There is nothing like the taste of pastry with butter that melts in the mouth with each bite to sweeten our day. The addition of butter in a variety of recipes definitely improves their taste and texture, but a large amount of it can definitely harm our figures. People who try to lose weight or who are sensitive to dairy products avoid foods that contain butter, which is not always easy and causes them to give up quite a few foods.
So that you don’t feel bad about cutting out butter for your health, try the following 7 substitutes, which are a great alternative to your favorite spread. Replacing butter with these ingredients will make delicious pastries especially tasty, and will amp up their health benefits.
The substitutes are intended for cake batters and pastry dough, and should not be used when making creams or icings.
Coconut oil has come to the headlines in recent years as a natural wonder with innumerable benefits and uses, and it can also function as an excellent substitute for butter. Coconut oil, which becomes solid at room temperature, has a wonderful texture and contributes to weight loss, improves digestion, plays an important role in oral health and even helps fight cancer. Coconut oil also contains vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients for the body, making it an excellent and healthy substitute for butter.
Conversion ratios: When you want to swap butter with coconut oil, do so in a 1:1 ratio. In other words, use the same amount of coconut oil as you would butter (for example, 100 grams of butter = 100 grams of coconut oil, and a cup of butter = a cup of coconut oil).
Differences in the final product: Coconut oil doesn’t significantly affect the texture of cakes versus butter. However, coconut oil has a slight effect on taste, meaning that its use will be felt. For those who aren’t interested in the taste of coconut, try the other alternatives on the list, some of which don’t affect the taste at all.
Olive oil’s taste doesn’t really need to be described, since it is well known and loved in many dishes. Most of us are used to thinking of it as an additive to savory foods, but it can also be easily used in cake recipes! Wonderful olive oil is full of healthy antioxidants that keep our bodies young inside and out, and it contributes to the health of the heart and improves the appearance of hair and skin. Adding it to cakes will make you feel like you aren’t missing butter and you’ll want to use it in dessert recipes again and again.
Conversion ratios: For olive oil, use a smaller amount than butter. The exact conversion ratio is 3:4, which means that for every cup of butter listed in the recipe, use ¾ cup olive oil. If you are weighing out your ingredients, you should use the same ratio, i.e., for every 100 grams of butter, 75 grams of olive oil should be used.
Differences in the final product: Olive oil in its natural form tastes slightly bitter, but when used for baking, the bitterness disappears in the heat of the oven and the cake tastes like any other cake baked with vegetable oil. For this to be the case, only use cold-press extra virgin olive oil.
We’re using to thinking of applesauce as baby food, however, it has been found to be an excellent ingredient in baked goods. The benefits of apples are well known, and include, among other things, digestive aid, high vitamin and mineral content, and low caloric value compared to butter. So next time you're in the shop, look for jars of this wonderful puree and try to use it to make cakes. You will certainly enjoy the final product.
Conversion ratios: Like coconut oil, the conversion ratio of applesauce is 1:1, meaning that every cup of butter should be swapped with a cup of applesauce. If the recipe requires 100 grams of butter, replace it with 100 grams of applesauce.
Differences in the final product: The use of applesauce does not affect the taste of the final product, but it certainly adds to the moistness of it. It is recommended to use natural applesauce without added sugar to avoid having you baked good come out too sweet.
Pumpkin has many health benefits and can be used to make wonderful recipes! When you bite into a pastry that contains pumpkin puree, you will enjoy not only the wonderful flavor of the dessert but also a strengthening of your immune system, an improvement in eye health, and even a natural antidepressant. This wonderful puree is available in health food stores and in the canned aisle of your grocery store.
Conversion ratios: Use a reduced amount of pumpkin relative to the butter listed in the recipe, or more precisely the ratio of 3:4. That is, for each cup of butter you will need to use ¾ cup pumpkin puree. The conversion ratios are also maintained in weight, with every 100 grams of butter being replaced by 75 grams of pumpkin puree.
Differences in the final product: The use of pumpkin puree does not affect the texture and taste of pastries, so you can use it instead of butter without fear of your dessert tasting different.
Some call it a fruit, while others err and treat it as a vegetable, but its classification doesn’t matter since avocado's health benefits make it a super-food in every way. This green fruit is full of so many vitamins, minerals, nutrients, dietary fiber and healthy fats that are hard to beat. Surprisingly, it can improve not only sandwiches and salads but also serve as a unique substitute for butter!
Conversion ratios: The conversion ratio between avocado and butter is 1:1, meaning that each cup of butter should be converted to a cup of avocado (mashed). The ratio is also kept in the weights, and for every 100 grams listed in the recipe, 100 grams of avocado should be used.
Differences in the final product: Due to the delicate flavor of avocado, it will not affect the taste of pastries. However, it does affect the color of different pastries, and if you don’t want it to, use it only in dark-colored recipes, such as chocolate or poppy cakes.
If you are not sensitive to dairy products but want to reduce calories in different pastries, replace butter with creamy Greek yogurt. This type of yogurt contains fats that are good for your health, as well as proteins needed for muscle building, normal brain function, heart health, bone strengthening and balance. Its addition to cakes will allow you to enjoy sweet "indulgences" with fewer calories and necessary healthy ingredients.
Conversion ratio: when using Greek yogurt with 3-5 percent fat, a 1:1 conversion ratio should be used. That is, a cup of butter will be replaced by a cup of yogurt, and 100 grams of it will be converted into 100 grams of this delicious and wonderful substitute.
Differences in the final product: Conversion of butter to Greek yogurt will ensure that you will get a moist cake without affecting the taste.
Nut "Butters," meaning natural butters produced from almonds, cashews, walnuts and other members of this kingdom, are an excellent and delicious substitute for butter in various recipes. The contribution of nuts to heart health is known to most of us, and their consumption will add essential minerals and vitamins, essential fats and proteins to your body. These wonderful butters are available at various supermarkets, as well as in health food stores and baking shops.
