How Much Canola Oil to Substitute for Butter
Works for baking, sauteing, and frying. Canola Oil comes across milder than Butter.
How much canola oil equals one cup of butter?
Use 3/4 cup canola oil per cup butter.
Health notes
Compared with Butter, Canola Oil has: more calories (884 vs 717 per 100g in Butter), more fat (100g vs 81.1g per 100g in Butter), less saturated fat (7.4g vs 50.5g per 100g in Butter), and less protein (0g vs 0.9g per 100g in Butter).
Using canola oil as a butter substitute in baking
3/4 cup per cup butter; add pinch of salt. Cakes stay moist.
Other cooking methods
- Sauteing
3/4 cup per cup; neutral flavor. Use medium heat.
- Frying
3/4 cup per cup; good for shallow frying.
- Slow Cook
3/4 cup per cup; adds body without dairy.
- Grilling
3/4 cup per cup; brush on lean proteins.
Methods to avoid (3)
- Steaming
Not recommended: oil won't emulsify in steam.
- Raw Cold
Not recommended: liquid oil won't firm like butter.
- Drinks
Not recommended: oily mouthfeel in drinks.
FAQ
- How much canola oil equals one cup of butter?
Use 3/4 cup canola oil per cup butter.
- Can I substitute canola oil for Butter in baking?
Yes. 3/4 cup per cup butter; add pinch of salt. Cakes stay moist. Not recommended: oil won't emulsify in steam.
- How much canola oil to use as a butter substitute?
Add a pinch of salt or splash of browned butter for depth.
- How does the flavor change when substituting Canola Oil for Butter?
Canola oil comes across milder than butter.
- How does texture change when substituting Canola Oil for Butter?
Canola oil softer crumb, less spread in cookies, paler tops.
- What else should I know about substituting Canola Oil for Butter?
For cakes, muffins, sauteing, and frying. Expect a softer, moister crumb with less golden color. Skip cookies, laminated dough, and recipes that depend on butter browning. Canola won't cream with sugar like butter. Add a pinch of salt to sharpen flavor. Taste as you go and adjust salt or sweetener before serving.
- What still works when substituting Canola Oil for Butter?
Canola oil still works as a fat, emulsifier, flavor carrier, moisture barrier, and browning agent.
- How well does Canola Oil match Butter?
Canola oil is good on structure, good on heat, and stretch on flavor.
- How does nutrition compare per 100g when substituting Canola Oil for Butter?
Canola oil is slightly higher in calories and fat, and has about x7 fewer sat. fat. Canola oil has no protein, while butter has some.
- How do the flavor notes shift when substituting Canola Oil for Butter?
The flavor shifts toward less sweet notes.