The best-tasting vegan butter! It's plant-based, super buttery, smooth, rich & creamy & can be made in minutes. Use it for all of your spreading, baking and frying needs. This is a real reader favourite with hundreds of five-star reviews. No fancy ingredients are required and it is palm oil-free.
This vegan butter recipe is tried and true. It has been one of my most popular recipes since 2015 and it comes with hundreds of five star reviews. And if there is just one new vegan recipe you are going to try this month, let it be this vegan butter. It is life-changing!
Make it in your blender in minutes and then use it just like regular butter for all of your spreading and baking needs.
Reader feedback
Here is what some of you have had to say about this plant based butter recipe:
"This is so delish and super easy to make . I cant believe its not real butter! When I first saw this recipe I was skeptical . Like, how can this combo of ingredients work? But wow I'm super impressed . Im making a quart of this spread next week ! And it tastes even better than the vegan spread from the store. My whole vegan family loves it!" - Carol ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"Absolutely, hands down, the best vegan butter ever! Sooooo much better than any store-bought I have tried. It really does taste and behave like butter. I love it! Thank you so much for the recipe! " - JP ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I have to admit I was skeptical about how this was going to taste, but boy was I pleasantly surprised! This tastes EXACTLY like butter. And super easy, which is a big plus!" - Laura ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I’m a dairy-lover turned vegan in the last year along with my hubby. I just made this butter and WOW wow wow wow wow! Halfway through, it turned into a double batch, like no way was a single batch of this going to cut it haha. Holy butter it looks, smells and tastes so good! It’s really amazing- I would say this rivals our favorite store-bought vegan butters. Thank you so much for the recipe!" - Kelly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What is vegan butter?
Vegan butter is a dairy-free alternative to regular butter, which is most commonly made from cow's milk, but also sometimes sheep, goat, yak or buffalo milk. Vegan butter is made from plant based milk and it has a very similar texture, mouthfeel and flavour to butter made from animal's milk.
Is it like real butter?
A slice of no knead sourdough bread or light whole wheat bread just isn't the same without a thick layer of butter and when you make your own you can avoid the palm oil, emulsifiers etc that are in most store bought vegan butters.
This easy vegan butter is so unbelievably smooth, rich and creamy. It spreads beautifully and melts perfectly.
Is there anything better than warm, crispy toast slathered in drippy, melty butter?
Obviously it isn't identical to regular butter made from dairy but this plant based butter recipe tastes as good, if not better than most store bought vegan butters and looks the same, melts the same, behaves the same and bakes the same as dairy butter. Try it in my vegan butter tarts!
What is vegan butter made of?
Homemade vegan butter is made from just 8 easy to find plant based ingredients. Here is what you will need and why:
- almond flour - This is crucial for the best buttery flavour and emulsification.
- non-dairy milk - For creaminess and emulsification.
- nutritional yeast - For a buttery depth of flavour
- salt - flavour. Salt makes everything better!
- apple cider vinegar - It needs some acid to balance the flavours and apple cider vinegar is milder than most other culinary acids.
- refined coconut oil - For setting. Note that it must be refined (i.e flavourless and odourless). Without it the butter will stay liquid so it is absolutely essential.
- olive oil, avocado oil or canola oil - Essential for texture and spreadability
- turmeric - For colour. This is the only ingredient you can safely omit.
How to make plant-based butter
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
This vegan butter recipe takes literally a couple of minutes to make, plus some time for it to set.
Here's how it's done:
- Step 1 - Add all of the ingredients except the oils to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Step 2 - Add the refined coconut oil and the olive oil and blend again until incorporated and light and airy.
- Step 3 - Pour into a lidded container and place in the fridge to set.
Success tips
- Measure everything carefully and don't omit or change anything (except the turmeric which can be safely left out if you don't have it because it is only used for colour).
- You must use refined coconut oil. It's sometimes labelled as "deodorized". You absolutely cannot use unrefined or virgin coconut oil because your butter will smell and taste of coconut. If you arne't sure if yours is ok, check the label. It will say somewhere. Or give it a sniff and taste. If you can smell or taste any trace of coconut it is not refined and not suitable for this recipe.
- Make sure the refined coconut oil is liquid but at room temperature. Don't add it while it's hot.
- Blend until completely smooth but don't let the liquid butter get hot while blending or it could split. If it starts warming up give the blender a break for a minute or two before continuing.
- Let it set thoroughly before using.
- Store in the refrigerator
- Let is soften at room temperature for a few minutes before spreading for ultimate creaminess and ease of spreading.
- Omit the almond flour if you plan to use the recipe for sautéing or frying. More details are in the recipe notes.
Serving suggestions
Slather this vegan butter on everything! Some ideas include:
- on bread or toast
- on homemade English Muffins
- on quick breads like my healthy banana bread, spelt bread, pumpkin bread and zucchini bread
- in mashed potatoes
- on baked potatoes or steamed potatoes
- on popcorn
- in pastry dough
- on steamed vegetables
- on vegan banana scones
- slathered on vegan sweet potato biscuits
- in vegan cream cheese frosting or buttercream
- to cook pancakes and on pancakes like my vegan banana pancakes, giant blueberry vegan pancake and my vegan spelt pancakes
- on oatmeal waffles
- in Risi e Bisi (Italian rice and peas)
- in cakes, cookies or other baked goods
- in my vegan lemon curd
Is vegan butter healthy?
This vegan butter is homemade, contains simple ingredients and does not contain trans fats, hydrogenated oils, additives and preservatives, so in that respect it does have healthier ingredients than most store bought vegan butters. However it is still very high in fat and calories, so like all butters, it should be eaten sparingly.
Is vegan butter the same as margarine?
Vegan butter and margarine are similar but not the same.
Margarine has a really distinctive flavour and a really soft texture that is not like traditional dairy butter. It is also not always vegan. It often contains milk derivatives amongst other things, even the ones that are sometimes labelled as plant-based" so be careful. Look out for ingredients like whey, lactose and casein. Also be wary of lecithin and vitamin D3 which can sometimes be derived from animals.
My vegan butter recipe is more like dairy butter in flavour and texture than store bought margarines.
How to store
Be sure to pour the butter into a container with a lid so that it's easy to keep it covered. I put mine in small or shallow jars mason jars.
You might be wondering how long vegan butter lasts? Store it in the refrigerator and it will keep for about 2 weeks. This does depend to some extent on the milk you use to make it with though. If you use store bought milk it lasts longer than it does if you use homemade milk. That's because store bought milk has preservatives in it and homemade doesn't.
This vegan butter freezes really well. If you make more than you think you will comfortably eat in 2 weeks, or if you want to make a really big batch every couple of months, store it in the freezer where it will keep for up to 3 months.
To freeze in an airtight freezer safe container - When you make the butter pour it into the freezer safe container cover with a lid and put it straight in the freezer. You can also freeze the already set butter if you prefer.
To freeze in a silicone ice cube tray - Pour the liquid butter into the silicone trays. Place them gently and evenly in the freezer. Once the butter has solidified you can wrap the ice cube trays up really well or put them as they are in a sealed freezer bag. Or you can pop the frozen cubes out and store them in a bag or container so you get your ice cube tray back for other things.
How to defrost - When you want some butter remove from the freezer and allow to defrost overnight in the fridge. If you have frozen it in an ice cube tray it will defrost really quickly so you can pop one out and leave it at room temperature until it's ready to use. It usually takes about 30 minutes.
Recipe FAQS
If you use unrefined or virgin coconut oil, your butter will end up tasting and smelling of coconut. It will not taste of butter. Refined coconut oil has no coconut flavor or smell which is why it is essential for this recipe.
I have a few readers who use ground up cashew nuts, sunflower seeds or pine nuts instead of almonds. Almonds give a more buttery flavour but the results are still ok when using these substitutes.
About 2 weeks. See my freezing instructions if you want to keep it longer.
Yes it freezes very well. See my instructions in the recipe notes.
The nutritional yeast helps with the buttery flavour and the butter is at it's best when it is included so I highly recommend using it. However if you omit it the recipe will still technically work, it just won't taste quite as good.
No. Baking yeast and brewer's yeast is completely different to nutritional yeast and will not work in this recipe.
There is no substitute for coconut oil in this recipe. Nothing else will work.
Absolutely not. The recipe will only work with the oil added.
Hungry for more?
For more great vegan dairy alternatives, check out these very popular reader favourites:
📖 Recipe
Vegan Butter
Author:
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 240 mls refined coconut oil , it must be refined NOT unrefined
- ½ cup / 50 grams / 8 tablespoons almond flour *
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons / 150 mls unsweetened non-dairy milk , NOT almond milk. See recipe notes for suggestions**
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 pinch ground turmeric optional but helps make colour a little more yellow
- ¼ cup/ 60 ml ml neutral tasting liquid oil like light olive oil, avocado oil or canola oil
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
Please see the recipe notes before proceeding if you intend on using this butter for frying or sautéing.
- Melt the coconut oil. I put it in the microwave for 20 or 30 seconds but you can also stand the jar in some hot water. Measure it when it's liquid and not when it's solid, then set it aside for a few minutes to cool. Don't use it while it's hot or warm. Allow it to get to room temperature first.
- Place the almond flour, milk, salt, nutritional yeast, vinegar and turmeric into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour in the refined coconut oil and olive oil then blend until velvety smooth. I use the smoothie setting on my blender. Don't let the blender get too warm while it's blending or the butter can split a bit. If your blender does run a little warm then blend in short bursts and give it a break for a minute or two in between.
- Pour the liquid butter into a container, cover and refrigerate until set.
- Let is soften at room temperature for a few minutes before spreading for ultimate creaminess and ease of spreading.
NOTES
- Measure everything carefully and don't omit or change anything (except the turmeric which can be safely left out if you don't have it because it is only used for colour).
- You must use refined coconut oil. It's sometimes labelled as "deoderized". You absolutely cannot use unrefined or virgin coconut oil because your butter will smell and taste of coconut. If you arne't sure if yours is ok, check the label. It will say somewhere. Or give it a sniff and taste. If you can smell or taste any trace of coconut it is not refined and not suitable for this recipe.
- Make sure the refined coconut oil is liquid but at room temperature. Don't add it while it's hot.
- Blend until completely smooth but don't let the liquid butter get hot while blending or it could split. If it starts warming up give the blender a break for a minute or two before continuing.
- Let it set thoroughly before using.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was originally published on March 15th 2015. I've added new photographs & some new content and now I am republishing it for you. The actual recipe remains the same. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Not Yet Vegan says
I hate store nondairy milk. Is it possible to make at home to use in this?
A Virtual Vegan says
Any neutral tasting milk is fine to use. See the recipe notes for a useful tip about using homemade milk.
Jay says
I wanted to know would it be okay if I used instant yeast or active yeast ( these are the only kinds available where I live) and what adjustments should I make to the recipe if I use any of the previously mentioned yeast types.
A Virtual Vegan says
You can't use any other kind of yeast. They are so different to nutritional yeast. You can however just omit the yeast if you can't get hold of any. It adds some depth of flavor, a bit of color, and a little butteriness, but it's still good without. Hope that helps!
Janine Goodwin says
Hi, I was wondering if you could substitute almond meal for something else, I 't eat almonds's.
Regards,
Janine
A Virtual Vegan says
Almonds are the best option because of their buttery flavor but ground up, flour like cashews will also work.
Destiny says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I am slowly changing my diet to be 100% vegan and finding vegan recipes that I like has been difficult. This is by far the most amazing recipe I've found!! My husband also loves it so that's a plus! :) I was nervous to try it once it was done setting and I was absolutely blown away by how much better it tastes than actual butter! I can see myself making this recipe for years and years to come, thank you so much!
Also, I used unsweetened, plain almond milk and found it to be delicious and not over-powering at all for my taste. Thanks again!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it so much and that it's helping to make becoming vegan easier for you. Thank you so much for the amazing review!
Susan says
I'm allergic to almonds. Can any other miss be used?
A Virtual Vegan says
I have a few readers who use cashew nuts ground to a flour instead.
Patricia Payne says
Hi
I have just come across this recipe today and am excited to try it!
I have an inollerance to yeast so do you know if it will work without it?
Thanks for reading ????
A Virtual Vegan says
I don't know much about yeast intolerances, but nutritional yeast isn't an active yeast if that makes a difference? Regardless though, the recipe will work without it. It does give a little depth to the flavor, a bit of butteriness and some yellow color, but it doesn't make a huge difference if you omit it. It will still be good!
Zuzana says
Hey Mel,
Thanks for THE BEST BUTTER RECIPE IN THE UNIVERSE!!! I have been making it for some months, started with double batch but last time doubled the double batch! And for all the vegan folks - it is very easy and quick /and I make it from the scratch - homemade cashew milk and almond meal/.
A Virtual Vegan says
LOVE this! Thank you. I am thrilled you are enjoying it so much!
Ro says
Hey Mel - this butter recipe is AWESOME. I have been nervous to make a butter recipe but yours sounded so good so when a friend who has been absolutely vegan for 5 years (me only 8 great months so far) said that she had been buying a delish vegan butter from a lady at a local farmer's market but who had decided to stop making it to sell now. I told my friend about a recipe I had found that sounded good but that I hadn't made yet, and she said if I could make one as good as the one that she was getting she would be grateful forever as she missed it heaps. I made my first batch of yours last week and it was a total winner with my friend and we here at home loved it too. Am looking forward to using it in icings etc...Thank-you so much for sharing this AWESOME recipe. :) :) :)
A Virtual Vegan says
Your comment has made my day! Thank you. I'm so glad you both enjoyed it and thank you for coming back to leave feedback. I really appreciate it!
Rosana says
Hello!! I would like to lnow what other types of meal could I use fot this recepie. Thank u
A Virtual Vegan says
This butter can be used in any way you would use regular butter, except those that use it to fry or when it's on something that's broiled, like garlic toast.
Bouchra says
Would this refined coconut oil work? It looks like it's already liquid so I'm not sure how they've achieved that. would it set ok? https://groceries.asda.com/product/coconut-seed-nut-oil/asda-flavour-free-coconut-oil/910002521745
A Virtual Vegan says
It wouldn't. That's fractionated coconut oil and it stays liquid and doesn't set hard. This one from Asda is ok though https://groceries.asda.com/product/oils/ktc-coconut-hair-oil/910000033621 I have no idea why it says hair oil on their website. They must have made a mistake! Further down it says "A versatile flavourless cooking oil" and I have actually used it to make my butter when I was staying with family in the UK. Tesco sell it too.
Delon Starkey says
How long is the shelf life of this butter and how many servings would you estimate it to be from this recipe?
A Virtual Vegan says
Servings are impossible to calculate because everyone uses it differently and it would depend what you were doing with it and how much you use. As stated in the recipe it makes about 24 teaspoons or half a cup. With regards shelf life it will last for however long the milk you use is good for. Storage instructions and details about how to freeze it are in the notes section at the end of the recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
Rachel says
I made this butter yesterday and it was fantastic! I have been raving about it to people at work today! I'm so pleased to have found this website, I can't wait to try more of your recipes! Thank you so much!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Rachel. I'm so glad you are enjoying it!
Patty Porter says
Hi - I need to stay away from all coconut (oils, etc.) due to food sensitivities. Is there a different oil I could substitute for the coconut oil in your recipe? Many thanks.
A Virtual Vegan says
No there isn't. Sorry. It won't work with anything else because it needs to be made with an oil that sets hard and is flavorless and colorless. Refined coconut oil is the only option.
Lisa says
Hi. I made your butter and it turned out great. I just used some to make buffalo sauce and you can't tell the difference. thanks so much for figuring out how to make it so easily!
A Virtual Vegan says
You're welcome Lisa. I'm so glad you enjoyed it...And now I have to try it in buffalo sauce because I haven't done that yet! Can't wait!
Serena says
I'm allergic to almonds so I'm wondering if peanut flour will work in place of almond meal and if pea mulk will work in place of almond milk?
A Virtual Vegan says
Peanut flour would technically work, but I would be worried about the peanut flavour coming through. It's not a flour that I am familiar with so I'm not sure how peanut-y it is? Almond flour is what gives this butter it's real buttery flavour and what makes this vegan butter recipe better than any other in my opinion. If you are only allergic to almonds, then ground cashews would be a much better alternative as they have a slightly buttery flavour and a good texture. They would work really well. I have a few readers with nut allergies who use ground sunflower seeds or pine nuts too. You will lose some of the buttery flavour though by not using almonds. My top alternative would definitely be the cashew flour for sure. You can make it easily in a blender or food processor. Be sure to pulse it and not run it high or you will end up with cashew butter and not a flour.
As for almond milk, I recommend NOT using that so you are ok there! It has a weird distinctive flavour that comes through too much in this butter. I like to use cashew milk, but I have used Ripple which is pea milk and it was fine. Hope that helps!