Vegan Butter Substitutes

Solid and liquid plant fats for baking, frying and spreading, with the ratios that keep texture intact.

Solid fats for baking

For cakes, pastry and cookies, use a solid plant block rather than a tub spread. Blocks hold air when creamed with sugar, and that trapped air is part of what makes the crumb light.

Match the weight the recipe gives rather than the volume. Plant blocks and dairy butter differ slightly in density, so a cup-for-cup swap can push a delicate dough out of balance.

Oil for cooking and drizzling

In sauces, sautés and tray bakes, oil is a straight replacement at about three quarters of the butter weight. Butter carries around fifteen per cent water, so the oil amount is slightly lower than the number in the recipe.

Olive oil suits savoury dishes and adds its own flavour. A neutral oil is the safer choice when the fat should not be tasted at all.

Salt and spreadability

Most plant blocks are salted to a similar level as dairy butter, but not all of them are. Taste before you add the salt a baking recipe calls for, especially in shortbread and pastry.

For spreading, look for a block that softens at room temperature rather than one formulated for cooking, which can stay firm and greasy on bread. Not a medical or allergen guarantee.

Reviewed on 2026-10-19 · Basis: Seed substitution table (A7)