Baking Alternatives – Reducing Fat by Replacing Butter | Wilton (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for butter to reduce fat? ›

Common carbohydrate-based fat substitutes include carrageenan (a type of seaweed); cellulose or starch-based gels; cornstarch; fruit purees (like apricot or prune); guar gum; Oatrim (with oat fiber) and Z-trim (with insoluble fiber); maltodextrins (corn-based); polydextrose; and xanthan gum.

Reducing fat when baking:

Replace up to ½ the fat in muffins, quick breads, cookies and cakes with mashed fruit or vegetables, like unsweetened applesauce, pureed pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, pureed prunes or mashed bananas.

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to butter, consider switching to liquid oils, such as olive oil or avocado oil, or use a nut butter as a spread.

Country Crock® products are all made of plant-based oils – a source of good fats. Because we use plant-based oils, all our Country Crock® products contain less saturated fat than dairy butter, as well as zero cholesterol.

Now, though, a California-based startup called Savor has created an animal-free butter from carbon dioxide that it claims tastes just like the dairy version. The secret ingredient is the same one that makes humans crave cheeseburgers and bacon: fat. But Savor's team doesn't need livestock to create this component.

There are a variety of Smart Balance options - ranging from Original, to Light, to Whipped, to Olive Oil, to "Heart Right". All contain less saturated fat (1.5-2.5 grams) than whipped butter does (3.5-4.5 grams), but about the same number of calories per tablespoon. This is a perfectly fine choice for spreads.

A simple way to reduce fat content and add nutrients in baking applications is with fruit. Applesauce is commonly known to be an excellent fat replacer, however, many other fruit purees can function as a fat substitute as well. In baked goods, fat plays an important role in texture and flavor.

What are three cooking methods that lower the fat in recipes? ›

✓ Season food with herbs, spices, lemon juice, red wine vinegar or salsa rather than butter, creams and sauces. ✓ Use low fat cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, baking, microwaving, poaching and steaming.

Carbohydrate-based. These are made from starchy foods, such as corn, cereals, and grains. Most fat replacers today are made from carbohydrate. Examples include cellulose, gelatin, dextrins, gums, and modified dietary fibres.

Try reducing all fat by 1/3. Replace half the fat with applesauce, pureed prunes, mashed bananas, or nonfat yogurt (baking time may be reduced by 25%). Applesauce and yogurt can add moisture to a product, so consider reducing other liquid ingredients.

Whipped butter has air whipped into it, which can help make it more spreadable. That also means it has 45% less fat per serving than regular butter. Spreadable butter is sometimes mixed with a seed oil, such as canola oil.

Which fruit you use as a substitute will depend on what you are baking – try to choose one that will complement the flavor (for example bananas may work well in a muffin, applesauce in a spice cake, pumpkin or sweet potato puree in a gingerbread) .

Margarine often tops butter when it comes to heart health. Margarine is a blend of oils that are mostly unsaturated fat. Butter is made from cream or milk. The type of fat found in animal products, such as cream, is mostly saturated fat.

Grass-fed butter

This type of butter comes from cows that graze on grass, leading to higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), according to research. This fat profile is healthier for your heart than traditional butter, so I'd consider it the healthiest butter.

The Best Options

The most heart-healthy options are neither butter nor margarine, but olive oil, avocado oil, and other vegetable-based spreads. 7 In baked goods, consider substituting applesauce, nut butters, or squash purees for butter. Dip your crusty piece of bread into some olive oil.