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 favorite with hundreds of five-star reviews. No fancy ingredients are required and it's palm oil-free!
💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.
Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.
FEATURED COMMENT
"I'm impressed! When I read all the comments & high ratings about it tasting as good as real butter, I was hopeful but still skeptical…. However, I proved it to myself today. It came out perfectly first go! Follow the well-detailed directions and you can't go wrong!"
- Clare ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
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 and absolutely tried and true. It has been one of my most popular recipes since 2015 and it comes with hundreds of five-star reviews.
Make it in your blender in minutes and then use it just like regular butter for all of your spreading and baking needs. It's unbelievably smooth, rich, and creamy, and spreads and melts perfectly. You can even use it to make vegan brown butter!
A slice of no knead sourdough bread, toast, 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.
Mel x
What Is Vegan Butter Made Of?
So that you get the very best results when making this vegan butter recipe, here are some important notes on the main ingredients:
- Almond flour - This is crucial for the best buttery flavor and emulsification. Almond flour is made from blanched skinless almonds and is super fine, powdery, soft, and pale creamy yellow in colour. It has a mild, buttery flavor. Almond meal on the other hand is made with raw almonds, often with skins still on. It is coarser and grainier than almond flour, slightly stronger in flavor, and darker in color with small brown flecks throughout if the skins were still intact. For best results, you need to use almond flour for this recipe. Almond flour is found in almost all grocery stores and it will be clearly labelled on the bag that it is made from blanched almonds. I buy mine in bulk from Costco but Bob's Red Mill is a popular brand of almond flour carried in most stores in North America. In the UK you can usually find almond flour at Holland and Barrett or you can order it from Amazon.
- Refined coconut oil - Note that it must be refined (i.e flavorless and odourless) and cannot be MCT oil or liquid coconut oil. This is a crucial ingredient and without it the butter won't set.
- Dairy-free milk - For creaminess and emulsification. It should be a neutral tasting milk and it must be unsweetened and unflavored so be careful to check the ingredients. Vanilla and sugar sneak into a lot of plant milks and they really aren't good additions to savory recipes. My preferences are oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk. I don't recommend using almond milk because it has quite a strong flavor which you can detect in the finished butter.
- Nutritional yeast - Just a touch for a buttery umami flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar - The butter needs some acid to balance the flavors and apple cider vinegar is milder than most other culinary acids which is why it's used here.
- Oil - Any neutral oil such as mild olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil. This is what makes the butter spreadable.
- Turmeric - Used for color. It gives the butter a yellow hue. This is the only ingredient you can safely omit.
You will also need a high-powered blender.
If you have any questions check the FAQs for the most common ones, and if it's not covered there feel free to leave a comment under the recipe. I'll get back to you a.s.a.p.
Serving Suggestions
Slather this vegan butter on bread, scones, and biscuits, and pancakes, and waffles. You can also add it to all of your favorite buttery recipes like vegan mashed potatoes, vegan cream cheese frosting, and lemon curd, and use it in your vegan baking. It's great for cakes, pastry dough, etc. You can even use it to make brown butter!
Recipe FAQS
If you use unrefined or virgin coconut oil, your butter will taste and smell of coconut, not 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.
The nutritional yeast helps with the buttery flavor and the butter is at its 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 are completely different from nutritional yeast and will not work in this recipe.
There is no substitute for coconut oil in this recipe. Nothing else will work.
Yes, it bakes perfectly. Use it in cakes, pies and frosting etc as you would regular butter.
Vegan butter and margarine are similar but not the same. Margarine has a really distinctive flavor 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 labeled 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 flavor and texture than store-bought margarine.
No. The recipe will not set when made with liquid coconut oil.
Recipe
Vegan Butter
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 mls) refined coconut oil , it must be refined NOT unrefined
- ½ cup (50 grams or 8 tablespoons) almond flour
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150 mls) dairy-free milk , must be unsweetened & unflavored. See the post above for my fave milks to use.
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine sea 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 liquid oil , such as light olive, canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
Please see the recipe notes before proceeding if you intend on using this butter for frying/sautéing.
- Gently melt the coconut oil. I put it in the microwave on defrost for about 20 seconds but you can also stand the jar in some hot water. Measure it when it's liquid and not solid, then set aside for a few minutes to cool to room temperature. Do not use it while warm or hot.
- Place the almond flour, milk, salt, nutritional yeast, vinegar, and turmeric into a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Touch the blender jar and make sure the contents aren't really warm or hot. If they are wait until they are at room temperature again before moving onto the next step.
- Pour in the refined coconut oil and olive oil then blend again until completely emulsified. It's important not to let the contents of the blender get warm/hot so blend in short bursts and give it a break for a minute or two in between if you can feel it getting warm.
- Pour the liquid butter into a container, cover and refrigerate until set.
- Let the butter soften at room temperature for a few minutes before spreading for ultimate creaminess and ease of spreading.
NOTES
💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.
Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.
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!
Pippa MacLachlan says
This looks great, would love to have a go ~ thank you.
Two questions:
What is almond flour/meal ~ is it the same as ground almonds?
What is nutritional yeast and where do you buy it from please?
A Virtual Vegan says
Almond flour/meal is the same as ground almonds. Just be sure its a brand that looks light yellow-ish in the bag and wasn't ground up with the almond skins on and you will be good. Otherwise you'll get butter with brown speckly bits in it!
Nutritional yeast is pretty easily found in most stores, at least here in North America. It's a deactivated form of yeast nothing like the kind you use to make bread or beer. It looks like yellow fish food flakes and has a really lovely savory flavor. Vegans tend to use it a lot because in large amounts it gives a cheesy taste so it's great for recreating things like mac and cheese. It's also a great source of vitamin B12. I like to use it in small amounts in a lot of recipes because it gives a lovely depth of flavour. In this butter it adds depth and some butteriness. Brands to look out for, if you are in North America are Bragg's and Bob's Red Mill. If you are in the UK Engevita Yeast flakes is the most common brand. Amazon is a great place to get it too. I buy mine in bulk from there as it's much cheaper than the shops. Hope that helps!
Pippa MacLachlan says
Many thanks, that's very helpful. In the UK so will have to keep a look out for the Engevita Yeast flakes ~ not seen them in my local supermarket but will look around ~ thank you. Looks like they sell it in the health food shop.
A Virtual Vegan says
Holland and Barrett definitely sell it. I bought it last time I was there. I've heard Asda sell it too.
Christine Woods says
I buy nutritional yeast online at Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hoosier-Hill-Farm-Nutritional-Flakes/dp/B008YFWH3G/ref=sr_1_11_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1530978890&sr=1-11&keywords=nutritional%2Byeast&th=1
Can't wait to try this recipe!
Alycia says
Made this 3 times so far and it's the most delicious vegan butter I've ever come across!
It tastes just like cow's milk butter but with a lovely subtle nutty flavour ^_^
This recipe is so ingenious that I've shared it publicly on Facebook and shared the butter with some friends <3
In the UK, coconut oil stays pretty solid even in summer so the first thing I do is melt the coconut oil on lowest heat on a hob. I use oat milk because it's the creamiest of the vegan milks. Engevita yeast flakes work perfectly with this. I use a hand blender and it works wonders. For me it's best to keep the butter in a tupperware box so it's easier to scrape out with a knife : )
Thank you so much, Mel for sharing this brilliant recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so glad you are enjoying the recipe Alycia and thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Matilda says
Melanie, I just made your butter and am now waiting for it to cool in the refrigerator, Cannot wait to spread some on a slice of bread. Thank you again for sharing your expertise in your recipes. Matilda
A Virtual Vegan says
You're welcome Matilda. Enjoy your bread and butter!
Jennifer says
I'm so excited to make this...but have a strange request. I'm having a large dinner party and people have dietary restrictions. I need way more than this tiny amount! Do you have a scaled up recipe? Like, for 1 lb or 2 lb blocks? Thanks so much!
A Virtual Vegan says
On all of my recipes, if you hover over the servings in the recipe card, a little slider appears and you can adjust it to whoever much you like. It will then change all of the ingredients automatically!
ashley says
I literally just stared at your earl grey vegan cake with lemon frosting in admiration and awe for like 10 minutes... Drooled every where! lol It is so beautiful!! Anyways back to the butter, I will most definitely be trying this, thank you for all that you do so we can still have tasty vegan meals. :)
A Virtual Vegan says
Ha ha! Thank you. You clearly need to make that cake! I hope you enjoy the butter Ashley.
Nichole M Pulley says
What milk do you suggest using if not almond, soy or coconut?
A Virtual Vegan says
I mention in the recipe notes that I like cashew milk best for this. It's the milk I tend to use for most recipes. It's flavour works well in the butter and doesn't compete like almond or coconut do. Pea milk like Ripple, oat milk or rice milk would work too as they are really neutral.
Kirsten says
Great recipe. Taste is fantastic. Did use olive oil which was not a good idea as the flavour came through but still was very delicious. Used most of the butter for frosting!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm glad you enjoyed it Kirsten. It makes awesome frosting eh? For next time, if you use regular mild olive oil and not extra virgin you won't detect the flavour so much.
Andrea says
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
A Virtual Vegan says
No. Coconut flour is way too absorbent and would turn it into sludge. Almond flour is what gives it it's buttery flavour too. You could sub cashews ground up into flour or if you have a nut allergy, I have a few reader who use pine nuts or sunflower seeds. The best possible flavour will come from using almond flour though. Hope that helps!
Pamela Therrien says
OH do use almond flour...I am old south butter is my life...I added a small amount of almond flour and this butter is so awesome may switch ..So goodi added a bit a pinch twice over of Nutrirional yeast as well OMG I cannot believe how wonderful this is...I LOVE it so much!
Melanie McDonald says
The almonds really make this recipe something special. Thank you Pamela. I'm so pleased you are enjoying it!
GO GREEN 2018 says
This is AWESOME,! I cannot wait to try it! A pound lasts in our refrigerator about a month. What is the shelf life on this recipe? A month. 2 months?
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! It won't last as long as store bought. It will last for how ever long your milk is good for. Store bought milk lasts longer than homemade milk so it varies depending on what you use. As mentioned in the post though, you can freeze it. That's what I do. I make a great big batch, freeze in silicone ice cube trays and pop out a piece as needed. That way it stays nice and fresh even if I use homemade milk to make it. It will keep for a few months in the freezer.
KEAS says
As of this morning I will no longer be buying butter in the store. This will be my go to butter going forward. This recipe was perfect! Thanks for sharing
A Virtual Vegan says
That's what I like to hear! Thank you. I am thrilled you like it so much!
Jean says
I’m curious to know if using a lactaid free milk instead of the non-dairy type would work? Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
That would be fine, but to keep it vegan you would need to use non-dairy milk.
Trinity Bourne says
I am going to try this after sending a whole bunch of people to the recipe because it sounds amazing.
I just want to ask - have you ever frozen this before? Do you know if it freezes well?
Big thanks
Tirnity
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Trinity. It's been the most popular recipe on this website for a couple of years now. I'm not sure anything else I make will beat it!
In answer to your question, the butter freezes perfectly. I give details in the post about how I freeze it in silicone ice cube trays as I don't use much of it at a time. It's a great way to do it and they pop out so easily and because they are small don't take long to defrost. I hope you enjoy it and thank you so much for sharing it!
Guest says
Will this work without the nutritional yeast, I have all the ingredients on hand except that.
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes it will work but nutritional yeast really helps the buttery flavour.
Britta Bloomquist says
Beyond amazing and sooo tasty!!
Thanks a lot for this recipe!
I have been using it for about 3 months now and don't ever want to switch back to store bought
A Virtual Vegan says
What a compliment! I am thrilled you are enjoying it so much and thank you so much for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!