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Margarine Substitutes for Baking & Cooking

7 Best Substitutes for Margarine

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Margarine substitutes vary in texture and flavor depending on your cooking or baking needs. Choose options that melt like margarine or stay solid to match your recipe's requirements effectively.
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Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Baking, Cooking, Substitutes
Cuisine: General
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Butter Richer, creamier flavor; use as a 1:1 swap
  • 1 cup Coconut Oil Slight coconut aroma; use as a 1:1 swap; refined is milder
  • 0.75 cup Vegetable Oil Neutral flavor, more liquid; use ¾ cup per 1 cup margarine
  • 0.75 cup Olive Oil Fruity, peppery notes; suited for cooking; use ¾ cup per 1 cup margarine
  • 0.5 cup Applesauce Adds moisture, less fat; use ½ cup per 1 cup margarine; unsweetened recommended
  • 1 cup Avocado (mashed) Mild, buttery texture; use equal mashed amount 1:1
  • 1 cup Shortening Very solid, neutral taste; use as a 1:1 swap

Method
 

  1. Choose your substitute based on cooking or baking needs, flavor, and texture compatibility.
  2. For avocados, mash ripe fruit smoothly before measuring to avoid lumps.
  3. Apply the recommended substitution ratio: 1:1 for butter, coconut oil, avocado, and shortening; ¾ cup for vegetable and olive oil per cup margarine; ½ cup for applesauce.
  4. Adjust cooking temperature when using butter to prevent scorching, as it browns faster than margarine.
  5. Chill doughs made with coconut oil slightly to reduce spreading if desired.
  6. Use unsweetened applesauce to control sugar levels in baking.
  7. Expect no browning with vegetable oil as it won't create crust, and use olive oil mainly for savory cooking due to its strong flavor.
  8. For shortening-based doughs, chill for 30 minutes before baking to maintain shape and prevent spreading.
  9. Taste-test final dishes and adjust seasoning or texture as needed based on substitute used.

Notes

Mash avocado smoothly before mixing to avoid gritty texture in baked goods.

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