35 Butter-Free Cookie Recipes (2024)

Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food

Caroline StankoUpdated: Mar. 01, 2024

Ran out of butter but still craving cookies? We've got the recipes for you! Check out these cookies without butter that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Cherry Biscochitos

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I discovered the wonderful anise flavor of biscochitos, which are traditional cookies of New Mexico. I created my own version with maraschino cherries and fresh cranberries. —Mary Shivers, Ada, Oklahoma

Baking a treat that calls for butter? Use these butter replacements for baking instead.

Jumbo Chocolate Cutouts

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Taste of Home

The recipe for these light cookies has been passed down from generation to generation. Have a little extra fun with frosting if you like. They freeze well, too!—Helen Brown, East Dover, Vermont

Hazelnut Almond Biscotti

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Pour a cup of coffee and indulge! Crisp, crunchy biscotti cookies are perfect for dunking. Hazelnuts and almonds make my favorite version even better. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

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It's so much fun to decorate cookies with children's help. We created gingery moose-shaped cookies to go with a book made especially for my niece's third-grade class. The crispy vegan gingerbread cookies stole the show. —Jenet Cattar, Neptune Beach, Florida

Stained Glass Cherry Macaroons

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Macaroons are a timeless treat and a family favorite in our house. These merry morsels are always the first to disappear from the cookie tray. —Jamie Jones, Madison, Georgia

Almond Ginger Cookies

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Think outside the box this season and enjoy these traditional Chinese cookies, each one topped with an almond slice. —Shirley Warren, Thiensville, Wisconsin

Molasses Crackle Cookies

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Taste of Home

Apricot-Filled Cookies

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The recipe for these rich, buttery cookies originally called for dates. Apricots have long been my favorite fruit, so using them as a substitute seemed natural. —Bonnie Waliezer, Brush Prairie, Washington

Orange Crispies

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Add a splash of little sunshine to your cookie jar with this recipe. When I want to spread some cheer, I'll bake up a double batch to share. —Ruth Gladstone, Brunswick, Maryland

Pumpkin Seed Cranberry Biscotti

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Hints of pumpkin seed and almond give this biscotti recipe a wonderful flavor that's just right for fall. Try one with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa! —Nancy Renner, Eugene, Oregon

Italian Orange-Fig Cookies

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This is one of the first holiday cookies I made when I found out I could no longer eat gluten. In those eight years, six of my family members and friends have also had to give up gluten, so these delicious Italian cookies have now become a treasured holiday tradition for all of us. By the way, no one will know they're gluten free unless you tell them! The cookies last for weeks if stored in a dry place. —Suzanne Banfield, Basking Ridge, New Jersey

Cranberry Lime Macaroons

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It wouldn’t be the holidays for my family and friends if I didn’t make these chewy lime-flavored macaroons. I usually make several batches a week during the season..—Alisa Costa, Chatham, New York

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My grandmother did not speak English very well, but she knew the language of great food. These wine cookies are crisp and best eaten after being dunked in even more wine.—Julia Meyers, Scottsdale, Arizona

Grossmutter's Peppernuts

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Taste of Home

Before Christmas, my grandmother would bake peppernuts and store them until the big day. When we came home from school, the whole house would smell like anise and we knew the holiday season was about to begin. —Marilyn Kutzli, Clinton, Iowa

Mexican Cinnamon Cookies

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My extended family shares a meal every Sunday. The aunts and uncles take turns bringing everything from main dishes to desserts like this traditional Mexican cinnamon cookie called reganadas. —Adan Franco, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Harveys Coconut Macaroons

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Chewy Maple Cookies

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My husband, Bob, and I have a small sugaring operation with Bob's father. I love to put some of our syrup to use in these golden cookies. —Reba Legrand, Jericho, Vermont

Italian Holiday Cookies

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Many of our holiday traditions center around the foods my mother made while I was growing up. These cookies, which we called "Strufoli", bring back wonderful memories. —Sue Seymour, Valatie, New York

First-Place Coconut Macaroons

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These coconut macaroon cookies earned me a first-place ribbon at the county fair. They remain my husband's favorites—whenever I make them to give away, he always asks me where his batch is! I especially like the fact that this recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawano, Wisconsin

Great-Grandma's Oatmeal Cookies

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This yummy cookie—a favorite of my husband's—goes back to my great-grandmother. At Christmastime, we use colored sugar for a festive touch. —Mary Ann Konechne, Kimball, South Dakota

Spiced Oatmeal Cookies

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I'm the fourth generation of cooks in my family to bake these cookies. When my grandmother sent me a batch for my birthday one year, I asked her for the recipe. That's when I learned it was originally my great-grandmother's recipe. It's one that I will definitely make sure gets passed on! —Loretta Pakulski, Indian River, Michigan

White Chocolate Maple Pecan Macaroons

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I love macaroons and wanted to add a different twist to them with white chocolate and pecans, some of my favorite ingredients. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania

Holiday Meringue Miniatures

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Taste of Home

My kids love these light melt-in-your-mouth cookies, and we have fun making them. These were always on our Christmas cookie plate when I was a kid, and now the tradition continues. —Susan Marshall, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Italian Pignoli Cookies

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Cookies are the crown jewels of Italian confections. I can’t let a holiday go by without baking these traditional almond cookies rolled in mild pine nuts. —Maria Regakis, Saugus, Massachusetts

Grandma Krause's Coconut Cookies

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When my two daughters were young, their great-grandma made them coconut cookies with oats. Thankfully, she shared the recipe. —Debra Dorn, Dunnellon, Florida

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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Taste of Home

A friend gave me the recipe for these cookies many years ago, and they’re as delicious as the ones Mom used to make. The secret to the recipe is to measure exactly (no guessing on the amounts) and to not overbake. —Wendy Coalwell, Abbeville, Georgia

Dipped Gingersnaps

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I get tremendous satisfaction making and giving time-tested yuletide treats like these dipped gingersnaps. Dipping them in white chocolate makes much-loved gingersnaps even more special. —Laura Kimball, West Jordan, Utah

Cinnamon Sugar Crackle Cookies

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I get lots of compliments on these crunchy cookies. They're always part of my Christmas cookie platter. —Sarah Miller, Wauconda, Washington

Icebox Honey Cookies

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My Grandma Wruble always had a batch of these cookies in the cookie jar and another roll in the refrigerator ready to slice and bake. Their honey and lemon flavor is delicious! —Kristi Gleason, Flower Mound, Texas

Gingersnaps

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Friends and neighbors look for these old-time cookies on the goody trays I make for them every holiday. They're irresistible for dunking into milk, and they bring back a nostalgic spicy flavor of Christmases past. —Elizabeth Flatt, Kelso, Washington

Cherry Kisses

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Cookies that melt in your mouth and are practically fat-free—is it any wonder these crispy meringue morsels disappear as fast as I can whip them up? Friends and family love them. —Jo Ann Blomquest, Freeport, Illinois

Oatmeal Crispies

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Taste of Home

My husband, who normally isn't fond of oatmeal, thinks these old-fashioned cookies are great. With a hint of nutmeg, their aroma is wonderful as they bake...and they taste even better! —Karen Henson, St. Louis, Missouri

Originally Published: October 09, 2018

Caroline Stanko

Caroline has been with Taste of Home for the past seven years, working in both print and digital. After starting as an intern for the magazine and special interest publication teams, Caroline was hired as the third-ever digital editor for Taste of Home. Since then, she has researched, written and edited content on just about every topic the site covers, including cooking techniques, buzzy food news, gift guides and many, many recipe collections. Caroline also acts as the editorial lead for video, working with the Test Kitchen, videographers and social media team to produce videos from start to finish.When she’s not tip-tapping on a keyboard, Caroline is probably mixing up a killer co*cktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooking up a multi-course feast (sometimes all at once). Though she technically lives in Milwaukee, there is a 50/50 chance Caroline is in Chicago or southwest Michigan visiting her close-knit family.

FAQs

What happens if you reduce butter in cookies? ›

Dry Texture: Butter is a source of moisture in cookie dough. Without enough butter, the dough can become dry and crumbly. This can make it difficult to form the dough into cohesive balls or drop it onto baking sheets, and it can result in cookies that are overly dry and lacking in tenderness.

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Can you use oil instead of butter for cookie? ›

Replacing Butter with Oil

Depending on the type of oil, it can add complex flavor and welcome moisture to your baked goods. 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.)

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Does the amount of butter affect cookies? ›

Classic signs of a cookie with too much butter include crispy-bordering-on-burnt edges, a greasy surface, an excessively brittle texture, and a predominantly buttery flavor that overpowers the other caramel and chocolate notes.

What is a substitute for 1 cup of butter in cookies? ›

A good rule of thumb for this substitution: Replace about ¾ of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil (if the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil). If the recipe calls for melted butter, though, you can swap the ingredients in equal amounts — there's no need to adjust your ratios.

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Which butter substitute tastes most like butter? ›

Ghee. While not necessarily healthier than regular butter, ghee (clarified butter) has grown in popularity as an alternative, which makes intuitive sense because it offers a deep buttery taste and texture.

What happens if you use melted butter instead of softened for cookies? ›

It all makes a difference. Our control cookie, as with most cookies, uses softened butter, and this recipe tends to be a bit cakier. A cookie made with the same amount of melted butter will give you a fudgier, chewier cookie. It helps it spread out more and gives you some nice divots to catch more chocolate.

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What does brown sugar do in cookies? ›

Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more. With less moisture escaping via steam, they also stay moist and chewy.

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Do cookies taste better with butter or oil? ›

Oil is also a more neutral flavor, so it doesn't provide as much flavor as butter. In order to maximize flavor and recipe success, we recommend you follow the recipe ingredient list when baking.

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What is the secret to soft cookies? ›

Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.

How much oil do I substitute for butter in cookies? ›

There is not really a hard and fast rule to the right amount of oil to replace butter, but you can typically use about three-quarters of the amount of butter that is called for in the recipe. For instance, if the recipe calls for 10 tablespoons of butter, you can use about 7 1/2 tablespoons of oil.

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Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

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Should you refrigerate cookie dough before baking? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

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Should you chill cookie dough before baking? ›

Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies. "The colder and more solid the fat is, the less the cookie will spread," says food stylist and recipe developer Caitlin Haught Brown.