12 Best Butter Substitutes When You Run Out of the Good Stuff

Mayo is basically just a mixture of oil and egg yolks so it's perfect for adding moisture and richness in dishes like mashed potatoes or garlic bread. You can also melt it down in a skillet when frying up a grilled cheese or even making scrambled eggs.

Olive oil is another key ingredient that we keep in the pantry at all times. So if you're out of butter, try using olive oil instead! It's a healthy alternative when sautéing veggies and it's great for using in pasta dishes, too.

It might seem odd, but avocado is actually a great substitute for butter when baking! Think about it: there's so much creaminess in a ripe avocado. Plan for a 1:1 swap, lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees, and eyeball the finished product to see if it needs a few more minutes of baking. Just note that your baked goods may take on a greenish tint!

Looking for a healthy swap instead of butter? When you're trying to cut down on your butter intake, applesauce is a great alternative! Unsweetened applesauce can be use in all kinds of quick breads and muffins, though they may turn out a bit more dense with this swap.

This is a great butter substitute for vegans and those with dairy allergies or lactose intolerance, as coconut oil behaves similar to butter in recipes. It can be used melted or in its solidified state—though keep in mind, solid coconut oil tends to liquify or melt much faster than butter! (You can pop it back in the fridge as needed to set.) Refined coconut oils are free of the taste that unrefined versions tend to add when used in cooking or baking. When using coconut oil in place of butter for a recipe where ingredients are chilled, like with Ree’s Perfect Pie Crust, let the chilled ingredients come to room temperature to keep the coconut oil from solidifying and becoming difficult to work with.

This is an easy 1:1 sub for butter, but in cases where butter adds flavor (hi, buttercream frosting), look elsewhere. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, so baked goods will turn out lighter and airier than their butter-baked equivalents.

Cook with margarine the same way you'd use butter, but when baking, be sure to opt for margarine sticks instead of the tub variety.

This is a no-brainer swap for vegans—you won’t believe it's not the real deal!

This is a great butter substitute, but you'll need to make it yourself: Just blend 1/2 cup pitted prunes and 1/4 cup hot water in a blender. It's best in rich, spiced, or chocolatey recipes that call for melted butter, like these sourdough cranberry orange rolls!

Stick to full-fat yogurts for this baking swap, as the richness in flavor will make all the difference in baked goods. As a general rule, you should stick to 1:1 ratio: If you're baking recipes that call for larger amounts of butter, Greek yogurt can be a better choice because it has a lower moisture content.

These flavorless oils are an easy 1:1 baking sub for non-pastry recipes like cupcakes, cookies, cakes, and breads.

This vegan-friendly swap adds plenty of moisture to baked goods. Use about 3/4 of the amount of butter called for in the recipe.