Okay, so I’ve been seeing a lot of “no butter” recipes floating around lately. I gotta admit, I was skeptical. Butter is, like, a cornerstone of baking, right? But my friend swore she had a killer chocolate chip cookie recipe that used zero butter, and I was intrigued (and also, she promised me cookies). So, I decided to dive in and try a few myself. My mission? To find some decent baked goods that skip the butter.
The First Attempt: Chocolate Chip Cookies
First up, naturally, were those chocolate chip cookies my friend raved about. She passed along the recipe, and the main swap was applesauce for butter. I’m used to following recipes.
I grabbed my mixing bowls, measured out the flour, sugar, applesauce, and all that jazz. Mixed it all up – the batter was definitely wetter than I’m used to, almost like a cake batter. Folded in the chocolate chips (because, duh, those are essential). Dropped spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, and popped them in the oven.
The result? They were…interesting. Not bad, per se, but definitely not your classic, buttery, chewy chocolate chip cookie. They were softer, almost cake-like. Still tasty, but not quite the same texture. My kids devoured them, though, so that’s a win in my book!
Moving On: Banana Bread
Next, I figured I’d try something where the missing butter might be less noticeable: banana bread. I already usually make a pretty moist banana bread, so I thought swapping out the butter for something else might work well. I found a recipe online that used vegetable oil instead of butter.
- Mashed up some super ripe bananas.
- Whisked together the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- Mixed in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, etc.).
- Stirred it all together, poured it into a loaf pan, and baked it.
This one was much more successful! The banana bread was moist, flavorful, and had a great texture. You honestly couldn’t tell it was missing butter. I think the oil really helped keep it from drying out, and the banana flavor is strong enough that you don’t miss the buttery richness as much.
Last Test: Muffins
Feeling confident after the banana bread, I decided to try a batch of blueberry muffins, again looking for a no-butter recipe. This time, I found one that used Greek yogurt instead of butter. I’ve used Greek yogurt in baking before to add moisture, so I was optimistic.
I followed the recipe, pretty standard muffin procedure: combine wet ingredients, combine dry ingredients, mix them together gently, fold in the blueberries, and bake.
These were pretty good! The yogurt kept them moist, and they had a nice, tender crumb. Again, not quite the same as a traditional, buttery muffin, but a really solid alternative. My husband, who’s a bit of a muffin connoisseur, actually gave them a thumbs-up.
So, my overall verdict on no-butter recipes? It’s a mixed bag. Some things work better than others. I think it really depends on the recipe and what you’re expecting. If you’re looking for a perfect replica of a classic, buttery treat, you might be disappointed. But if you’re open to something a little different, and you’re trying to cut back on butter for whatever reason, there are definitely some tasty options out there. I’ll keep experimenting, for sure!
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