Best Butter Substitute for Cookies: 8 Options Tested

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Introduction

Finding a substitute for butter in cookie recipes can be necessary for various reasons, from dietary needs to simply running out. However, our test kitchen discovered that replacing butter is not a simple one-to-one swap. Butter's unique composition of fat, water, and protein is critical for texture, flavor, and appearance. This article details our extensive testing of eight common butter substitutes, explaining how each impacts the final cookie and providing practical advice for your baking.

The Substitutes

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a versatile butter substitute, but it significantly alters cookie texture. Results differ based on whether the oil is solid or melted, so we tested both forms.

How it Affects Spread, Chewiness, and Crispness

A 1:1 ratio of solid, creamed coconut oil produced thicker, softer, cakier cookies that spread less. Melted coconut oil at the same ratio resulted in thinner, crispier cookies with more spread. Both versions were less chewy than butter-based cookies. Unrefined coconut oil added a distinct coconut flavor, which was polarizing among testers, while refined coconut oil was more neutral.

When It Works

Coconut oil is an excellent choice for creating vegan or dairy-free cookies. Its ability to create a crispy texture makes it ideal for thin and crunchy cookies like lace cookies or biscotti. We also found that the slight coconut flavor of unrefined coconut oil paired well with chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies.

When It Fails

If you're aiming for a classic, chewy cookie with a buttery flavor, coconut oil is not the best choice. The texture is noticeably different, and the coconut flavor can be a drawback in more delicate cookies like sugar cookies or shortbread. We also found that cookies made with coconut oil were more prone to becoming crumbly after a day or two.

Applesauce

Applesauce is a popular low-fat butter substitute that dramatically alters the final cookie. We recommend using unsweetened applesauce to prevent excessive sweetness.

How it Affects Spread, Chewiness, and Crispness

Substituting butter with an equal amount of applesauce yielded soft, dense, cake-like cookies with minimal spread and no crisp edges. Chewiness was significantly reduced. The flavor had a pleasant, subtle apple note but lacked the richness of butter. To compensate for the sugar in most applesauce, we suggest reducing the recipe's sugar by 1/4 cup per cup of applesauce.

When It Works

Applesauce is a great option when you want to reduce the fat content of your cookies. It works well in soft, cakey cookies like oatmeal or spice cookies, where the apple flavor can be a complementary addition. It’s also a good choice for vegan baking, as it can replace both butter and eggs in some recipes.

When It Fails

If you’re looking for a cookie with a crispy texture and a classic buttery flavor, applesauce is not the right choice. It creates a much different cookie, and it’s not suitable for recipes where a crisp, snappy texture is desired, such as shortbread or biscotti. We also found that the cookies became quite dense and heavy after a day.

Avocado

Avocado's creamy texture and high fat content make it a surprisingly effective butter substitute. We tested it using a 1:1 ratio of ripe, pureed avocado for butter.

How it Affects Spread, Chewiness, and Crispness

Avocado produced incredibly soft, dense, brownie-like cookies that didn't spread, resulting in thick, puffy treats. Chewiness was excellent, but crispness was absent. The avocado flavor was noticeable and slightly vegetal in sugar cookies but was masked by the chocolate in chocolate chip cookies.

When It Works

Avocado is a fantastic choice for rich, dense, and soft cookies, especially those with a strong flavor like chocolate or spice cookies. It’s also a great way to add healthy fats and nutrients to your baking. For those looking for a vegan or dairy-free option, avocado is a great choice.

When It Fails

Avocado is not the right choice for cookies where a light, crispy texture is desired. The lack of spread and the dense, cakey texture make it unsuitable for thin and crispy cookies. The flavor can also be a drawback in more delicate cookies. We also noted that the cookies had a slight greenish tint, which might not be appealing to everyone.

Margarine

Margarine is a common butter substitute, but not all are suitable for baking. Stick margarine, with at least 80% fat, is essential for a texture comparable to butter; avoid the soft tub variety.

How it Affects Spread, Chewiness, and Crispness

Cookies made with a 1:1 ratio of stick margarine spread more than the butter control group due to higher water content, resulting in thinner, crispier edges. While decently chewy, they lacked butter's rich flavor, and some testers detected a slightly artificial aftertaste. The texture was lighter and more delicate.

When It Works

Margarine is a reliable substitute when you need a dairy-free option or simply don't have butter on hand. It works well in recipes where a thinner, crispier cookie is desired. Because it's a straightforward 1:1 swap, it's one of the easiest substitutes to use without making other adjustments to the recipe. It's a functional, if not exceptional, replacement.

When It Fails

If the goal is a thick, chewy cookie with a deep buttery flavor, margarine falls short. The increased spread makes it difficult to achieve a thick, soft center. The flavor difference is noticeable, especially in simple recipes like sugar cookies or shortbread where butter is a key flavor component. We also observed that the cookies made with margarine tended to become stale more quickly than their butter-based counterparts.

Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil behaves differently than butter in cookies. A direct 1:1 swap creates greasy, flat results because butter is only 80% fat. We found the optimal ratio to be 3/4 cup of oil per 1 cup of butter.

How it Affects Spread, Chewiness, and Crispness

Even with less oil, the cookies spread significantly more, yielding very thin, uniformly soft, and tender results with no crisp edges. The entire cookie was moist and pliable, with a pronounced chewiness. The neutral flavor allowed other ingredients to shine, but the richness of butter was absent.

When It Works

Vegetable oil is an excellent choice when the goal is a supremely moist, tender, and chewy cookie. It's ideal for recipes where you want a soft, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture from edge to center. Because it's liquid at room temperature, it creates a unique texture that some of our testers loved. It's also a simple dairy-free and vegan-friendly substitution.

When It Fails

Vegetable oil is a poor choice for cookies that need to maintain a specific shape, such as cut-out sugar cookies or shortbread. The dough is often very soft and sticky, making it difficult to handle, and the cookies spread too much during baking. If a crisp texture or a distinct buttery flavor is what you're after, oil is not the right substitute. We also found the cookies could feel slightly greasy to the touch, even with the reduced quantity.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt adds moisture and tang to baked goods. We tested it by replacing 1 cup of butter with 1/2 cup of full-fat plain Greek yogurt. A partial substitution is crucial, as a full swap creates a scone-like texture.

How it Affects Spread, Chewiness, and Crispness

Greek yogurt cookies were exceptionally soft and cake-like, puffing up into thick, pillowy treats with little spread. The texture was moist and tender, with minimal chew and no crispness. The yogurt added a subtle, pleasant tang that balanced the sweetness but did not replicate a buttery flavor.

When It Works

Greek yogurt is an excellent choice for creating soft, cakey cookies, and for reducing the overall fat content. It shines in recipes where a tender, muffin-top-like texture is desirable. The tangy flavor pairs particularly well with spices, like in an oatmeal spice cookie, or with the sweetness of white chocolate. It's a great way to achieve a uniquely soft texture that's hard to get with butter alone.

When It Fails

This is not the substitute to use if you are aiming for a classic cookie texture. If you want crispy edges, a chewy center, and a rich buttery flavor, Greek yogurt will not deliver. The dough is also much stickier and can be more difficult to handle than a standard butter-based dough. It is completely unsuitable for thin, crisp cookies or any recipe where structure and snap are important.

Nut Butters

Nut butter is a classic substitute for dairy butter, particularly in peanut butter cookies. We used a 1:1 ratio of creamy, conventional peanut butter, as natural varieties are grittier and less uniform.

How it Affects Spread, Chewiness, and Crispness

Replacing all butter with peanut butter created dense, soft, and intensely chewy cookies with minimal spread and a slightly crumbly texture. The overpowering peanut butter flavor masked other notes. The cookies were soft throughout, with no crispness, making them delicious but very different from a classic butter cookie.

When It Works

Nut butter is the obvious and best choice when you are specifically making a nut-flavored cookie, like a peanut butter or almond butter cookie. It provides a powerful flavor base and creates a wonderfully dense and chewy texture. It's also an effective dairy-free substitute. For a less intense flavor and a texture closer to a traditional cookie, we found that replacing just half the butter with nut butter yielded a great compromise.

When It Fails

This is not a neutral or all-purpose substitute. If the goal is a cookie that is not nut-flavored, this is the wrong choice. The flavor is overpowering. It also fails to produce a light, crispy, or delicate cookie. The dense, heavy texture is not suitable for recipes like shortbread, lace cookies, or any cookie that requires significant spread or a delicate crumb.

Banana

Ripe bananas are a common substitute in healthier baking. We tested them as a butter replacement, using 1/2 cup of mashed ripe banana per 1 cup of butter. For optimal flavor and sweetness, use very ripe, almost black bananas.

How it Affects Spread, Chewiness, and Crispness

This substitution yielded extremely soft, moist, cake-like cookies that puffed up without spreading, resembling muffin tops. They had no crispness or chew. The banana flavor was prominent, and the added moisture and sugar resulted in a sweet, dense, heavy crumb.

When It Works

Banana is a great choice if your goal is to create a very soft, cakey, low-fat cookie. It works best in recipes where the banana flavor is a welcome addition, such as oatmeal cookies, spice cookies, or in combination with chocolate chips. It’s an excellent way to use up overripe bananas and add natural sweetness and moisture to your baking. These are not traditional cookies, but they are a delicious treat in their own right.

When It Fails

Do not use banana if you want a cookie with any semblance of crispness, chew, or buttery flavor. It is a complete textural and flavor departure from a classic cookie. The strong banana taste will overpower delicate flavors, making it unsuitable for sugar cookies, shortbread, or any recipe where a neutral base is required. The resulting cookie is a different baked good entirely, so manage your expectations accordingly.

Practical Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Consider the Flavor: Butter provides a unique, rich flavor that is hard to replicate. When choosing a substitute, consider how its flavor will interact with the other ingredients in your recipe. Strong flavors like unrefined coconut oil, avocado, and nut butters will significantly alter the taste of your cookies.

• Don't Expect a Perfect Match: It's important to remember that a substitute is just that—a substitute. The texture, flavor, and appearance of your cookies will be different. Embrace the change and you might discover a new favorite.

• Chill Your Dough: Many of these substitutes, especially the liquid ones like vegetable oil and melted coconut oil, create a much softer dough. Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking can help control spread and make the dough easier to handle.

• Start with a Partial Substitution: If you're nervous about a full substitution, try replacing just half the butter with your chosen substitute. This can give you a good idea of how it will affect the final product without straying too far from the original recipe.

• Don't Use Tub Margarine: Soft, spreadable margarine in a tub has a high water content and is not suitable for baking. It will make your cookies spread excessively and can result in a greasy texture. Always use stick margarine with at least 80% fat.

• Use Ripe Bananas and Avocados: For the best results with banana and avocado, make sure they are very ripe. Ripe fruit will be sweeter and have a smoother, more consistent texture when mashed.

FAQ

Can I use a combination of butter and a substitute?

Absolutely. In fact, we highly recommend it. Using a 50/50 blend of butter and a substitute is a great way to get some of the benefits of the substitute (like reduced fat from applesauce or added chewiness from nut butter) while still retaining some of the classic butter flavor and texture. This is a great approach for first-time experimenters.

What's the best substitute for vegan cookies?

For vegan cookies, your best options are coconut oil, margarine, avocado, vegetable oil, and nut butters. Each will give you a different result, so choose based on the texture you're aiming for. Coconut oil is great for crisp cookies, while avocado and nut butters will give you a denser, chewier cookie. Always ensure your margarine is certified vegan, as some brands contain trace amounts of dairy.

How can I make my cookies less cakey when using a substitute?

Cakey cookies are often the result of too much moisture and not enough fat. Substitutes like applesauce, Greek yogurt, and banana are notorious for this. To combat the cakey texture, you can try a few things. First, try using a combination of the substitute and butter or another fat. Second, reducing the amount of other liquids in the recipe can help. Finally, avoid over-mixing the dough, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and lead to a tougher, more cake-like texture.

Do I need to adjust the baking time or temperature?

In our testing, we found that most substitutes baked well at the same temperature as the original recipe. However, because many of these substitutes create a denser, moister cookie, you may need to add a minute or two to the baking time. Keep a close eye on your cookies and pull them out when the edges are set and lightly golden. They will continue to bake on the hot cookie sheet after you remove them from the oven.

What is the healthiest butter substitute for cookies?

"Healthiest" can be subjective, but if you're looking to reduce saturated fat and calories, applesauce, Greek yogurt, and banana are your best bets. Avocado is also a great choice for adding healthy monounsaturated fats. However, it's important to remember that these are still cookies, and should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.