolate brownies, banana bread, zucchini bread, muffins, and many simple snack cakes. These bakes are usually served at room temperature, when the oil-based crumb remains soft. A plain cake can be finished with powdered sugar, fruit, or a glaze; brownies pair well with berries or a scoop of ice cream. Those toppings are serving ideas, not part of the butter conversion, so follow the quantities in your chosen recipe.

For cookies, first consider whether the recipe calls for creaming butter and sugar. If it does, use firm baking margarine for a closer result. If the recipe already uses melted butter, the oil conversion is more likely to work, though the cookies may have a less buttery flavor and a softer bite. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for the time specified in their recipe before moving them, since warm oil-based cookies can be fragile.

Variations

Firm baking margarine: Use the same amount as the unsalted butter when the recipe needs a solid fat. This is the most practical option for creamed cakes, many drop cookies, and some pastry doughs. If the margarine is salted, account for that in the recipe’s salt. Avoid whipped spreads and very soft tub products when accurate baking texture matters.

Refined coconut oil: In brownies or some cookies, use an equal weight of solid coconut oil for the butter as a starting point. It sets when cool, unlike liquid oil, but it has less water than butter and may make a bake firmer or more crumbly. Refined coconut oil has a milder coconut aroma than virgin coconut oil. This is not the best pick for recipes where butter’s water content or flavor is important.

Partial yogurt or applesauce swap: For a softer cake or quick bread, replace up to half the butter with an equal amount of plain yogurt or unsweetened applesauce, while keeping the other half as butter or a suitable solid substitute. These ingredients add moisture and can make the crumb denser, so a full replacement is less predictable. Applesauce also contributes fruit flavor and sweetness; yogurt contributes a mild tang. This approach is not suitable for flaky pastry or crisp cookies.

Olive oil: Use the same 3/4-cup oil-to-1-cup-butter ratio in a savory loaf, citrus cake, or other bake that suits olive oil’s flavor. A mild olive oil will be less assertive than a peppery, robust one. Since the oil remains liquid after cooling, expect a softer texture than with butter or firm margarine.

Storage and Reheating

Measure the oil just before using it. Keep the original bottle sealed according to its label, away from heat and direct sunlight; there is no need to prepare and store a separate butter-replacement mixture. Do not leave mixed batter sitting out for an extended period: follow the recipe’s directions and bake it promptly, since leavening can lose effectiveness as batter waits.

Store finished baked goods according to their ingredients and the original recipe. Plain muffins, quick breads, and unfrosted cakes can often be kept covered at room temperature for about 2 to 3 days; cookies generally keep in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days, though their texture changes over time. If a bake has a perishable cream, custard, or cream-cheese filling or topping, refrigerate it within 2 hours and follow the recipe’s storage guidance. Most refrigerated cooked leftovers keep 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze well-wrapped baked goods for about 2 to 3 months and thaw them covered at room temperature.

To refresh a slice of cake or a muffin, warm it briefly in a low oven or microwave just until pleasantly warm; heating too long can dry it out. Cookies are usually best at room temperature, but a few seconds of warming can soften them. Reheating is optional, and it will not restore the exact texture of a butter-based bake.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best substitute for unsalted butter in baking?
There is no single best substitute for every recipe. Neutral oil is easy to measure for moist cakes, brownies, muffins, and quick breads; use 3/4 cup (180 ml) for each 1 cup (227 g) of butter. Firm baking margarine is a better match when the recipe calls for creaming butter and sugar or needs a solid fat. Choose based on the recipe’s method and the texture you want.

Can I replace unsalted butter with oil in any baking recipe?
No. Oil works most reliably in batters that use melted fat or already use oil. It cannot trap air when beaten with sugar, and it will not make the same flaky layers as cold butter cut into flour. In those recipes, a solid baking margarine is generally a closer option. Even then, the result may differ because margarine formulas vary.

How much oil replaces 1/2 cup of unsalted butter?
Use 6 tablespoons (90 ml) of neutral oil for 1/2 cup (113 g) butter. This is three-quarters of the butter’s volume, not a one-for-one cup measure. The conversion is intended for suitable cake, brownie, muffin, and quick-bread recipes; it is not a guarantee of the same cookie spread or pastry flakiness.

Will oil make cookies spread more?
It can. Butter is solid when cool, while oil stays liquid, so cookies made with oil may spread differently and may have a softer or denser texture. The result also depends on the recipe’s sugar, flour, and mixing method. For a cookie recipe that starts by creaming softened butter and sugar, use firm baking margarine rather than liquid oil for a closer result.

Do I need to change the salt when I use an unsalted butter substitute?
If you use neutral oil, keep the salt amount written in the original recipe; the oil adds none. If you use salted margarine, check its label and consider reducing the recipe’s added salt. Because the salt content of margarine differs by product, there is not one exact reduction that works for every brand and recipe.

Can I use applesauce instead of butter?
Applesauce can replace part of the butter in some moist cakes and quick breads, but it is not a direct fat-for-fat equivalent. Replacing up to half the butter with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce is a cautious starting point; the bake may be denser, softer, and slightly fruity. A full applesauce swap is more likely to change the structure and is not suitable for crisp cookies or pastry.

More recipes to cook

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

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).