Question Butter replacement

Grayveggie

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Hello all! I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good replacement for butter? I stood in the grocery store last night and looked at Earth Balance which said Vegan on it, and Smart Balance which did not say Vegan. Any suggestions?
 
I just stopped using butter/margarine on my bread when I became vegetarian. I usually don't feel I need margarine, e.g. if I'm eating bread with peanut butter or soft cheese or hummus, which is what I mostly eat on bread. Sometimes, if I have some really nice, fresh bread and want to eat it plain, but need some fat on it, I will add some nice rapeseed oil. (Nice rapeseed oil doesn't seem to be a thing in the US, for some reason - over here it comes in a nice glass bottle, high quality stuff, but in the US it's all cheap stuff in big plastic containers.)
 
I used to live on Earth Balance but now I can't stop eating the home made version using Poppy's recipe.


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Oh I want to know what Poppy does!
I've making this recipe, from Miyoko's Pantry.
I do add a teaspoon apple cider vinegar, often use sweetened soy or almond milk, a bit more milk and a bit more liquid oil and whip in processor two minutes on high--
  • 1½ c. melted refined coconut oil (not extra virgin coconut oil)
  • ½ c. nondairy milk (add about another tablespoon)
  • ¼ c. canola, grapeseed, or light olive oil
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons liquid lecithin (if using granules, you will need 2-4xs the amount)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Oil the spoon before measuring the lecithin. It's stickier than molasses
I use an old tub from margarine, and freeze after mixing to keep it from separating before solid
Next time I'm gonna add nooch.
 
Last edited:
Oh I want to know what Poppy does!
I've making this recipe, from Miyoko's Pantry.
I do add a teaspoon apple cider vinegar, often use sweetened soy or almond milk, a bit more milk and a bit more liquid oil and whip in processor two minutes on high--
  • 1½ c. melted refined coconut oil (not extra virgin coconut oil)
  • ½ c. nondairy milk (unsweetened) (add about another tablespoon)
  • ¼ c. canola, grapeseed, or light olive oil
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons liquid lecithin (if using granules, you will need 2-4xs the amount)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Oil the spoon before measuring the lecithin. It's stickier than molasses
I use an old tub from margarine, and freeze after mixing to keep it from separating before solid
Next time I'm gonna add nooch.
That sounds exactly like it but I'll have to double check. I'm so excited about this. I'll never have to buy vegan butter again.


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I just stopped using butter/margarine on my bread when I became vegetarian. I usually don't feel I need margarine, e.g. if I'm eating bread with peanut butter or soft cheese or hummus, which is what I mostly eat on bread. Sometimes, if I have some really nice, fresh bread and want to eat it plain, but need some fat on it, I will add some nice rapeseed oil. (Nice rapeseed oil doesn't seem to be a thing in the US, for some reason - over here it comes in a nice glass bottle, high quality stuff, but in the US it's all cheap stuff in big plastic containers.)

Same here, I don't use even vegan butter much at all. On toast, I will have anything from tomato paste or salsa to avocado pesto to hummus to peanut or almond butter to apple sauce or beans on toast. For cooking if I have to use a fat source again I use nut butters or avocado or rarely oils. On the rare occasions I make frosting, I use coconut butter or avocado or peanut butter based frostings. Pie crusts...coconut butter will work there too sometimes, or oil, though not as well. If I make pancakes, i just add fruit compote or pure maple syrup and leave off the butter. I used to use Earth Balance from time to time but not often. I've kept it around for my partner who is not vegan.
 
I like Earth Balance. IMO it tastes just like butter.
I love Earth Balance. It saved my life...that and Silk creamer. I seriously believe I would be using real butter and half and half if I didn't have them to transition to non dairy. It's just so easy to make the home made version and it tastes so fresh. And I like that it's palm oil free. I don't avoid palm oil 100% but I try whenever there's another viable option. I hope I have success with the homemade when I use it for baking...especially my "butter" cookies.
 
Identical except for the vinegar.

Any ideas as to why it starts to separate as it's chilling in the refrigerator? I've made it twice and made sure I blended it well, especially the second time. But the coconut oil ends up making small solid pieces, even though it's totally blended and smooth when I pour it into my containers. It doesn't affect the taste at all, especially once it melts on toast. It just doesn't look that pretty/appetizing and I want to bring it to work with some home made bread to share with my coworkers.

50049333e5ce78d94eca10f2fef94dbc.jpg



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Identical except for the vinegar.

Any ideas as to why it starts to separate as it's chilling in the refrigerator? I've made it twice and made sure I blended it well, especially the second time. But the coconut oil ends up making small solid pieces, even though it's totally blended and smooth when I pour it into my containers. It doesn't affect the taste at all, especially once it melts on toast. It just doesn't look that pretty/appetizing and I want to bring it to work with some home made bread to share with my coworkers.

50049333e5ce78d94eca10f2fef94dbc.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Do you use, or don't use, vinegar?
I put mine in the freezer as it wants to separate even before I can get to pour it! That works great. Once solid it stays together.
I just made another batch and put some in a separate container with nooch mixed in. I always sprinkle nooch on it anyway and it sounded like a great idea. Somehow the taste got lost, and it didn't make it anymore spreadable. I imagined it would make it kinda pasty. I won't do it again, but it might be good with noodles

Do you use liquid lecithin or granules? I have liquid and use pretty rounded teaspoons
 
I have not used the vinegar. Maybe I should.

I used liquid lecithin and it was sunflower, not soy. I was wondering if that made a difference.

The first batch I made I put directly into the refrigerator but my second batch I tried putting in the freezer. They both separated. I'll just keep trying. I will have to ask Poppy if hers separated at all.


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The good thing is, it tastes great and once it melts it makes no difference at all.


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I run my food processor on high for 2 minutes. Wonder if that does it?
 
I've never tried making my own vegan margarine. When it separates, can you just stir it? Or does it separate into small solid pieces like KLS52 describes? I suppose that wouldn't be fixed by stirring, unless maybe you were melting it first...
 
I've never tried making my own vegan margarine. When it separates, can you just stir it? Or does it separate into small solid pieces like KLS52 describes? I suppose that wouldn't be fixed by stirring, unless maybe you were melting it first...
I make sure the coconut oil is liquid, use liquid soy lecithin, and add everything in the food processor at once and run it for two minutes on high. I pour in an old margarine tub and freeze right away till solid, then put in fridge. It doesn't ever separate.
 
My third batch came out perfect. I bought and used the silicone molds, even though I prefer my butter in tubs. I love the glass mason jar one I have. But I got seven cute little butter bars.
 
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