The brownie is America's favorite bar cookie. In the late 19th century, the Sears and Roebuck catalog reportedly published the first brownie recipe. The basic brownie ingredients include flour, sugar, eggs and butter base, with chocolate, which gives them their characteristic brown flavor. Today, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips and a variety of flavorings make brownies versatile and fun to eat. In recent years, nutritional concerns have inspired a societal conversation about the advantages of cooking with certain baking ingredients, including oils and butter. The challenge in baking and observing health is including the most healthful ingredients that will not compromise the taste and texture of the dish. In the case of brownies, butter and oil offer different benefits and disadvantages that each baker needs to weigh to make an informed choice about which is best.
Butter and Oil Types
Baking recipes ordinarily require unsalted butter because it does not contribute additional salt to the recipe. You may also choose organic butter derived from cows that eat only organic feed, which eliminates the possibility of consuming pesticide residue.
Particular oils are more conducive for use in baking because the flavor is neutral and does not interfere with the taste of chocolate and other ingredients the brownie showcases. Light olive oil, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed and canola oils are neutral and may be included in brownie recipes.
Nutritional Value
The primary nutritional values relevant to deciding between oil and butter in brownies are calorie and saturated fat. Calories dictate the amount of energy and potential weight gain eating them will contribute to your health, and saturated fat is harmful because it clogs arteries and increases the risk for developing the most serious disease affecting Americans as of date of publication--heart disease. Additional factors are vitamins A and E, which exist in trace amounts in some oils. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Data Laboratory, butter includes 102 calories, 7.3 grams of saturated fat, 355 international units vitamin A and 31 milligrams of cholesterol; safflower oil contains 120 calories, .8 grams saturated fat and 6.9 international units of vitamin E; and sunflower oil includes 120 calories, 1.4 grams of saturated fat and 8.3 international units of vitamin E. Safflower oil contains the lowest level of saturated fat, butter offers the lowest level of calories and sunflower oil provides the most vitamin E compared with other oil types. Depending on whether weight control or cardiovascular health is most important to you, one of these three has optimum nutritional value.
Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids improve the body's immune system, reduce inflammation, improve the diffusion of nutrients across the membrane of cell walls and fortify the brain. These nutrients traditionally exist in balance in the diet, but modern industrialization of food production changed the ratio and now omega-6 oils are predominant. To rebalance the scale and your health, including as many omeg-3 oils in the diet is important, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The omega balance in butter and oils is a criterion for making a decision between the two ingredient types. Butter offers 2 percent omega-6 and 2 percent omega-3 fatty acids. Canola oil provides 20 percent omega-6 and 9 percent omega-3 fatty acids. According to the Peak Performance website, canola oil offers the highest level of omega-3 fatty acids and butter contains the lowest level of omega-6 fatty acids in comparison to other oil types. If you have health concerns regarding inflammation disorders, such as joint pain or autoimmune diseases, either of these options is beneficial.
Texture and Function
The roles of fat in baking in relationship to texture and function are two-fold--they coat flour's gluten strands, which prevents clumping and promotes a tender texture, and they stiffen during the mixing process, which provides additional aeration for the carbon dioxide released from leaving agents, such as baking powder to fill and rise the dish. In brownies, both butter and oil will offer a moist, tender texture, but only butter will give the dish the aeration needed for rising brownies well. If you use a cake brownie, butter is a better option because it helps rise the batter. For denser, fudge type brownies, oil is permissable.
Flavor
The flavor of butter versus oil may be the tipping point if saturated fat is not a concern, because butter far and above other fat ingredients gives baked dishes a caramelized, nutty, deeper flavor that complements chocolate. If the other ingredients, such as nuts or caramel, provide significant flavor and butter would not be missed, oil, for its heart-healthy benefits, may be the best option.
FAQs
In brownies, both butter and oil will offer a moist, tender texture, but only butter will give the dish the aeration needed for rising brownies well. If you use a cake brownie, butter is a better option because it helps rise the batter. For denser, fudge type brownies, oil is permissable.
Is it better to make brownies with butter or oil? ›
Butter adds richness, while oil ensures a gooey, moist center. Neutral oil like avocado oil is great, or use a light and fruity olive oil for some extra flavor. Sugar: For the best of both worlds (gooey centers, chewy edges, and a touch of crispness), we highly recommend using granulated and brown sugar in this recipe.
Can I replace oil with butter in brownies? ›
You can absolutely substitute butter for the vegetable oil. Use the same quantity specified in the directions (for example, if it calls for 1/3 cup of oil, use 5 1/3 tablespoons of butter). Melt it down, then let it cool a bit. You might not ever go back to oil!
What happens if you add butter to brownie mix? ›
Unsalted melted butter – Most box brownie recipes call for vegetable oil, but swapping it out with with melted butter helps create chewy, fudgy texture with rich bakery-style flavor.
Can I make brownies without oil? ›
Applesauce. Applesauce is probably the most common vegetable oil substitute for brownies. It makes for a lower-calorie, fudgy brownie, that's just a little bit sweeter than the standard recipe. Kids especially love this substitute.
How does oil affect brownies? ›
It makes them richer, adds a fudge-like texture, and enhances the flavor of the chocolate. In addition, it's an incredible preservative, so the brownies stay moist for longer! Olive oil has been gaining popularity in recent years as a substitute for butter and other vegetable oils in baked goods.
Is melted butter better for brownies? ›
The reason we melt butter in brownie recipes instead of beating room temperature butter with sugar is because that helps give a rich, chewy, fudgy texture. Beating butter incorporates air and gives a more light, airy, cakey texture, which we don't want in a brownie. Well, you might want that, but I don't!
What happens when you add too much oil to brownies? ›
Whether you use butter, margarine, or vegetable oil, putting too much in your brownie batter causes it to be greasy. Don't worry, you're not alone. Many people fall into this trap when trying to substitute butter with oil. The exchange isn't a one-to-one ratio.
Can I use milk instead of oil in brownies? ›
This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.
What happens if you substitute butter for oil in baking? ›
Butter substitute for baking
Most cake mixes call for oil, but butter will bring in amazing flavor. To substitute butter for oil in baking just melt the butter, measure it, let it cool, and add it as you would the oil. Compared to oil, butter will create a cake with a firmer, cakeier texture.
The absolute chewiest brownies use unsaturated oils, like canola (Cook's Illustrated has a comprehensive guide to why this is so). But we find that brownies made with oil just don't taste as good as those made with butter. But oil isn't the only key to a chewy brownie: Using dark brown sugar helps create that texture.
Is it better to use milk or water in brownie mix? ›
Milk. Most brownie mixes call for water. While water does the job, you can add some extra flavor and moisture by mixing some of that water with something richer, like milk. If you want to swap it out completely, be prepared for a more chewy and fudge-like brownie from the extra fat.
How do I make my brownies less cakey? ›
Achieving a fudgy brownie is all to do with the ratio of fat to flour. A fudgy brownie recipe will use more fat than flour. Generally this is achieved by adding more butter or real chocolate to your brownie recipe. A cakey brownie recipe on the other hand will call for more flour in the ratio of fat to flour.
Are brownies better with oil or butter? ›
Texture and Function
In brownies, both butter and oil will offer a moist, tender texture, but only butter will give the dish the aeration needed for rising brownies well. If you use a cake brownie, butter is a better option because it helps rise the batter. For denser, fudge type brownies, oil is permissable.
How much butter to replace oil in brownies? ›
It couldn't be easier to substitute butter for oil using a 1:1 ratio. This should work with olive, canola, vegetable, and coconut oils. Simply melt and cool the butter to room temperature, then continue with your recipe. (If the recipe calls for ½ cup oil, use ½ cup melted and cooled butter.)
How much butter equals 2/3 cup of oil? ›
You can substitute butter for oil, but it may alter the flavor and level of moisture. To convert butter to oil, you'll want to use a 3:4 ratio instead — this means one equal part of oil equates to ¾ butter. Example: If a recipe calls for 2/3 cup of butter, use 1/2 cup of oil instead.
Do you use butter or oil to grease brownie pan? ›
Always grease the pan thoroughly with shortening, softened butter, or cooking spray. (Do this even if the recipe doesn't specify.)
Why is oil better than butter in baking? ›
Baking with oil not only requires less work, and results in fewer dirty dishes, than butter, but it also produces tender, moist baked goods that get better with age and boast an impressively long shelf-life.
Can I use normal butter for brownies? ›
Absolutely! Brownies are one of the baking dishes where salted butter is a good thing. Can you use salted butter for brownies? Brownies have a deep chocolate fudge flavor and salt enhances that flavor.
Is butter or margarine better for brownies? ›
Whether to use Butter or Margarine? These are two different fats. In my books butter is always better though a brownie recipe using margarine will most probably make a lighter brownie. For a richer, fuller brownie always use butter.
