01
Lard
8.0best for drink7/8 cup : 1 cup
Produces flaky pastry crust; use slightly less, lard has no water content unlike butter's 15-20%
8.0
butter substitute
for drink.
Drink applications — bulletproof coffee, hot buttered rum, chai — ask fat to suspend in a 140-190°F liquid without breaking into a greasy surface slick. Butter's casein lets an immersion blender emulsify it into coffee for a 2-3 minute stable foam; without that protein, fat pools. Substitutes must carry mouthfeel into beverage without oil-slick appearance, dissolve sugar at 170°F, and not curdle under acid (like from a citrus twist). This page ranks subs by suspension stability first.
top substitutes
adjustment for drink
Lard at 0.875:1 cup fails most drink applications — no casein to emulsify fat into 170°F coffee or hot toddy, so it pools on the surface within 30 seconds. Pork-neutral flavor clashes with sweet drinks. Only useful in experimental savory broths served at 180°F where the fat carries spice aromatics briefly.
02
Chicken Fat
6.0best for drink3/4 cup : 1 cup
Savory with rich poultry flavor; best for frying and roasting potatoes, not suitable for sweet baking
6.0
adjustment for drink
Chicken fat at 0.75:1 cup works only in savory broth-style drinks (consommé, bone broth) at 180°F where the poultry notes amplify umami from kombu or dashi. Melts at 104°F so suspends unevenly even with a whisk; no casein emulsifier. Skip for sweet drinks — schmaltz clashes with sugar.
03
Cream
10.01 cup : 1 1/2 cup
Whip cold cream to soft peaks for richness; use half the amount as butter, adds silky mouthfeel
10.0
adjustment for drink
Cream at 1:1.5 cup suspends instantly in hot drinks at 170°F because casein emulsifies with water readily; adds lasting mouthfeel through 36% fat and dissolves sucrose in 10-15 seconds with a stir. No need for immersion blender. Doesn't curdle below pH 4.5 from a citrus twist, unlike plain butter in an acidic toddy.
show 8 more substitutes
04
Salted Butter
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Add pinch of salt per stick
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Salted butter at 1:1 tbsp works in drinks like hot buttered rum, where 1.5% salt sharpens the rum-molasses pairing and the casein emulsifies into 170°F liquid with a 30-second stir. Skip in bulletproof coffee where added salt would over-salt the base; drop 1/4 tsp salt elsewhere in recipe.
05
Stick Butter
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Identical product in stick form; no conversion needed, just unwrap and measure as usual
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Stick butter at 1:1 tbsp suspends cleanly in hot coffee or chai at 170-180°F because casein acts as natural emulsifier — blend for 30-45 seconds with an immersion blender for a 2-3 minute stable foam. Pre-scored tablespoons simplify dosing: 1 tbsp per 8 oz liquid is standard bulletproof ratio.
06
Whipped Butter
10.03 tbsp : 2 tbsp
Whipped has air, use less regular butter
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Whipped butter at 3:2 tbsp incorporates into drinks faster because 30% trapped air accelerates emulsion; blends into 170°F coffee in 15-20 seconds versus regular butter's 30-45. Foam window shorter — 60-90 seconds stable versus 2-3 minutes — so serve immediately. Dose 1.5 tbsp per 8 oz to match stick density.
07
Clarified Butter (Ghee) Butter
7.51 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Pure butterfat with nutty flavor; higher smoke point, use 25% less since no water content
7.5
adjustment for this dish
Clarified butter at 1:1 tbsp (use 25% less since anhydrous) suspends in hot drinks but less stably than whole butter — the removed casein means emulsion relies on phospholipids alone, so foam collapses in 60-90 seconds. Nutty butterfat note suits masala chai at 180°F better than bulletproof coffee.
08
Shortening
6.71 cup : 1 1/8 cup
Produces very flaky crusts and tender cookies; 1:1 by volume, but lacks butter's rich dairy flavor
6.7
09
Coconut Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Similar solid-at-room-temp texture, adds richness
6.7
10
Butter Oil
6.71 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Concentrated milk fat without water; use 20% less and add splash of water for baking moisture
6.7
11
Applesauce
4.01 cup : 1 cup
Use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce per cup butter; reduces fat, adds moisture, best in muffins and cakes
4.0