SaurabhApple Butter is a perfect baking ingredient to create fluffy, moist, and tasty baked goods. You can get this readily available at the grocery stores or probably just make your own from scratch.
But if apple butter is scarce these days and no time for making your own, know that you can substitute it with buttermilk. Other substitutes to choose from are applesauce, olive oil, pureed pumpkin, yogurt, avocado, vegetable oil, or simply butter.
Best Substitutes for Apple Butter
Let’s get to know all these substitutes and why they can replace apple butter for baking goods.
1. Buttermilk
Buttermilk is widely available in grocery stores, and just like apple butter, it can also be made at home if you want to give it a try. Buttermilk simply acts like adding more liquids or milk content to the baked goods adding more moisture and fluffy texture.
This is perfect in any kind of baked dish however, be wary that it’s not excellent for making pies because it transforms the dough totally differently and it’s less crumbly. For a cup of apple butter, just substitute it with ½ cup of buttermilk.
2. Applesauce
A lot of us are confused or assuming that applesauce and apple butter are the same. However, that’s not the case. Although they came from the same source, applesauce is more liquified compared to apple butter. Apple butter is the result of applesauce being cooked for a long time making it more concentrated.
By using this substitute, you won’t really notice that much of a difference. It’s actually the best one that you could think of. For a cup of apple butter substitute it with 1 ½ cup of applesauce. Perfect for baked goods that call for apple butter.
3. Olive Oil
For a healthier option, olive oil is also a guaranteed effective substitute. I personally like using this for baking bread, making pizza and pasta doughs. In time I have slowly introduced it to cookies and fudge. It’s a healthy alternative to use when you’re trying to watch your diet.
I use the ratio 1:1 for substitution, 1 cup of olive oil over 1 cup of apple butter. I also add a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to sweet baked goods just to add that sweet-smelling aroma that is absent from not using apple butter.
4. Pureed Pumpkin
It’s the fall season and the abundance of pumpkin patch is truly unfathomable! Why not, take advantage and use the available products in the market. Pureed pumpkin is also an excellent substitute for baked dishes other than just being famous as a comfort soup during cold rainy days.
It surprisingly acts like a real oil that provides extra moisture and a decadent bite to the dish. The substitution for this one is also simple, just use the ratio of 1:1. Add 1 cup of pureed pumpkin and a teaspoon of cinnamon powder as well.
5. Yogurt
Yogurt is a superfood that can be a perfect ingredient for baked dishes to substitute apple butter. Make sure you pick the regular ones and not the sweetened or flavored yogurts mixed with fruit. This is also an effective substitute for milk when you’re trying to cut from those in your diet.
This protein-rich substitute can be used in almost any baked dish. I highly recommend it for making any type of cake because of the added moisture that it provides. It’s like adding butter to the mixture. To substitute, 1 cup of yogurt over ½ cup of apple butter. I’m pretty sure you’ll get hooked on using this every time you want to bake cakes at home.
6. Avocado
Avocado is the healthiest fats that you can find from a natural source such as this fruit. Substituting apple butter with avocado is quite the same as using pureed pumpkin. The advantage of using avocado is that you don’t need to puree it because as long as it ripens, it’s ready to be mashed and mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
Avocado alone is a perfect pairing for toast when you’re trying to cut off with butter and sweetened jams. It’s almost effective to use it in all baked dishes because of its high-fat content that resembles butter. Don’t worry about the dish to turn green since the color doesn’t really make an effect that much. Substitute 1 cup of apple butter with 1 cup of mashed avocado.
7. Vegetable Oil
Most kitchens have some sort of vegetable oil present in the pantry. There are different types of vegetable oils that you can find in the market, even olive oil is labeled as one. Whatever you have on hand, you can use it as a substitute for emergency baking situations such as this.
You can use this instead of running to the grocery store and get something else. It might be the least favorite to use by some pastry chefs for other baked dishes, it’s still a good substitute for baking. You can use ¾ cup of vegetable oil to replace 1 cup of apple butter.
8. Butter
To end this list, we’ll finish it up with of course butter, the original baking ingredient. No matter how many substitute ingredients are present in the market, nothing still beats the goodness of butter in every baked dish. It might not be the healthiest but it’s the best for achieving the right moisture, flavor, and texture of any baked dish.
This is the safest substitution that you can use because all baked dishes are originally in need of butter. I’m pretty sure no one can go wrong with this option. For a healthier option, you may opt for fat-free or unsalted butter. Replace 1 cup of apple butter with 1 cup of butter for your dish.
Home cooks and even expert pastry chefs have no reason any more to cancel baking plans because of one ingredient that’s missing. There are a lot of substitutes out there waiting to be discovered out there. All we need to do is to have an open mind and be bold to try something new.
