BEST VEGETABLE OIL SUBSTITUTES FOR BROWNIES

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THE BEST VEGETABLE OIL SUBSTITUTES FOR BROWNIES.

Brownies, oh brownies…. Who doesn’t love a slice of fudgy double chocolate brownies? Especially when they are still warm from the oven!

In my last post I shared my absolute favourite recipe for homemade brownie mix in a jar.

Today I’m going to help you to find a substitute for vegetable oil, in case you don’t want to use it, or just don’t have it!

I’m going to give you an extensive list of the best vegetable oil substitutes for brownies.

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Dear friend, I hope you had the chance to check the post “easy chocolate brownies recipe in a jar“.

That recipe makes the perfect brownies every time. 

In that post I also gave you a great FREE printable with all instructions and very cute labels that you can print out and use to decorate your DIY gift jars.

I hope you had the chance to check that post and get the free downloadable labels.

In case you missed it:

EASY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES RECIPE IN A JAR

THE BEST VEGETABLE OIL SUBSTITUTES FOR BROWNIES

Brownies are definitively one of my favourite dessert (or treat!) and I bake them very often.

Naturally, they are not the healthiest of treats.

If you are worried about their fat content, or are concerned about the potential harmful effects of vegetable oil, or simply don’t have it when you are ready to bake, there are a lot of substitutes that you could use instead.

In this post I’ll go through some of the best vegetable oil substitutes for brownies.

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can you make brownies without vegetable oil?

No matter what type of brownies you are making, there are a few ingredients that you must use in order to get the best results.

If you want to avoid using vegetable oil, thankfully there are plenty of substitutes out there.

do you need vegetable oil for brownies? HOW DOES VEGETABLE OIL AFFECT BAKING?

In order to be able to swap vegetable oil for another ingredient, it’s important to understand what function it has in baking brownies.

From the website “blogchef.net“:

“We must understand the role of oil in making brownies before we try to substitute it for something else, as this ensures we are replacing it correctly. The biggest function oil plays in brownies (and any other dessert) is keeping them moist by slowing down gluten formation to keep them tender and fluffy in texture. Baking with oil also helps in binding all other ingredients together. So when substituting oil, you should pay attention to how your alternate ingredients can perform these two tasks.”

THE BENEFITS OF BAKING WITHOUT USING OILS

Generally speaking, oils can be a healthy source of good fats.

However, that is not true for all oils!

Some types of oil, such as canola oil, sunflower oil or sesame oil, are very high in polyunsaturated omega-6 fats, which could have a negative impact on your health.

Moreover, hydrogenated oils are extremely unhealthy as they contain trans fats. Those are linked to obesity, high blood pressure, bad cholesterol increase, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Unfortunately, hydrogenated oils are often found in processed foods and take aways. 

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF VEGETABLE OIL FOR BROWNIES?

There are plenty of options out there, and we are going to talk about some of them.

Some examples of a great substitute are butter, applesauce, mashed bananas, coconut oil, etc.

How to choose the best vegetable oils substitute for brownies?

Considering how many options are available when it comes to swap vegetable oil in brownies, it can be difficult to know which ones are the best substitutes.

Before deciding, you might want to consider:

Flavour and taste

Vegetable oil has a very mild taste. Therefore, you might want to consider if the alternative might be too strong for you. While I love coconut oil and use it for many recipes, I find its flavour too strong for a brownie recipe. My kids don’t like it at all, so for me coconut oil is not a valid alternative when baking brownies.

Consistency

Vegetable oil is obviously a liquid oil. Consider consistency when choosing a substitute. Some ingredients will require you to adjust the amount of dry and/or wet ingredients used in the brownie mix.

Availability

If you don’t like to waste food, sometimes you will be forced to choose one ingredient over another. For example you might have ripe bananas or avocados that need using as soon as possible! In that case you might want to use them instead of oil or applesauce for example.

Price

Vegetable oil is quite cheap to buy, but some replacements such as coconut oil are a bit pricier. Budget of course is an important factor to consider when choosing a substitute.

Health benefits

Not all oils are create equal! I personally am not a big fun of vegetable oil, and I try to avoid it as much as possible. Whenever possible, I prefer to use olive oil or coconut oil. The last one in particular is widely known for its many health benefits.

Allergies

If you suffer from any food intolerance or allergy, naturally you need to stay away from certain ingredients. That is particularly true for who suffers from a nut allergy for example. In that case you need to avoid oils such as peanut or walnut oil.

Fat content

If your original recipe calls for vegetable oil, but you want your finished product to have fewer calories, thankfully there are a few options. An excellent low-fat substitute to any amount of vegetable oil is yogurt or buttermilk for example. A good idea would also be to use applesauce or a fruit puree of your choice.

THE BEST VEGETABLE OIL SUBSTITUTES FOR BROWNIES: A LIST OF THE MOST COMMON USED

Here’s an exhaustive list of some of the most common and best vegetable oil substitutes for brownies.

When it comes to baking time, the following are guidelines only.

Always make sure to test your brownies before removing them from the oven. For best results, always follow the instructions provided with your original recipe.

APPLESAUCE

Applesauce is simply a puree made out of cooked apples. You can easily make your own for an healthier version, as the store bought one normally has a high sugar content.

When used in brownies, applesauce is a low fat substitute for vegetable oil, ideal if you want to limit calories.

Applesauce has a very mild taste, and it will not change the flavour of your homemade brownies.

If you are using a store bought product, be mindful of the sugar content in it. To avoid baking brownies that are too sweet, just slightly reduce the amount of sugar you add to your mix. Unsweetened applesauce is a very good option, if you can find it.

Because of its consistency, applesauce can make your brownies mix a bit drier, compared to a batter made using vegetable oil. In that case, just add a little extra liquid to the mix, and reduce the baking time by just a couple of minutes (always test the brownies before taking them out of the oven).

As a general rule, replace 1 cup of vegetable oil with 3/4 cup of applesauce.

MASHED BANANAS

Mashed bananas are a great, healthy alternative to vegetable oil.

Moreover, using them comes in very handy when you have very ripe ones left in your fruit basket and don’t know how to use them.

Mashed bananas give your brownies a lovely, soft and moist consistency.

As a guideline, replace the vegetable oil amount needed in the recipe with the same amount of mashed bananas. Only use very ripe bananas and make sure to mash them thoroughly, to avoid having lumps in the final product.

Just like when using applesauce, bananas can make your brownies a bit dry. In that case, add a little bit of extra liquid in the batter, and cook for a couple of minutes less than what the recipe indicates.

Lastly, if your recipe already calls for bananas, do not use extra, mashed ones to replace vegetable oil. Your brownies will be very soggy otherwise, and the banana flavour might be too overpowering. 

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PUREE

Following the same general rules as when using applesauce or mashed bananas, you can use other types of fruit or vegetable puree in your brownie recipe.

Be mindful to always opt for very ripe fruit, and choose those with a milder taste, for a more pleasant result.

When using vegetables, make sure to cook them before using them. To be honest, it is nearly impossible to mash a raw vegetable!

Good options are avocados, pumpkins and sweet potatoes for example.

CORNSTARCH

I admit that cornstarch doesn’t immediately come to mind when I think about a baking substitute for vegetable oil!

Having said that, you can indeed use it with good results.

In order to utilise this ingredient, you need to first create a little paste, or cream, with it. You can’t simply add a few teaspoons of powdered cornstarch to your brownie batter.

Simply put a few tablespoons of cornstarch with a little water in a small pot, and mix thoroughly over low heat. Add water slowly, till you reach the desired consistency.

The cornstarch mix should be almost like a cream: runny but not liquid.

Use in your recipe as soon as it cools down.

When it comes to quantities, you can use a 1:1 ratio: if the recipe calls for a cup of vegetable oil, you will need a cup of cornstarch.

Cornstarch will not change the flavour and taste of your brownies.

SHORTENING

Vegetable shortening can be easily used as a substitute for vegetable oil in any recipe.

This ingredient is simply a vegetable oil in solid form.

The process used to turn liquid into a solid or semi-solid form is called Hydrogenation.

Because it comes from vegetable oil, shortening has the same flavour, so it will not impact the final product of your recipe.

The only tip needed when using it, would be to warming it up slightly beforehand, to make the mixing process easier. Use the same amount of shortening as you would if using vegetable oil.

I don’t use shortening in my kitchen, as I consider it extremely unhealthy and harmful. It does indeed contain trans fats, which are linked to increased risk of heart disease and strokes.

MARGARINE

Margarine is not an ingredient that you would find in my home, as I don’t see it as a healthy option in any type of food preparation.

What is margarine?

Margarine is a spread made of a mix of different types of vegetable oils, as opposed to butter, which is made from cow’s milk.

The reason why margarine is bad for you is clearly explained in this article from the “Cleveland Clinic”:

”Margarine may contain trans fat, which raises LDL (bad) cholesterol, lowers HDL (good) cholesterol and makes blood platelets stickier, increasing heart disease risk. Margarine containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils contain trans fats and should be avoided.”

This ingredient is readily available and it is cheaper than butter, so it is indeed an ingredient often used in cooking.

Its consistency is very similar to that of butter, so, if using it, you can follow the same guidelines, i.e. it can be used following the same ratio as butter. Also, in order to mix your ingredients thoroughly, you will have to use melted margarine, and not the solid form.

IS SHORTENING THE SAME AS MARGARINE?

If you are wondering if those 2 ingredients are the same, the short answer is no.

For a more detailed explanation, you can read this post from “bhg.com“.

BUTTER

I admit to be extremely partial to butter! I absolutely love its taste, and the creaminess it gives to any dish. In my opinion, butter is always the perfect substitute to any type of oil when creating sweet dishes.

When baking, I do indeed tend to always use butter instead of any oil. After all, I’m trying to create a delicious treat!

Although divine in taste, butter is not the healthiest option, due to its high fat content.

Moreover, if you are vegan or simply follow a dairy-free diet, you need to stay away from butter.

In order to work out the quantity of butter needed, follow a 1:1 ratio: if the brownie recipe calls for 1 cup of vegetable oil, replace it with 1 cup of butter, melted. 

If using butter, it is important to melt it beforehand, and let it cool slightly before adding the rest of the ingredients. In particular be very careful when adding eggs to melted butter, or you will have scrambled eggs in your brownies!

Using butter in place of vegetable oil will give your brownies a rich and moisture consistency. Hence, when you are cooking them, make sure to let them bake for a couple of minutes extra, in order to achieve the same texture.

YOGURT AND BUTTERMILK

If you don’t mind using dairy ingredients in your recipes, then you can substitute vegetable oil with either yogurt or buttermilk.

This swap will give your brownies a lower fat content.

Both can be used as follows: for a 1/2 cup of oil, use 1/4 cup of yogurt or buttermilk.

If using yogurt, plain, unflavoured one is often the best choice. You can of course use flavoured yogurt, but bear in mind that the brownies will have the same taste. In other words, if you don’t fancy brownies that taste like pineapple or peaches, then you might just stick to plain yogurt. On the other hand, vanilla or coconut yogurt work very well for any chocolate based recipe.

Furthermore, when choosing yogurt, I find that it’s best to avoid Greek yogurt. Generally speaking, Greek yogurt is quite thick and heavy, so it would be best to use a liquid type of yogurt instead.

When baking the brownies, reduce the cooking time by about ten minutes, or your brownies will be too dry.

COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil is a very healthy option when used in any type of cooking and baking.

Its health benefits are widely known, and this is a truly versatile ingredient.

In particular, one of the main properties of this type of oil, is that it has a very high smoke point, making it ideal when frying food or cooking at very high temperatures.

Coconut oil is extracted by boiling coconut milk, till almost all liquid evaporates, living behind the oil.

This oil is ideal when following a plant based diet.

On the downside, the taste of coconut oil is very strong, and some people might find it too overpowering. To remedy this issue, you can easily just add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to your batter or mix.

Coconut oil generally comes in a solid form. Therefore, you will need to melt it before use. This is especially true when you are trying to work out the exact amount to use, in order to substitute vegetable oil.

As a general rule, use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil by using a 1:1 ratio (make sure to measure the coconut oil when in liquid form).

PEANUT BUTTER (OR ANY NUT BUTTER)

Can I substitute peanut butter for oil in brownies? Yes, you most certainly can.

I love using nut butters in many recipes. You can make delicious cookies, breads and cakes by adding a little peanut or almond butter to your mix.

Nut butters add good fats to your food, but should be used in moderation, due to their high calorie count.

Naturally, if you have any nut allergy you MUST avoid nut butters completely! 

To use, simply substitute half the amount of fat in the recipe with your nut butter of choice.

For example, if your recipe calls for 1 cup of vegetable oil, use 1/2 a cup of oil, and 1/2 cup of nut butter.

The result will be absolutely delicious, nutty and melt in the mouth brownies!

For extra yumminess, add half a teaspoon of salt to your recipe.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Can extra virgin olive oil be used instead of vegetable oil in brownies?

Yes, it can! After all olive oil is used to make vegetable oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is by far an healthier option than vegetable oil. It is extracted using natural methods, and it is rich in good fatty acids. Also, it contains antioxidants that are helpful in fighting many diseases. Lastly, olive oil is also lower in calories than vegetable oil. Therefore, brownies baked using extra virgin olive oil will be lighter.

However, vegetable oil gives a neutral flavour and a mild taste to your baked goods, whereas olive oil is very strong.

I personally tend to use olive oil only when cooking. Never in baking. I find the very distinctive taste of olive oil too strong in cakes and desserts, so I don’t really consider it as a valid substitute for vegetable oil.

If available, you could use light olive oil as well.

When using olive oil, substitute one cup of olive oil for one cup of vegetable oil.

SUNFLOWER OIL

Sunflower oil is also used in the production of vegetable oil. For this reason, it can be used as a substitute to it.

Made by pressing sunflower seeds, it is high in vitamin E and it has a neutral flavour.

When using it, because it has the same consistency of vegetable oil, simply replace 1 cup with 1 cup.

AVOCADO OIL

Avocado oil is a super oil to use in your kitchen.

It is very flavoursome, and it has a high smoke point, making it very safe when frying or cooking at high temperatures. 

Despite its many health benefits, avocado oil is not frequently found in homes, as it is quite expensive.

Made by pressing the pulp of avocados, it will make your brownies creamier and moist, without interfering or changing their taste.

Use 1 cup of avocado oil for 1 cup of vegetable oil.

OTHER OILS 

There are many more oils that you can use as substitutes to vegetable oil.

To mention a few:

• canola oil, 
• peanut oil,
• rapeseed oil, 
• walnut oil, 
• soybean oil, 
• sesame oil

I haven’t yet used any of them in my home baking, but of course you could experiment…..if you feel adventurous!

I normally stick to butter when baking, and only occasionally I use vegetable oil.

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If you are looking for more ideas, I highly recommend you check my friend Brandi’s blog. She has a fantastic post on “How to Make Chocolate Pudding from Scratch with No Corn Starch”:

How to Make Chocolate Pudding from Scratch with No Corn Starch

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the best vegetable oil substitutes for brownies

I hope next time you bake, you will try any of the vegetable oil substitutes for brownies I listed above.

Please let me know if you try any of the above substitutes, and leave a comment below to tell everyone what did you think of the result.

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