The best oil substitutes for brownies, ranked by result

Butter is the single best replacement for oil in brownies. Use the same amount by weight — if a recipe calls for one cup of oil, use one cup of melted butter. Brownies made with butter are denser, richer, and have a more pronounced chocolate flavour than oil-based versions. The trade-off is a slightly fudgier crumb and a bit more greasiness on your hands when you eat them, but most people prefer the taste.

If you do not have butter on hand, applesauce (unsweetened) works as a direct swap by volume. Brownies will be noticeably less rich and slightly more cake-like, but they will bake evenly and hold together. This is your best choice if you are trying to reduce fat overall. Use the full amount the recipe calls for — no adjustment needed.

Greek yogurt (plain, full-fat) also works one-to-one by volume. The result is moister and slightly tangier than oil-based brownies, with a texture closer to fudge. Some recipes benefit from reducing the liquid elsewhere (like milk or water) by a quarter cup when you use yogurt, because yogurt adds moisture that oil does not.

Mashed banana is a viable substitute at a one-to-one ratio, though it adds sweetness and banana flavour — use it only if your recipe is flexible or if you like banana in chocolate. The brownies will be softer and more prone to sticking to the pan.

Key Takeaways

  • Melted butter is the closest match to oil and produces the richest, most chocolatey brownies with no adjustment to the recipe.
  • Unsweetened applesauce works one-to-one by volume and makes brownies less rich but still tender, with no added flavour.
  • Greek yogurt creates a fudgier texture and works at full strength, though reducing other liquids slightly often improves the result.
  • Mashed banana and avocado both work but add their own flavour, so use them only if you want that taste in your brownies.

Why oil matters in brownie batter

Oil does three things in brownie batter: it carries fat flavour, it keeps the crumb tender, and it helps the batter spread evenly in the pan. When you remove oil, you are replacing all three functions at once. Butter handles all three well. Applesauce handles spreading and tenderness but removes most of the fat flavour. Yogurt and banana add moisture, which can make the brownie softer than oil would.

The amount of oil in a brownie recipe is usually high — often half a cup or more per batch — so the replacement you choose will noticeably change the final texture. This is not a case where a small swap goes unnoticed.

Butter: the closest match

Melted butter is chemically similar to oil and behaves almost identically in the oven. The main difference is that butter contains water and milk solids, which oil does not. This makes butter-based brownies slightly denser and more flavourful, but also slightly more prone to overbaking if you are not careful.

Melt the butter before mixing it into the batter, just as you would oil. Let it cool for a minute or two so it does not cook the eggs. Use the exact same volume as the recipe calls for — one cup of oil becomes one cup of melted butter. No other changes are needed.

If your recipe calls for softened butter elsewhere (like creaming it with sugar), do not use that butter as your oil replacement. Softened butter and melted butter behave differently in the batter.

Applesauce: the leanest option

Unsweetened applesauce replaces oil one-to-one by volume and produces brownies that are noticeably less rich but still moist. The crumb will be slightly more cake-like than fudgy. This is the right choice if you want to cut fat without changing the chocolate flavour of the brownie itself.

Do not use sweetened applesauce — it will make the brownies too sweet. Check the label. If you only have sweetened applesauce on hand, reduce the sugar in the recipe by two to three tablespoons per cup of applesauce you use.

Applesauce brownies can stick to the pan more easily than oil-based ones, so line your pan with parchment paper and let the brownies cool completely before turning them out.

Greek yogurt and other dairy options

Full-fat plain Greek yogurt works at a one-to-one ratio by volume and creates a fudgier, moister brownie than applesauce does. The texture is closer to oil-based brownies, but with a subtle tang that some people enjoy and others do not notice at all.

Because yogurt adds liquid, you may want to reduce other liquids in the recipe — if the recipe calls for milk or water, use a quarter cup less. This is optional; many recipes work fine without the adjustment, but the brownies may be slightly softer.

Sour cream works the same way as Greek yogurt. Regular yogurt (not Greek) is thinner and will make the batter runnier, so stick with Greek yogurt or sour cream if you have a choice.

Avocado and other fat-based swaps

Mashed avocado replaces oil one-to-one by volume and keeps brownies rich and fudgy because avocado is mostly fat. The downside is that avocado flavour can come through, especially if you use a lot or if the avocado is very ripe. This works best in chocolate brownies where a subtle earthiness does not stand out.

Nut butters (peanut, almond, tahini) also work one-to-one, but they add their own strong flavour. Use them only if you want that taste in your brownies. Tahini is the most neutral of the three.

Coconut oil is technically not a replacement — it is still oil — but if you have it on hand, it works identically to vegetable oil. The only difference is a faint coconut flavour that some recipes benefit from and others do not.

How to adjust baking time and temperature

Most oil substitutes do not require changes to baking time or temperature. Bake at the temperature your recipe calls for and check for doneness at the time listed, then add a few minutes if needed. Brownies made with applesauce or yogurt may bake slightly faster because they contain more water, so start checking a minute or two earlier than the recipe suggests.

The toothpick test works for all substitutes: insert a toothpick into the centre of the brownie. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the brownies are done. If it comes out clean, they are slightly overbaked. If it comes out with wet batter, they need more time.

Overbaking is the most common mistake when using substitutes, because the brownie looks set before it actually is. Err on the side of slightly underbaked — brownies continue to cook as they cool, and a fudgy brownie is more forgiving than a dry one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use coconut oil instead of regular oil?

Yes. Coconut oil works identically to vegetable oil in brownies. Use the same amount, melted. The only difference is a subtle coconut flavour that most people do not notice in chocolate brownies, but some do. If you dislike coconut, use a different substitute.

What if I use butter but the brownies come out too dense?

Butter naturally makes brownies denser than oil does. If they are too heavy, you likely overbaked them — check for doneness a minute or two earlier next time. If they are dense but moist, that is normal for butter brownies and most people prefer them that way.

Do I need to change the sugar if I use applesauce?

No, unless you use sweetened applesauce. Unsweetened applesauce has no added sugar, so the recipe stays the same. If you only have sweetened applesauce, reduce the sugar by two to three tablespoons per cup of applesauce.

Can I mix two substitutes together?

Yes. Half melted butter and half applesauce, for example, gives you a brownie that is richer than applesauce alone but less rich than straight butter. This is a good way to find a texture you like if you are experimenting.

Will brownies made with yogurt taste sour?

No. The tang in yogurt is very subtle in baked brownies and usually undetectable. If you are sensitive to sour flavours, use Greek yogurt rather than regular yogurt — it is milder.