01
Avocado Oil
10.0best for pie crust1 cup : 1 cup
Higher smoke point, great for high-heat cooking
10.0
olive oil substitute
in pie crust.
Flaky Pie Crust relies on Olive Oil to create steam pockets between pastry layers. The stand-in must stay solid during rolling and melt cleanly in the oven.
top substitutes
adjustment for this dish
Avocado oil behaves identically to olive oil in a press-in pie crust — 1:1 by cup, combine with flour and ice water in 30 seconds, press into the plate, dock with a fork. No adjustment needed for blind bake at 400°F. Tender short crumb holds custards cleanly through the slice.
02
Coconut Oil
10.0best for pie crust1 cup : 1 cup
Adds slight coconut flavor, good for sauteing
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Coconut oil chilled to 40°F for 15 minutes mimics butter's solid state and can actually be cut in with a pastry blender for pea-size pieces — giving rare flakiness in an oil crust. Swap 1:1 by cup, work fast, and chill the rolled or pressed crust 20 minutes before blind bake at 400°F.
03
Hazelnut Oil
10.0best for pie crust1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Less nutty but works as finisher
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Hazelnut oil at 1 tbsp 1:1 partial swap adds a toasted nut note that pairs with chocolate or fruit pies. Combine with the bulk neutral fat, press into the plate, dock, chill 20 minutes, and blind bake to golden at 400°F for 15 minutes with pie weights, then 8 without.
show 16 more substitutes
04
Walnut Oil
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Good for dressings, less nutty
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Walnut oil (1 tbsp 1:1) contributes a buttery nut depth to pumpkin or sweet potato pies. Press the dough into the plate since oil crusts cannot roll cleanly, dock the flour base, and blind bake with pie weights at 400°F for the tender short crumb that holds custard filling.
05
Peanut Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Neutral for frying, higher smoke point
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Peanut oil (refined) swaps 1:1 by cup with neutral flavor and a 450°F smoke point that comfortably handles blind bake. The texture is tender and short, identical to olive oil's result. Press into the plate, dock, chill 20 minutes, and bake with weights for a clean custard-shell release.
06
Almond Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Delicate nutty flavor, best for low-heat use
10.0
07
Pesto
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Mix with garlic and parmesan
10.0
08
Flaxseed Oil
10.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Good for dressings and drizzling
10.0
09
Sesame Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Use light sesame for cooking, toasted to finish
10.0
10
Rice Bran Oil
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Clean neutral taste, popular in Asian cooking
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
Sunflower Oil
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Adds flavor, best for dressings and low-heat use
5.0
17
Safflower Oil
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Very neutral flavor, good all-purpose oil
5.0
18
Corn Oil
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Neutral and affordable, good for frying
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 pie crust
technique
Olive oil pie crust cannot build true lamination because oil hydrates flour evenly instead of staying in pea-size chunks that would melt into flour pockets during blind bake. 5 cups flour with 1/2 cup oil and 3 tbsp ice water, stir with a fork for 30 seconds until the dough just comes together, then press directly into a 9-inch pie plate rather than rolling.
Dock the base with a fork at 1-inch intervals, chill the shell 20 minutes, then blind bake at 400°F with pie weights for 15 minutes, removing weights for another 8 minutes of golden color. The texture is tender and short rather than flaky, with a crumb like shortbread.
Unlike scones, where cold fat is cut in to preserve layered tenderness, pie crust built with oil abandons layers entirely in favor of a cookie-like shell. Crimp with a fork rather than fluting since oil doughs crack when pinched.
This shell holds custard fillings cleanly without sogging.
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Avoid rolling olive oil dough — it cracks every time and should be pressed directly into the pie plate for a tender shell.
watch out
Don't skip the fork docking — trapped steam blisters the crust base during blind bake and the flour pockets collapse into wet spots.
watch out
Chill shaped shells at least 20 minutes — warm oil softens the structure and the crust slumps down the sides as it heats.
watch out
Skip pie weights and the base puffs — remove weights only for the last 8 minutes to develop golden color without inflation.
watch out
Don't flute edges — olive oil crust cracks on pinch and a clean fork crimp holds shape through the full bake.