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!
Laura says
Just made a batch of this butter and it is absolutely awesome!! Thanks for the advice about using silicone ice cube trays: I found some which are about 6" x 4" with 15 little squares, just perfect for a double batch of this recipe. I just left the butter in the tray and placed it, in a zip top bag, in the freezer ... can easily pop out a 1" cube when I want to be a little decadent! Thank you so very much for this recipe.
A Virtual Vegan says
That's so good to hear Laura! It has certainly been a life changing recipe for me. I can't get enough of it on hot toast! I am glad the tip about the ice cube trays helped. It helps me to exercise a little bit of self control when it's frozen. It means I can't just eat it whenever I feel like which would almost certainly be too often if it was in front of me every time I opened the fridge! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback. I really appreciate it :O)
Melissa says
I was hoping this would work for me but I'm allergic to yeast (which includes vinegar). Is it possible to leave the yeast and vinegar out of this recipe?
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Melissa. Good news..you can still make the butter :O)
The vinegar provides a bit of acidity which this butter needs but I think you could replace that acidity with the same amount of lemon juice and get a good result. As for the nutritional yeast, it is there to add a bit of savoury, buttery flavour and some yellow colour. Leaving it out won't affect how the recipe works but it will affect the flavour a little bit. It won't taste as buttery without it but I am sure it will still be very good. You could always add a little extra turmeric (not too much though as you don't want to taste it) to get the colour a little yellower. I hope that helps.
Emma Crane says
This an amazing recipe. One that I will always use. It's super easy to make and the texture and taste is amazing. Thank you for sharing :-)
A Virtual Vegan says
That is so good to hear Emma. I hope you continue to find many delicious uses for it! Crumpets are in my future very soon after another reader told me how good it is on them! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it :O)
Shannon says
Have you tested this using nondairy milk that does not contain added stabilizers? I'm wondering because your recipe does not call for any emulsifiers. I usually use homemade nondairy milk or store bought soy milk that is "clean" (no gums etc) just out of preference, but I'm a little worried that this recipe won't work properly without that. I would love if you tested it with an emulsifier-free, gum-free nondairy milk and added your results to the recipe notes.
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Shannon. Yes this recipe works with the more natural milks with no added stabilizers. I have made it with my own homemade cashew milk (just cashews and water). Your homemade milk or the soy you buy will be just fine. In this recipe the almonds kind of work as the emulsifier and hold it all together once its been blended up. I will add a note to the recipe :O)
Margaret Wall says
What a great recipe. Thank you so much.
It literally took just the time to measure out the ingredients.
Even prior to adding in the almonds it tastes good.
I will never need to buy Vegan butter again!
Fantastic!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment Margaret. I really appreciate it and am so glad you loved the butter! :O)
Colleen says
Can I use cashews instead of almonds?
A Virtual Vegan says
You can as long as you grind them up into a flour consistency first. They won't give the same buttery flavour as almonds though so bear that in mind.
Karlie says
Is the another non almond nut that would work or taste better? My family has both almond and cashew allergies.
A Virtual Vegan says
Almonds give the best buttery flavour but there are alternatives. I have had readers let me know that they have used hemp seeds, pine nuts (not a nut despite they’re name) or sunflower seeds in place of the ground almonds. As long as you grind them down to a fine flour in a blender or food processor they will be good. Someone even told me yesterday that they used rice flour and had a good result. I think if you can get them, pine nuts would probably lend the best buttery flavour out of them all. Hope that helps!
Mara says
Hi,
This recipe sounds great - I can't wait to try it! I don't like using soy milk though, so do you have any suggestions on a mild tasting nut milk other than the almond/coconut blend? I have hemp milk, but have not tried it yet, so not sure if it's mild tasting.
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Mara. I wouldn't use the hemp milk. It does have a distinctive taste and the flavour might come through in the buns. Coconut milk from a carton (not canned), cashew milk or rice milk would be good as would oat milk. In fact if you have some oats and a blender you can whip some up in minutes. Check out my recipe in the index under 'sips'. Its definitely the cheapest option and is great for baking with. I usually use it but happened to have the almond/coconut blend in the fridge so used that for this recipe instead. I hope that helps. Enjoy the buns and happy Easter! :O)
Courtney says
Hi I really want to try this, but I was wondering can I make it using unrefined coconut oil? It's my understanding that refined coconut oil the process can be quite chemically intensive and that something I want to avoid
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Courtney,
It is totally possible to make this butter with unrefined coconut oil but the finished butter will taste and smell of coconut so won't be butter like.If you are happy with that then by all means go ahead.It kind of depends what you are going to be using it for as to whether it will be ok like that. As for refined coconut oil. not all refined coconut oils are alike! Most are refined using a chemical distillation process dependent on lye or other harsh solvents, or they’re made from the rancid oil byproducts leftover from creating dessicated (dry) coconut flakes. Sadly, these are refined, bleached, and deodorized in an effort to create a palatable product that can be sold to consumers. Many coconut oils are even hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated! Avoid these at all costs. However, there are some quality, non-hydrogenated refined coconut oils available that are refined using a natural, chemical-free cleaning process (usually involving steam and/or diatomaceous earth). I make sure only to only buy these and they are perfectly ok and chemical free. Refined coconut oils do not offer the same health benefits of virgin, completely raw coconut oil, but they are still excellent sources of most of the beneficial fatty acids (like MCTs). I tend to use unrefined coconut oil more as it is nutritionally better for you, but on occasions when I don't want the coconut flavour (like with this butter) I am happy to use naturally refined coconut oil. I nearly always buy Nutiva coconut oil. It comes in unrefined and refined varieties, the coconuts are responsibly sourced (i.e monkey slaves are not used to pick the coconuts unlike 99% of other coconut products) and the refined version is refined with only steam. I hope that help :O)
Courtney says
Wow thank you for your detailed response, I will look more into it! Cheers!
Emma Warrington says
Certainly the easiest vegan butter I've made, with readily available, store cupboard ingredients. But also the tastiest! I'll definitely make it again, and probably double up the recipe and freeze half. Thanks for your ingenuity! Hot buttered toast! Yum!! ????
A Virtual Vegan says
I am so pleased you like it! Hot buttered toast.... Yum. I hadn't had that for over a year and it was so good when I ate it again after creating this recipe! Watch out for Mondays recipe...it is perfect to go with your new butter! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Emma :0)
A Virtual Vegan says
You are very welcome Natalie. Let me know what you think when you try it!
Nancy says
Love that the recipe doesn't use palm oil, but disappoint to see coconut oil, Which Has its own ethical issues (monkey slaves and other exploitative practices--seriously, research it!). Have you tried any other similar fat (vegetable shortening maybe?)?
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Nancy. I am all too familiar with the terrible practices which go on in the production of coconut oil. I have written about it in many of my posts and always advocate responsibly sourced brands. It is absolutely possible to buy coconut oil that is produced responsibly and without cruelty to monkeys, or as is sometimes the case, people too. I have done extensive research into this and contacted many companies myself to find out their production/harvesting practices so that I can recommend good and trusted brands here on my blog. If you check out this post https://avirtualvegan.com/butternut-squash-kale-pie/ you will see that I have included information about monkey slavery and a link to a reputable site that lists the brands that do not use monkeys and those that do (and those they aren't sure about). I would always advise to check this list before purchasing your coconut products. Personally I always buy Nutiva because it is a brand I trust and one that I know uses responsible farming and harvesting practices. I also use Nutiva or Wholesome Foods coconut sugar and Let's Do Organic Shredded Coconut as they all source responsibly.
As for shortening, this is something that I don't use in my recipes/cooking. Shortening is highly processed and the ingredients are less than optimal. It always contains palm oil (at least any brand I have ever seen i.e crisco and earth balance) which causes absolutely terrible destruction to the planet and wildlife. As well as palm oil it usually contains canola oil which is another highly processed, almost always GMO oil.Crisco also uses hydrogenated oils which are terribly bad for you.
Coconut oil is by far the least processed option and the healthiest and the best ethically as long as you source it carefully. If you were to use shortening to make my recipe you would end up with a butter that has basically the same ingredients as store bought vegan butter so you might as well save yourself the effort and just buy it ready made from the grocery store. I hope this helps and that you understand my choices a little better now :O)
Nancy says
Thanks so much for the detailed response and the valuable resources! I have been trying to research coconut sources myself since being made aware of these issues with difficulty--companies that make some of my favorite products (e.g., Earth Balance, Desert Essense) either never responded or only half responded. Looked like I should have read through your earlier posts sooner! Nonetheless, now I can try this Intruiging recipe comfortably!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great. I am glad to have helped. I am of the opinion that if a company uses good and ethical harvesting techniques they will be proud of that fact and happy to tell you about it. If they skirt around the issue or only half respond then I think it's fairly safe to assume that they don't use good practices. I'm glad you feel happier about it all now and can eat your coconut products with a clear conscience! Enjoy the recipe!
Michelle McBride says
Is there any substitution to the Coconut oil? I am highly allergic to coconut, but love the idea of homemade vegan butter. Please help! Thank you.
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Michelle. You have to use an oil which will solidify in this recipe otherwise it just won't work. The only two other things that would technically work are palm oil and cocoa butter. Palm oil though is the main reason I created my recipe as I avoid it at all costs due to the terrible destruction it causes to the planet and wildlife (in particular orang-utans). And cocoa butter although it would work will give you an almost white chocolate flavoured spread so not really like butter.So it looks like you'll have to sit this one out. I am so sorry that I don't have better news :O(
Stephanie says
Hi, if you were to bake something with this butter would you put in the exact amount of normal butter that requires on the receipe? Or would the ratio be different? EG// one tablespoon of normal butter equates to how much of vegan butter (specific to cooking) xxx
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Stephanie. I have only tested it in my own baked goods recipes where I would usually use coconut oil. I have subbed it like for like quantity wise and results have been great. If you have a recipe that calls for butter I would just use like for like quantities. I am pretty sure it will work great. Enjoy!
lorna says
How long does it keep fresh ?
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Lorna. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge but also freezes well. Instructions for that are in the post. I make it in silicone ice cube trays, then freeze and just pop out a square every now and again. Otherwise I'd eat far too much of it! It's a strategy that stops me overeating it!! Lol
patricia says
couple of weeks is 2 weeks 3, 4, or 5 week ? and freezes for a month ?
A Virtual Vegan says
I didn't say it freezes for a month. I said it freezes well. I haven't experimented with exactly how long it keeps in the freezer. In my recipe trials I simply froze it for a few days then defrosted it to check how it was. I haven't frozen it for an extended period. Standard dairy butter freezes well for up to 5 months so I would imagine this butter is similar but can't guarantee.
Again as for keeping it in the fridge, I have used mine for a fews weeks no problem. Exact times are impossible to predict as it depends on how old the ingredients used are and how the finished butter is stored. Remember that different fridges run at a different temperatures too. Because of all of these variables I can't give an exact time. I am physically not able to test every eventuality.
patricia says
sorry i didn't form the question well, when i say '' and freezes for a month ?'' its was a question to know how long can we keep in the freezer. Thank you very much for all the information. This better look very nice and awsum, thanks for sharing.
Natalie says
This is amazing Mel! I have no clue how you figured it out :o And it even melts and everything...just wow! So much better than the store-bought stuff!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Natalie! It was a bit of a throw it all in a blender and hope for the best moment that really worked! I still can't believe it worked so well and I'm sat here as we speak eating it on toast !