Quick answer
For the closest dairy-free replacement in many cakes, cookies, and quick breads, use a vegan butter stick designed for baking, often at a 1:1 amount. If the recipe calls for melted butter, neutral oil can work well, but because oil is essentially all fat while butter also contains water and milk solids, it is not an identical swap.
Best butter substitute by recipe
| Substitute | Starting point | Best for | Avoid / expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegan butter sticks | Often 1:1 | Cookies, cakes, bars, many quick breads | Brand water/fat content varies |
| Neutral vegetable oil | About 3/4 cup per 1 cup butter as a starting point | Muffins, quick breads, cakes using melted butter | Not for flaky layers or creaming-dependent recipes |
| Coconut oil | Recipe dependent | Some cookies, bars, quick breads | Melting behavior and coconut flavor vary by product |
| Unsweetened applesauce | Start with partial replacement | Moist muffins and quick breads | Less richness; softer/denser texture |
Why oil is not the same as butter
Butter contributes fat, water, milk solids, flavor, and—in recipes that cream butter with sugar—air. Liquid oil cannot trap air in the same way and cannot create cold solid-fat layers in pastry. That is why an oil swap is most natural when the original butter is melted.
What about applesauce or yogurt?
These can reduce some of the fat in forgiving quick breads and muffins, but they are moisture-rich ingredients rather than true butter equivalents. Full replacement can significantly change tenderness, aeration, spread, and flavor, so begin with a partial swap in an untested recipe.