Few things are as comforting as a big bowl of buttered popcorn or a slice of homemade bread slathered in butter. But if you’re vegan, dairy butter is off the table. Luckily, you don’t have to give up that buttery taste. There are more vegan butter alternatives today than ever before, and many are so good you’ll hardly miss the real thing.
Vegan butter comes in a variety of flavors and textures, so no matter how you plan to use it, there’s an option for you.
What Is Vegan Butter?
Butter is a staple in baking, adding fat that helps create structure and texture in pastries, pie crusts, and cakes. It coats flour to prevent gluten from overdeveloping and traps air bubbles to improve texture and act as a leavening agent. Without it, baked goods can fall flat.
While traditional butter is made from dairy milk, many vegan alternatives are now available. Vegan butter can be made from ingredients like coconut oil, soy, and even peanuts, and some products are specifically formulated to mimic the texture and consistency of regular butter for baking. Others are better as spreads.
Be cautious with margarine, as many brands contain animal products like whey, lactose, casein, and caseinate. Always check the ingredients list to be sure.
What’s The Deal With Palm Oil?
To replicate the solid-at-room-temperature but meltable quality of regular butter, many vegan butters use palm oil. This oil, derived from the fruit of the palm tree, is used in many products, from soap to cosmetics to food.
However, palm oil production has severe environmental impacts. The World Wildlife Fund notes that an area the size of 300 football fields is cleared every hour for palm oil production, threatening species like the orangutan and the Sumatran tiger with extinction.
Some vegan butter brands are addressing these concerns by sourcing sustainable palm oil, such as Melt Organic, which uses Rainforest Alliance Certified palm oil. However, not all brands disclose their sources, so consumers need to demand more transparency.
Palm oil can be listed under various names, including:
– PKO (Palm Kernel Oil)
– PKO fractionations (Palm Kernel Stearin, Palm Kernel Olein)
– Elaeis Guineensis
– Glyceryl Stearate
– Stearic Acid
– PHPKO (Partially Hydrogenated Palm Oil)
– FPKO (Fractionated Palm Oil)
– OPKO (Organic Palm Kernel Oil)
If you want to avoid palm oil, coconut oil offers a similar texture without the environmental downsides.
9 Top Vegan Butters to Try
The best vegan butter for you depends on your needs. Baking butters differ from spreadable ones, and some mimic traditional butter flavors while others stay true to their own ingredients. Here are some top picks:
1. Earth Balance
– Known as the go-to vegan butter, Earth Balance offers various textures for spreading and baking, using sustainably harvested palm oil, olive oil, soybeans, flax, and canola oil.
2. Miyoko’s Kitchen
– Ideal for baking, Miyoko’s Kitchen vegan butter comes in blocks and is made from cashews, organic coconut, safflower, and sunflower oil, with no palm oil.
3. Wayfare Whipped
– Often found in specialty stores, this butter is made by former dairy farmers and comes in flavors like sweet cinnamon and savory garlic.
4. Melt Organic
– Uses Rainforest Alliance Certified palm oil and comes in flavors like chocolate, honey, and original butter. It includes plant-based oils like coconut, canola, sunflower, and flaxseeds.
5. Ellyndale Organics
– This spread uses infused virgin coconut oil, making it a robust nondairy product suitable for almost any kind of cooking.
6. Plant-Based Oils
– Sometimes, simple plant-derived oils like olive, coconut, and sesame seed oil can replace vegan butter in cooking.
7. Nutiva’s Organic Coconut Oil with Butter Flavor
– This coconut oil-based butter uses organic red palm oil and non-GMO sunflower, coconut, and mint, making it a versatile cooking ingredient.
8. Nuttzo Organic Vegan Power Fuel Seven Nut and Seed Butter
– A protein-packed nut butter alternative filled with hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, chia seeds, Brazil nuts, and pumpkin seeds.
9. Sneaky Chef No-Nut Butters
– Made from peas, palm oil, and powdered sugar, this nut-free butter is perfect for those with allergies.
How to Make Your Own Vegan Butter
If you want complete control over your vegan butter ingredients, try making your own. Here are a few simple recipes:
1. Nut-free, Soy-free Vegan Butter
– Made with coconut oil, sea salt, canola oil, and non-dairy milk.
2. Cashew Coconut Butter
– Uses cashew puree for a creamy, solid texture.
3. Aquafaba Butter
– Combines chickpea water with rapeseed and coconut oil and apple cider vinegar for a unique flavor.
Experiment with these options to find your perfect vegan butter!
