01
Cream
10.0best for pancakes1 cup : 1 1/2 cup
Whip cold cream to soft peaks for richness; use half the amount as butter, adds silky mouthfeel
10.0
butter substitute
in pancakes.
Butter adds richness to pancakes and keeps them from sticking to the griddle. Melted butter folded into batter yields tender, flavorful cakes.
top substitutes
adjustment for this dish
Cream at 36% fat replaces both the batter butter and some buttermilk: use 1.5 cups per cup of butter, then cut buttermilk by 3/4 cup to keep the batter pourable. The griddle still needs a fat smear — use 1 tsp oil per pancake since cream alone can't grease the surface, and bubble formation at medium heat slows by 20 seconds.
02
Half and Half
10.0best for pancakes1 cup : 7/8 cup
Much thinner; use in sauces and soups where butter's richness is needed but solid fat is not
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Half and half at 12% fat barely adds richness — use 0.875 cup per cup of butter and reduce buttermilk by 1/2 cup. The batter flows thinner, so pour only 1/4 cup per pancake and wait for edges to set fully before you flip. Grease the griddle with a neutral oil since half and half can't carry tender fat to the crumb alone.
03
Salted Butter
10.0best for pancakes1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Add pinch of salt per stick
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Salted butter melts identically to unsalted at the 1:1 tbsp ratio — the 1/4 tsp baked-in salt per half-cup means you should drop the recipe's own salt to zero. Cool the melted butter to 90°F before whisking into the buttermilk so the egg doesn't scramble; the resulting fluffy stack tastes cleaner on the tongue.
show 17 more substitutes
04
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 is interchangeable with block butter at 1:1 tbsp for pancakes — identical 80% fat, identical melt point. The tbsp markings make it easy to portion 2 tbsp for the batter and another 1 tsp for wiping the griddle between pours. Expect the same buttermilk-tender, leaven-risen stack with no recipe tweaks.
05
Whipped Butter
10.03 tbsp : 2 tbsp
Whipped has air, use less regular butter
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Whipped butter holds 30% air, so use 3 tbsp per 2 tbsp of stick butter to match the fat weight in the batter. Melt it fully before whisking with buttermilk — the trapped air escapes during the melt and you lose nothing at medium heat. The griddle-side wipe needs double the volume (2 tsp) to coat the surface evenly for bubble formation.
06
Ghee
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Nutty toasted flavor with higher smoke point; 1:1 swap, dairy-free of casein for lactose-sensitive cooks
10.0
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
08
Lard
8.07/8 cup : 1 cup
Produces flaky pastry crust; use slightly less, lard has no water content unlike butter's 15-20%
8.0
09
Heavy Cream
8.01 cup : 1/3 cup
Whip to soft peaks for frosting or fold into batters; richer than butter but adds no structure
8.0
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
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
12
Coconut Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Similar solid-at-room-temp texture, adds richness
6.7
13
Chicken Fat
6.03/4 cup : 1 cup
Savory with rich poultry flavor; best for frying and roasting potatoes, not suitable for sweet baking
6.0
14
Greek Yogurt
6.01/2 cup : 1 cup
Half the amount, adds tang and moisture
6.0
15
Vegetable Oil
5.01 cup : 7/8 cup
In baking use 7/8 cup, adds rich flavor
5.0
16
Margarine
4.01 cup : 1 cup
1:1 swap for baking; softer texture in cookies, less rich flavor, check label for trans fats
4.0
17
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
18
Olive Oil
4.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Use 3/4 cup olive oil per cup butter; adds fruity flavor, best in savory breads and pizza dough
4.0
19
Avocado Oil
4.03/4 cup : 1 cup
Use 3/4 cup oil per cup butter in baking
4.0
20
Duck Fat
4.01 cup : 1 cup
Savory dishes only, rich flavor for roasting
4.0
technique for pancakes
technique
Pancake butter has two jobs: 2 tbsp melted and cooled to 90°F inside the batter for tender crumb, and a second fresh pat rubbed on the griddle right before each pour for browning. Melt the in-batter butter first so it's 90°F by the time it meets a 40°F egg — hotter and it scrambles the yolk; cooler and it seizes into yellow specks.
Rest the whisked buttermilk batter 10 minutes so flour fully hydrates and gluten relaxes into a fluffy, leaven-ready state; skipping this gives rubbery cakes. Heat the griddle to medium heat, 375°F surface, and wipe excess fat so pools at the edges don't fry the outside before bubbles form across the top at the 90-second mark.
Unlike cake batter, where butter is creamed solid to trap air, pancake butter goes in liquid and relies on baking powder alone for rise. Flip once when bubble holes stay open and the edges look set — a second flip compresses the stack and squeezes out steam..
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Don't whisk melted butter into cold eggs — cool the butter to 90°F first or the yolk scrambles into yellow threads that fleck the batter.
watch out
Avoid a smoking griddle; above 400°F the milk solids burn black before bubbles rise through the fluffy interior, and the tender center stays raw.
watch out
Skip the 10-minute batter rest and gluten seizes, giving rubbery cakes instead of a light, leaven-risen stack.
watch out
Don't flip twice — one flip at the 90-second bubble-open mark is enough; a second press squeezes steam out of the edges and compresses the stack.
watch out
Avoid pooling butter on the griddle between pours; wipe it with a folded paper towel or the next pancake fries with crispy lace instead of a buttermilk-soft edge.