You can reduce the amount of butter in almost any baked good with one of the following substitutes. Just remember, a butter alternative doesn’t necessarily have fewer calories, less added sugar, or less fat. “Pie made with applesauce is still pie,” says Maya Feller, RD, a New York City-based registered dietitian and medical reviewer for Everyday Health.
Unsweetened Applesauce
Because applesauce is mostly water, you may need to reduce the amount of other liquids in the recipe, Feller said. Too much moisture can make your muffins soggy inside.
Plain Greek Yogurt
Full-fat Greek yogurt has a consistency similar to butter, and its natural acidity helps keep baked goods soft and delicate in texture. And yes, go for the full-fat version versus low-fat, says Kristen Smith, RDN, an Atlanta-based registered dietitian-nutritionist and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “You’ll have a better texture and flavor profile.”
Don’t replace all the butter in a recipe with Greek yogurt — you’ll get the best results if you swap out half. And be aware, the pronounced flavor of Greek yogurt may be noticeable.
Vegan Butter
The butter section of most supermarkets offer dairy-free butter spreads. These products can be swapped for butter at a 1:1 ratio, and often replicate the flavor, too. Reach for one when you want the finished product’s flavor and texture to be as close as possible to its buttery cousin.
“If you’re doing real baking and it needs consistency, I suggest using a non-hydrogenated plant-based spread,” Feller says. Let’s say you signed up to bake dozens of cookies for a bake sale. A product that looks and feels like butter will help ensure each batch comes out the same.