01
Avocado Oil
10.0best for pancakes1 cup : 1 cup
Higher smoke point, great for high-heat cooking
10.0
olive oil substitute
in pancakes.
Olive Oil in Pancakes batter prevents sticking and adds a subtle richness to each bite. The replacement should stay liquid at room mixing temperature.
top substitutes
adjustment for this dish
Avocado oil is a direct 1:1 cup swap for olive oil in pancake batter — pourable, neutral, and zero flavor interference with buttermilk and leavener. Whisk into wet ingredients before the 12-stroke combine with dry. Rest 10 minutes, then ladle onto a 375°F griddle for tender, fluffy stacks.
02
Coconut Oil
10.0best for pancakes1 cup : 1 cup
Adds slight coconut flavor, good for sauteing
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Coconut oil melted to 95°F swaps 1:1 by cup, but add while whisking wet ingredients so it stays liquid through the fold into dry. The saturated fat firms on the cooler buttermilk, giving a slightly denser, richer flavor stack with a mild tropical note that pairs with fruit or maple syrup.
03
Flaxseed Oil
10.0best for pancakes1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Good for dressings and drizzling
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Flaxseed oil (1 tbsp 1:1 partial) blends into the whisked wet mix; its 225°F smoke point is safe because the oil is inside the batter, not on the griddle surface. The tender, fluffy pancake texture holds, and the omega-3 flavor masks under buttermilk tang and leavener rise.
show 16 more substitutes
04
Hazelnut Oil
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Less nutty but works as finisher
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Hazelnut oil at 1 tbsp 1:1 adds a toasted nut note that survives the flip test on a medium heat griddle. Whisk into wet with egg and buttermilk, rest the batter 10 minutes, and ladle to stack. The golden edges carry the hazelnut finish without masking the tender crumb.
05
Walnut Oil
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Good for dressings, less nutty
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Walnut oil (1 tbsp 1:1 partial) shines in buckwheat or whole-wheat pancake variants where the nutty note complements darker flours. Rest the batter 10 minutes after the 12-stroke combine so gluten relaxes, then pour onto a medium heat griddle for tender, flip-clean stacks at the bubble edge.
06
Sesame Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Use light sesame for cooking, toasted to finish
10.0
07
Almond Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Delicate nutty flavor, best for low-heat use
10.0
08
Rice Bran Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Clean neutral taste, popular in Asian cooking
10.0
09
Peanut Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Neutral for frying, higher smoke point
10.0
10
Pesto
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Mix with garlic and parmesan
10.0
11
Margarine
6.71 cup : 3/4 cup
Use less, best for savory baking and cooking
6.7
12
Whipped Butter
6.71 cup : 1/2 cup
Use half volume; works for spreading and cooking
6.7
13
Grapeseed Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Use light/refined for neutral high-heat use
6.7
14
Canola Oil
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Neutral flavor, works in any recipe
5.0
15
Vegetable Oil
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Neutral flavor, best for baking and frying
5.0
16
Corn Oil
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Neutral and affordable, good for frying
5.0
17
Sunflower Oil
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Adds flavor, best for dressings and low-heat use
5.0
18
Safflower Oil
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Very neutral flavor, good all-purpose oil
5.0
19
Butter
4.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Use about 7/8 cup butter per cup oil; adds richness and dairy flavor, solidifies when cool so best in baking
4.0
technique for pancakes
technique
Pancake batter with 3 tbsp olive oil per cup of flour yields a tender crumb because the oil stays liquid at room mixing temperature and coats gluten strands before the buttermilk hydrates them. Whisk dry (flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, sugar, salt) and wet (buttermilk, egg, oil) separately, then combine in 12 strokes — lumps are fine and wanted.
Rest the batter 10 minutes so gluten relaxes. Ladle 1/3 cup per pancake onto a griddle at 375°F medium heat; flip when bubbles cover the surface and the edges look dry (roughly 2 minutes), then cook 60-90 seconds on side two.
Unlike french toast, where olive oil is the pan medium that crisps a pre-soaked bread crust, pancake oil is inside the batter and cooks through for an even, fluffy interior. Unlike waffles, which need whipped egg whites folded in and an iron at 420°F, pancakes are poured flat and stack on a plate in a gentle, uniform rise.
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Avoid whisking the batter smooth — over-mixed batter builds gluten and the pancakes turn tough and flat instead of fluffy.
watch out
Don't skip the 10-minute rest — unrested batter spreads thin on the griddle because gluten has not relaxed.
watch out
Flip only once at the bubble edge test — multiple flips deflate the leaven and the stack bakes uneven at the center.
watch out
Measure buttermilk by weight (240 g per cup) — poured volumes vary 5% and the batter pours too thin for tender pancakes.
watch out
Don't crowd the griddle — overlapping cakes drop the 375°F medium heat and the edges turn pale instead of golden.