Delicious lemon brownie recipe uses just one bowl and NO butter (2024)

FAQs

Can I make brownies without oil or butter? ›

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.

In some cakes, brownies and cookies, melted butter adds richness to dough and allows ingredients to blend together easily.

Mayo Clinic suggests substituting half the oil in your brownie recipe with the same amount of applesauce. If your recipe calls for 1/2 cup oil, use 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup applesauce. According to USDA data, 1/4 cup of applesauce has 25 calories, and 1/4 cup of vegetable oil has 480 calories.

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.

So what happens is that the oil-based cake or brownie can seem more fudgy and less cake-like. Then if you're melting the butter with the chocolate and mixing it, or if you're creaming it, the texture of the brownie is going to be quite different.

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.

One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. 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.

Replacing Butter with Oil

A good rule of thumb is to replace about 3/4 of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil. (If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil.)

- Brownies: Replace oil with an equal amount of applesauce and reduce other liquids by half. For example, if the recipe calls for ¹/₄ cup of water, use 2 tablespoons.

How much applesauce to replace egg in brownies? ›

Applesauce is a great neutral egg replacement, meaning you won't taste any apple in the final product. When subbing in applesauce for eggs, use ¼ cup for every egg your recipe calls for, and add an additional ½ teaspoon of baking powder to the dry ingredients.

If you're looking to make some of your favorite baked goods a wee bit healthier or vegan, applesauce is your magical friend! Applesauce can be used as a substitute for oil, butter, or eggs, and still give you delicious baked treats.

Most brownie recipes call for some kind of oil — usually vegetable oil or canola oil. This oil acts as the primary fat in brownie batter, giving it that delicious, fudgy texture we all know and love.

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.

Baking in a too-small pan may result in brownies with undercooked centers. Be sure to select a light-colored, shiny pan, which will conduct heat evenly. Glass or dark-colored pans can cause the edges to overbake or even burn. Always grease the pan thoroughly with shortening, softened butter, or cooking spray.

Unsweetened Applesauce

This can be used as an oil substitute in cakes, muffins, and soft-baked cookies. Use 1/3 of a cup of applesauce to replace every 1/2 cup of oil or margarine.

One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. 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.

At room temperature, it's a semi-liquid oil not solid butter. Therefore, it will probably be fine in any recipe that calls for liquid oil or melted butter.