There are so many options for swapping out butter in recipes. It’s easier than you think to make a recipe dairy free, especially when you’re taking out butter. These are just a few suggestions, but they’re my favorite dairy free substitutes for butter.

What are good non dairy substitutes for butter?

Choosing the best dairy free substitute for butter is going to depend on what recipe your making. I have a long list of favorite ingredients, and I use each of them differently depending on what I’m making. Here are my favorites:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is always my first choice in dairy free substitutes for butter in a recipe. I use it in all my savory recipes, and it’s especially good when a recipe calls for you to melt butter in a pan (like when you’re sautéing onions). I use it when I’m making risotto and my favorite brownies.

What can you substitute for butter in baking?

Vegetable Oil

I use vegetable oil whenever I don’t want the strong flavor of extra virgin olive oil. My favorite is canola oil, but a blend works well, too. This is what I normally choose when a baking recipe calls for melted butter. It’s what I use in my dairy free pancakes, and I also use it in my 2 minute aioli.

Vegetable Shortening

Butter-flavored shortening is my favorite when a baking recipe calls for softened butter. Since it’s stored at room temperature, it’s already softened and the shortening sticks make it really easy to measure. I use vegetable shortening in my cupcakes and my favorite cookies. You can also use plain, unflavored shortening as well.

Vegan Buttery Sticks

Alternatively, you can use vegan buttery sticks the same way you would use shortening, but since they’re stored in the fridge, you’ll need to soften them. This isn’t something I choose often, but they work very well in baking recipes. It would work really well for biscuits or shortcake.

Buttery Spreads (Dairy Free Margarine)

I like to use dairy free buttery spreads when I’m making toast or when a recipe calls for butter to be stirred in at the end. You can also bake with buttery spreads, or melt them in place of oils, but they’re not as easy to measure. I use it my meatless meatball and veggie skillet and when I’m making garlic bread.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil can also be used in baking or in savory recipes. It’s normally melted before use, and it works really well when a recipe will need to be “solid” at room temperature. I normally opt for coconut oil when making rice crispy treats or chocolate things.

Cooking Spray

Whenever I want to evenly coat something with a little butter flavor, I choose butter flavored cooking spray. It’s not something I use often, but I’m obsessed with putting it on my popcorn and I use it to make my dairy free croutons.