Can you substitute oil for butter in cookie recipes? (I asked this a few days ago but didn't get an answer)

Question

I'm trying to make healthier, low-fat cookies, so I'd like to eliminate the butter and use oil instead. If yes, have you done this successfully and how do you convert the amount? If you say no, do you know any websites that have cookies made with oil? Thanks!!!

Answer 1

i think you need butter but im not sure

Answer 2

If it is a recipe where you cream the butter and sugar, then you can't substitute oil for butter, but if is a recipe in which the butter is melted, you may be able to.  Recipes where the eggs are whipped with the sugar are usually ones where you can use oil.

This recipe sounds good.

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1710,1281...

Also true biscotti usually contain neither butter or oil

Answer 3

I know that you want healthier foods.   I, myself, try to cook healthy meals for my family.    However, I have found that some things are just not as good for you as others.    Cookies at our house are a treat and, therefore, I  don't experiment with those too much since I want for them to be a treat.  

If you use oil in place of the butter, you will not like the taste and texture of the traditional cookies.     Chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin and  sugar will not taste the same.    It will be a huge waste.  

You could substitute (with good results) half of the butter with unsweetened applesauce; pureed prunes or pureed bananas.      I have used the jars of baby food for convenience.      You could use mini chocolate chips to cover more area than regular chocolate chips.     The fat free/low fat versions of margarine do not work well in cookies.     I usually use real butter.       The bake time will be different than the recipe states if you modify the ingredients, so watch closely.

As a side note, I have used a can of sprite to mix up a yellow or white cake mix.    No egg or oil.    Just the dry cake mix and the soda.     For a dark cake mix, use a dark colored soda like coke.      Bake at the usual temperature.     The cake will be moister than usual.    

Answer 4

Oil doesn't work well as a subsitute for butter in cookie making.  You could use hard margarine or shortening instead.

Answer 5

the thing with oil is the different consistency.  Most cookie recipes ask you to 'cream' the butter, add the sugar and then cream again.  This step can't be done with oil.  I am betting that with oil, your cookies will come out greasy looking.  That also happens if the butter is too warm or soft when using it.  It doesn't mix correctly with the sugar. Rather than using oil instead, I would suggest using less butter and adding some pureed fruit to make up the difference.  Applesauce  or bananas come to mind.  .

Answer 6

There are a ton of answers to this question here:

http://answers.yahoo.com/search/search_r...

But the short answer is no.  However, you can cut the fat in muffins, loaves and cookies by half and replace it with applesauce, prune paste, bananas, low fat yogurt or buttermilk. Be careful not to overbake when you do this, because baked goods with less fat dry out easily.  

Answer 7

Butter is always the best way to make cookies. Make your cookies smaller than the recipe calls for then you can have a couple. If you bake them a little longer they will get harder and the taste will last longer.

Oil is not a healthier alternate.  

Answer 8

Baked goods made with oil substituted for butter tend to be flatter and denser, but cookies would still be edible. You would just have a texture difference with a slight taste difference.

You can use a bit of pumpkin, yogurt or applesauce to substitute for part of the butter.

Or, you can use part oil and part butter

Some of the denser vegetable or light margarines will also do fine. I suggest Smart Balance Light.

While I can't seem to locate a healthy cookie recipe site, I can recommend a great book. "Good for You Cookies" by Jane Dieckman. Unfortunately, the book is out of print so you are stuck buying used or out of print.

From the aforementioned book:

Yogurt Cookies

1/3 cup honey or less

3 Tablespoons oil

1/3 cup plain or flavored yogurt

1 Tablespoon grated orange rind

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, well beaten (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup crunchy dry cereal ( crisp rice or wheat flakes)

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup rolled oats or 2 heaping Tablespoons oat bran

1/2 cup seedless raisins

     Blend honey and oil. Mix in the yogurt, orange rind and eggs. Then stir in dry ingredients and raisins.

     Drop by teaspoon onto a lightly greased cookie sheet at 400 degrees. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until set.

Answer 9

http://www.foodsubs.com/  I love this site for cooking subs

It doesn't say about butter/oil combination of substitutes - but honestly half the fun of cooking is subbing - I personally would not substitute oil for butter -

FOUND THIS::

If you wish to substitute butter for oil, use 1 1/4 cup butter for 1 cup oil.