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Butter does three jobs in baking: fat, moisture, and structure (creamed butter traps the air that makes cakes rise). A good substitute has to cover the same jobs, which is why the right swap depends on what you're baking.
Best for: Cookies, cakes, frosting · anything that creams butter with sugar
Stick styles have less water than tub spreads, so doughs behave the same.
Best for: Crumbly bakes: shortbread, pie crust, streusel
Refined = no coconut flavor. Chill it for flaky textures.
Best for: Muffins, quick breads, brownies · recipes with melted butter
Never for creaming · oil can't trap air.
If the recipe says "cream the butter and sugar," don't reach for oil · the creaming step is where the rise comes from. Use a stick-style vegan butter and cream it cold, straight from the fridge.
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Usually not one-to-one. Cookies rely on solid fat for structure and spread control; oil makes them thin and greasy. Use stick-style vegan butter for cookies, and save oil swaps for muffins and quick breads.
Stick-style vegan butter, used cold. It creams and holds peaks like dairy butter. Tub spreads contain too much water and make frosting soupy.
Vegan butter (stick style) is the closest match, at 1:1. Cookies, cakes, frosting · anything that creams butter with sugar. Stick styles have less water than tub spreads, so doughs behave the same.
Vegan butter (stick style) (1:1) if you want the closest result, or Refined coconut oil (1:1, use solid) for crumbly bakes: shortbread, pie crust, streusel. Which one is right depends on what the butter was doing in the dish.
Related guides: Milk · Heavy Cream · Cream Cheese · All guides