Butter vs Oil: What’s Your Go-To In the Kitchen?

Let’s tackle this highly debated topic.

Have you ever wondered why some baking recipes call for butter while others insist on oil? If so, then this post is for you. When it comes to butter and oil the two are not created equally. Both of these ingredients bring different things to the table, while adding distinct qualities to your baked goods. One is not better than the other, only different.

Many people have strong opinions about this very topic of butter versus oil, which one is better, and which one will give you the best outcome. Do you want to know what I think? I say it depends on what you’re trying to achieve with your baked goods, Are you looking for a sturdier structure for a tiered cake, if so then butter is what you’ll want to reach for. Or are you trying to achieve a more cloud like, chiffon texture, then go with the oil.

Fat is a key ingredient in baking, let’s dive right in and discuss why.

The Importance of Fat in Baking

Fat plays a major role in baking, it tenderizes, leavens, adds moisture and color to our baked goods. Without the presence of fat in baking gluten develops without hesitation and yields a tough and lack luster end product.

So how exactly does fat accomplish such tasks? Let’s break it down.

Fat tenderizes baked goods by coating flour and starches, minimizing the contact with moisture and weakening the gluten bonds ensuring that each bite has a smooth texture.

Fat also causes aids in leavening by trapping air in our batters and doughs. Most importantly fat helps to create that beautiful golden brown color that we’ve come to expect from our baked goods, while also adding in moisture by coating the tongue and creating a lavish mouthfeel.

So the moral of the story is that we need fat to produce the baked goodies that we all love so much but the debate begins when deciding which kind of fat yields the best results.

Saturated vs Unsaturated Fats

In simple terms a saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature while an unsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature. Most saturated fats are derived from animal products with the exception of palm oil and coconut oil which are acquired from plants.

Saturated fats and unsaturated fats play different roles in baking. Saturated fats add elasticity and flakiness while aerating doughs and batters. On the other hand unsaturated fats add extra tenderness. Unsaturated fats are also great when you’re in a pinch and you’re short on time, they are also less expensive than their counterpart.

Butter is classified as an unsaturated fat, while oil is an unsaturated fat.

Deciding When to Use Butter vs Oil

Alright, let’s get into the nitty gritty! How do you know when to use butter and when to resort to oil?

If you’re planning on refrigerating your baked goods or serving it chilled you’ll want to opt for oil in the recipe. Cold butter has a greasy mouth feel. While oil adds more tenderness to baked goods it does not do much for adding flavor so you’ll want to use oil in a recipe with stronger flavors. If you’ve ever had to throw together some pastries in a rush you know you don’t have time to sit butter out at room temperature and wait for it soften so in this case oil would be your go to in the recipe.

Now if you’re making a recipe that calls for aerating the batter you’ll need to use butter. When you cream butter and sugar together air is incorporated into the batter adding lift to your baked goods and creating a lighter texture. The longer butter and sugar are creamed together the more aerated the mixture becomes which ultimately determines the texture of the final product. Butter also adds a flakiness and elasticity in dough that oil just simply cannot achieve. Not to mention FLAVOR, FLAVOR, FLAVOR!

Substituting Oil for Butter

When substituting fats in a recipe here are a few important things that you should know. Butter is 80% fat and 20% liquid while oil is 100% fat. So what does this mean? Basically if you are using oil in place of butter in a recipe a one to one swap will not give you the results you are looking for. For the best results decrease the amount of oil being added by 15%-20%.

Before deciding to substitute a fat in a recipe check the techniques being used in that recipe. Does the recipe call for creaming? Cutting fat into the flour? Folding? Kneading? Etc. In this instance where a recipe is calling for one of these techniques you’ll need to be mindful of the type of oil you swap for in the recipe. An oil that is typically solid at room temperature will usually work best for these swaps such as coconut oil or even palm oil.

Enjoying The Best of Both Worlds

It’s absolutely possible to enjoy the best of both worlds when it comes to using butter and oil in your recipes. Adding both butter and oil to your recipes will give your treats the pleasant buttery flavor while keeping them tender and moist with a lighter and more delicate crumb. The addition of oil into your recipe will also help your baked goods age better as the days go on.

An all butter cake is usually denser, while an all oil cake tends to lack some of that rich flavor. Why not use them both?

Ultimately when it comes to deciding whether to use butter or oil in your recipe don’t be swayed by the vast amount of people on the internet telling you which one is better than the other. Decide what you are trying to achieve with your treats and what you’d like the end product to be, that will tell you which type of fat to use. Although butter and oil add very different qualities to your treats neither is better than the other, only different.