There are a few reasons you may want to bake without using oil. Many people call oil the most calorically dense food on earth: it comes in at a whopping 4,000 calories per pound, as compared to something like an avocado, which has about 750 calories per pound. Now that may seem crazy, and of course you are never going to sit down and eat a pound of oil, but keeping foods calorically light is a good way to lose weight and maximize your calorie intake for the day.
Staying slim and eating efficiently is all about getting as many nutrients as you can in slightly fewer calories than the average person. Oil contains very little in the way of helpful nutrients--sometimes there are omega-3 fatty acids, and some substitute oils, like coconut oil, do have antioxidants and other properties, but for the most part, the nutrients you get from oil are fairly negligible. Some people stop using oil because they are eating a whole or unprocessed diet, and oil simply does not fit in this category. But maybe the most common reason for needing an oil substitute is even simpler than all of these--maybe you just ran out of oil and dont have time to go to the store! No matter your reason for baking without oil today, you will find a surprising number of substitutes for almost any recipe!
Some substitutions in recipes can get really finicky, but for the most part, these oil substitutions are pretty simple. Except for the buttermilk we mentioned, all of these substitutes can be added in one-for-one with the amount of oil the recipe calls for. So if you have a recipe that calls for 1/2 cup of oil, you can add in 1/2 cup of yogurt, for instance. You can also mix and match with oil, although we do not necessarily recommend mixing and matching with the substitutes. However, a little oil and a little applesauce will provide a healthier overall product without radically changing the taste or texture!
No matter what you are baking--brownies, cookies, muffins, cakes, etc.--you will feel great about finding a healthier, easier substitute for the oil, especially if it involves using up something extra you have in the fridge! Not all of these substitutions for oil will yield the same end results, so it is always fun to experiment and see what works the best for you! We dare you to try to trick your family--with how delicious these substitutes are, we doubt they will even notice that tomorrow nights brownies are healthier than usual! Try a few and let us know in the comments below which of these oil substitutes is your favorite!
What is the substitution equivalency for removing canola oil and replacing with soy milk in yeasted bread?
That would depend on the specific recipe. Feel free to email Customer Service at [email protected] for assistance!
I have a wonderful quinoa bread recipe that is essentially quinoa (soaked), chia (soaked), baking soda, salt, water, oil and juice of half a lemon. Because I have reflux disease, the use of citrus (lemon juice) isn't the best choice. I'm curious if other bakers or members of Bob's team might be able to speak to why a small amount of citrus juice is used in a recipe like this, and perhaps have a suggestion for a substitute. Thanks in advance for any help!
Aside from flavor elevation, the lemon juice could be necessary to activate the baking soda. Maybe switch out the baking soda for baking powder. You will have to look up the conversion as it’s not a 1:1 swap.
Hi Paula! Please email Customer Service at [email protected].
Hi there! Please email [email protected].
[…] fluffy texture. Additionally, the oil helps to bind ingredients during the baking process (via Bob’s Red Mill).One of the best oil substitutes that can model both effects is applesauce. In addition to […]
[…] Remplacer l’huile par quelque chose de plus sain ou moins cher nécessite de comprendre la fonction principale de huile de cuisson. Lorsque la pâte ou la pâte est chauffée à un certain point, l’eau passe à l’état gazeux. Cependant, l’inclusion d’huile réduit l’évaporation tout en ralentissant la formation de gluten, ce qui donne une texture moelleuse et moelleuse. De plus, l’huile aide à lier les ingrédients pendant le processus de cuisson (via Le moulin rouge de Bob). […]
[…] Changing oil with one thing more healthy or cheaper requires understanding the principle operate of oil in baking. When dough or batter is heated to a sure level, water strikes right into a gaseous state. Nevertheless, the inclusion of oil reduces evaporation whereas slowing the formation of gluten, leading to a moist, fluffy texture. Moreover, the oil helps to bind substances through the baking course of (by way of Bob’s Red Mill). […]
Does subbing applesauce for oil in dessert breads (for ex., zucchini) change the baking time? Thanks--
Hi JJ - It shouldn't, but when substituting ingredients it's always a good idea to keep a close eye on the bake. Look for visual cues of doneness like browning, pulling away from the sides of the pan, or poking the interior with a cake tester.
Hi and thanks for the recommendations which I have yet to try. I would like to share my success with dried Prunes for brownies to substitute the oil. I put the prunes in a blender/bullet and add water until it has a consistency like apple sauce. It works great for any dark cakes, too. (Do not use baby prune puree)
Hi, one recipe that I have has 3/4 cup of oil for cookies. I tried subbing all applesauce and they came out spongy and doughy. What do you recommend substituting the oil for?
Hi Chantal, in that case I would scale back the applesauce and still include oil. Perhaps try only substituting half the oil for applesauce. It sounds like two things happened: the applesauce added too much liquid/moisture to the cookie and the lack of fat (oil) eliminated any crisping of the cookie, resulting in a spongy, doughy cookie.
Can I sub oil in a cake for coconut water? What would 1 cup of oil equal in coconut water?
Hi Hilary, we haven't tried that. I don't think coconut water would be a good substitution, as there is little to no fat.
I'm just wondering can you use Greek yogurt as an oil substitute in yeast breads or is the oil necessary in yeast bread? Thanks
Hi Shauna, it really depends on the recipe. Oil and fat in yeast bread recipes make the dough smooth, elastic and workable. The addition of fat also helps keeps the bread moist and tender for a longer period of time after baking. Greek yogurt is higher in water percentage and lower in fat which wouldn't yield the same results in a yeast bread. It's a better substitution for oil in things like quick breads, muffins or cake.
Hi Sachie, you can substitute 3/4 cup of greek yogurt for every 1 cup of oil.
I have a bunch of spaghetti squash. Is there any reason that spaghetti squash puree will work as an oil substitute? I have found very few, but mixed answers on the Internet.
Thank you!
Hi Lisa - that's not something we have experience with. If you do try it, I'm sure others would find your feedback useful.
Hi Linda - that's not something we've tried. If you try it in a recipe, we'd love to hear your results!
Hi Tammy! The moisture content will vary a bit with the oil substitutes. If you find that the batter/dough is too runny or wet, you can add a bit more flour but you would not need to increase the baking powder or baking soda.
If you have more questions or need further help troubleshooting a recipe, please reach out to our Customer Service team at 1-800-349-2173 or [email protected]
I've been taking the measuring cup that I would use to measure the exact amt of oil for my recipe, adding a small scoop of nut butter to that measuring cup, then filling the measuring cup the rest of the way with water. Then I blenderize the contents of the measuring cup in a nutribullet-type small blender. My recipes have been turning out well so far using this method. I think the fat in a baked quick bread recipe can be reduced, but not eliminated entirely. Even a scant tablespoon of a whole food fat like nut butter really makes a significant improvement esp. when emulsified with water as I described.
Also, a table spoon or more of silken tofu from a tetra box can also improve baked goods when blenderized along with the nut (or seed, for those with allergies) butter.
Would avacado work? Seems like a high oil content vegetable, but smooth and sort of a benign tasting substitute.
Yes, avacado oil is a great substitute.
Great article, but the piece of info I wanted most was about the buttermilk, if a recipe calls for one cup of oil, how much buttermilk should I use as oil replacement?
Hi Irene - under the Dairy section here's what we suggest for buttermilk. Enjoy!
"Buttermilk can also work as an oil substitute, but you should mix about three quarters of buttermilk with one quarter of melted butter before subbing it into your batter."
Under the section header "Butter" it is suggested, "butter or margarine will probably be equal or even less healthy than oil would be." However, we now know this is inaccurate. Butter and other animal products have been consumed for thousands of years. Oils are a biproduct marketed to the food industry just during the last century. Oils are inflammatory, and never meant to be consumed the way our culture currently does. Butter is not unhealthy. It has essential nutrition for hormone production. Oils are not healthy at all, and should not be consumed. Currently, oils are contributing to autoimmune disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal diseases, and nutritional deficiencies.