Butter to Oil Converter

Swap butter for oil (or oil for butter) in a recipe with the correct ratio, and learn when the swap works.

How to use the Butter to Oil Converter

Choose butter → oil or oil → butter.
Enter the amount in cups.
Use the amount shown.

How it works

Butter is about 80% fat, 16–18% water and some milk solids; oil is 100% fat. So ¾ cup of oil replaces 1 cup of butter. Oil works well in muffins, quick breads, brownies and many cakes, giving a moister crumb. It does not work where butter is creamed with sugar for lift, or in flaky pastry and shortbread that rely on solid fat.

Butter to oil

Butter	Oil
1 tbsp	2¼ tsp
¼ cup (½ stick)	3 tbsp
⅓ cup	¼ cup
½ cup (1 stick)	6 tbsp
¾ cup	½ cup + 1 tbsp
1 cup (2 sticks)	¾ cup

Frequently asked questions

How much oil replaces 1 cup of butter?

¾ cup.

Can I use olive oil instead of butter in baking?

Yes in many cakes and breads; use a mild olive oil to avoid a strong flavor.

How much butter replaces oil?

About 1⅓ cups of melted butter per cup of oil.

Will cookies work with oil?

They spread more and are less chewy; recipes designed for oil work best.